Community Needs Community Needs AssessmentAssessment

LIS 490CELLIS 490CEL

Oct 6, 2009Oct 6, 2009

Jaime SchumacherJaime Schumacher

What is a Community Needs What is a Community Needs Assessment?Assessment?

CommunityCommunity• Common HistoryCommon History• Common Ethnicity/CultureCommon Ethnicity/Culture• Common GeographyCommon Geography• Common InterestsCommon Interests

NeedsNeeds• Normative NeedNormative Need• Comparative NeedComparative Need• Felt NeedFelt Need• Expressed NeedExpressed Need

Assessment Assessment • Gauge key issues, opinions, attitudes, assumptions, needsGauge key issues, opinions, attitudes, assumptions, needs

Needs Assessment in the Needs Assessment in the Community Inquiry CycleCommunity Inquiry Cycle

Why Use a Community Why Use a Community Assessment?Assessment?

Gather information from citizensGather information from citizens Identify gapsIdentify gaps Set priorities and allocate resourcesSet priorities and allocate resources Evaluate current programsEvaluate current programs Determine (and even generate) citizen Determine (and even generate) citizen

support for initiativessupport for initiatives

Assessment SuccessAssessment Success

Community Involvement and Buy-InCommunity Involvement and Buy-In• Stakeholder Participatory Model – Equal Stakeholder Participatory Model – Equal

involvement of stakeholders and evaluators in involvement of stakeholders and evaluators in all phases of the assessment…collaboration!all phases of the assessment…collaboration!

• Convergent Data Analysis & Multi-method Convergent Data Analysis & Multi-method ApproachApproach• Variety of research methodsVariety of research methods• Variety of data sources, perspectivesVariety of data sources, perspectives

Recommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Needs Needs Assessment Assessment

CycleCycle

CatalystCatalystRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Event that highlights a potential need or Event that highlights a potential need or necessitates the definition of a neednecessitates the definition of a need

ExamplesExamples• Expressed needExpressed need• TragedyTragedy• Funding becomes availableFunding becomes available• Outdated servicesOutdated services

Who are stakeholders? Who are stakeholders? • People who make decisions about programs or fundingPeople who make decisions about programs or funding• People who provide the servicePeople who provide the service• People who receive the servicePeople who receive the service• Community at largeCommunity at large• Research communityResearch community• Others?Others?

Clarify roles and responsibilitiesClarify roles and responsibilities Oversight CommitteeOversight Committee

This is an iterative process – identifying initial stakeholders will This is an iterative process – identifying initial stakeholders will lead to the identification of other stakeholderslead to the identification of other stakeholders

Identify StakeholdersIdentify StakeholdersRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Set ParametersSet ParametersRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Define Objective of Needs Define Objective of Needs AssessmentAssessment

• ExplicitExplicit• Agreement between all stakeholders and evaluators…Agreement between all stakeholders and evaluators…

No hidden agendas!No hidden agendas!

Determine ContentDetermine Content• What information should be sought?What information should be sought?• What is the scope?What is the scope?

Discuss Potential IssuesDiscuss Potential Issues

Data SourcesData Sources

Data Collection MethodsData Collection Methods

Data Collection ToolsData Collection Tools• Qualitative MeasuresQualitative Measures• Quantitative MeasuresQuantitative Measures

MonitoringMonitoring

Collect DataCollect DataRecommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

Collect Data

Qualitative MeasuresQualitative MeasuresRecommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

Collect Data Small GroupsSmall Groups

• Focus GroupsFocus Groups• Delphi TechniqueDelphi Technique• Nominal Group TechniqueNominal Group Technique

Key Informant InterviewsKey Informant Interviews

Public Hearings/Community ForumsPublic Hearings/Community Forums

Quantitative MeasuresQuantitative Measures

Recommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

Collect Data SurveySurvey

• Telephone SurveysTelephone Surveys• Mailed SurveysMailed Surveys• Distributed SurveysDistributed Surveys• Face to Face SurveysFace to Face Surveys

Secondary DataSecondary Data• CensusCensus• Similar assessments performed in similar communitiesSimilar assessments performed in similar communities• State and county level reportsState and county level reports

Stakeholder Review of Preliminary Stakeholder Review of Preliminary FindingsFindings

Data Analysis TechniquesData Analysis Techniques

InterpretationInterpretation

Analyze FindingsAnalyze FindingsRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

CollectData

RecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

CollectData

Final Report DisseminationFinal Report Dissemination

Next StepsNext Steps

New CatalystNew Catalyst

Case StudyCase Study

Community-wide service needs assessment Community-wide service needs assessment of elderly residents in Lorain County, Ohio.of elderly residents in Lorain County, Ohio.

19961996

Shantha BalaswamyShantha Balaswamy

Holly DabelkoHolly Dabelko

A migration of elderly into the countyA migration of elderly into the county

Initiated by a major provider of elderly Initiated by a major provider of elderly services in the countyservices in the county

Agency’s director enlisted director of the Agency’s director enlisted director of the department of nursing of a local department of nursing of a local community collegecommunity college

CatalystCatalystRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Identify StakeholdersIdentify Stakeholders

StakeholdersStakeholders• Aging Network Service ProvidersAging Network Service Providers• Research SponsorsResearch Sponsors• FundersFunders• Educational InstitutionsEducational Institutions• Social Service AgenciesSocial Service Agencies• Health Care ProvidersHealth Care Providers• Private CorporationsPrivate Corporations• Elderly ResidentsElderly Residents• Community ResidentsCommunity Residents

• Oversight CommitteeOversight Committee

Recommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Set ParametersSet Parameters

Objective: Objective: • ““Develop a comprehensive assessment of service needs for the Develop a comprehensive assessment of service needs for the

elderly residents and explore availability of resources.”elderly residents and explore availability of resources.”• Support a tax levy for senior servicesSupport a tax levy for senior services• Generate additional fundingGenerate additional funding

ContentContent• Service utilization, service needs, service gaps for older peopleService utilization, service needs, service gaps for older people• Empirical dataEmpirical data• Level of frailty and functional impairmentLevel of frailty and functional impairment

Recommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

Identify Stakeholders

Set Parameters

Collect Data

Collect DataCollect DataRecommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

Collect Data Survey of 400 community Survey of 400 community

residents over age 60residents over age 60

Focus groups with elderly Focus groups with elderly participants in senior centersparticipants in senior centers

Key informant interviews with Key informant interviews with community leaderscommunity leaders

Survey of service providersSurvey of service providers

Analyze FindingsAnalyze FindingsRecommendations Catalyst

Analyze Findings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

CollectData Community’s elderly are in good Community’s elderly are in good

healthhealth

Most needed services are currently Most needed services are currently available available

Over half of respondents reported Over half of respondents reported having symptoms of depressionhaving symptoms of depression

One in ten reported feeling lonely, One in ten reported feeling lonely, unhappy, and lacked necessary unhappy, and lacked necessary psychotropic medicationspsychotropic medications

RecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendations Catalyst

AnalyzeFindings

IdentifyStakeholders

SetParameters

CollectData Promote continued good healthPromote continued good health

• Wellness exercise programsWellness exercise programs

Use some health related resources Use some health related resources for other services for other services

• Home maintenance and repairHome maintenance and repair

Broaden health needs to include Broaden health needs to include mental and emotional needsmental and emotional needs

Group DiscussionGroup Discussion

Community Needs Assessments are often Community Needs Assessments are often initiated to provide information in order to initiated to provide information in order to take some action. In what other ways can take some action. In what other ways can the results of a Community Needs the results of a Community Needs Assessment be used?Assessment be used?

What experiences have you had with Needs What experiences have you had with Needs Assessments in your own communities?Assessments in your own communities?