Assessing Needs and Assets

Tools

Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP)

MAPP is a community-wide strategic planning tool for improving community health, developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Facilitated by public health leadership, this tool can help RC/EZ/ECs prioritize public health issues and identify resources for addressing them. In the MAPP model (below) the "phases" of the MAPP process are shown in the center of the model while the four assessments-the key content areas that drive the process-are shown in four outer arrows. The tool will prove valuable in determining the needs of the RC/EZ/EC. Click here to register to utilize MAPP via the web.

MAPP Assessment Diagram

Defining Assets

Assessing a community's assets is an important first step for prioritizing health issues and determining the community's capacity. RC/EZ/ECs can use the following two models to help them identify assets from which to build upon when starting their health plan.

Model 1: Identifying Building Blocks

PRIMARY BUILDING BLOCKS

Individual Assets
Skills, talents, and experience of residents
Individual businesses
Home-based enterprises
Personal income
Gifts of labeled people (handicapped, mentally ill, etc.)

Organizational Assets
Associations of businesses
Citizens associations
Cultural organizations
Communications organizations
Religious organizations

SECONDARY BUILDING BLOCKS

Private and Non-profit Organizations
Higher education institutions
Hospitals
Social services agencies

Public Institutions and Services
Public schools
Police
Libraries
Fire departments
Parks

Physical Resources
Vacant land
Commercial and industrial structures
Housing
Energy and waste resources

POTENTIAL BUILDING BLOCKS

Welfare expenditures
Public capital improvement expenditures
Public information

Source: McKnight J.L., Kretzmann J.P. Mapping Community Capacity. The Asset-Based Community Development Institute, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, 1996.

Model 2: Examples of Assets

Involved Institutions

Well-attended community-based churches
Interactive neighborhood theatres and cultural museums

Service clubs
Business associations

Involved Community

Phone trees
Regular meetings of the neighborhood association

Newsletter
Relationship between neighbors and police

Involved Residents
Block captain Strong P.T.A Neighborhood co-ops	Garden/book clubs, etc. Interest in block parties Active neighborhood watch

Intergenerational activities board
Relationship between neighbors, cities and elected officials

Community bulletin

School-to-community relationships
Hospitals dedicated to community interests
Community centers with diverse participants and activities

Thriving neighborhood-oriented businesses

Source: The Neighborhood Resource Center of Metropolitan Denver. What Makes a Community Healthy? Principles and Ideas for Building Strong Neighborhoods. Doug Likhart, Executive Director.

Existing Data Systems

Data are the foundation of health planning objectives. While various national initiatives have stimulated the development of new data systems, there are still areas where information is missing. In the meantime, how do you manage the data presently available?

Health and Human Services Data Systems and Sets Most Critical to Monitoring Health Planning Objectives

Vital Statistics*
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey***
National Health Interview Survey***
Youth Risk Behavior Survey***
National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities
National Survey of Family Growth
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System**
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse***
National Hospital Discharge Survey***
National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System*
Census Data*

KEY:

* Measures are available at state and local levels
** Provides state and possibly local measures
*** May provide state or local measures

Source: Leading Indicators for Healthy People 2010. A Report from the HHS Working Group on Sentinel Objectives. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 1998.

Introductory Remarks: Stakeholder Interviews

(Information for the project interviewer to cover with participants
before beginning stakeholder interviews.)

Introduction by name and organization.

Background of RC/EZ/EC Health Benchmarking Project
- DHHS effort to assure that growth and revitalization of RC/EZ/ECs include strategies for improving and measuring health
- Economic growth byproduct of healthy community
- Goal of project is health benchmarks that reflect community needs and appropriate public health standards

Benchmarking has five components
- Engaging community partners
- Assessing community health needs and assets
- Setting priorities
- Establishing benchmarks
- Communicating conclusions

Interviews today
- Part of engaging community partners
- You have been identified as one of many stakeholders
- Should take approx. 45 minutes
- Objectives of these interviews:
  - Get input on what community thinks are important issues–ideas for change
  - Help us define community needs and resources–shape parameters of our effort
  - Ascertain what will drive your continued participation in the process

Next step: Will be summarized for the first Advisory Group meeting.

Give the stakeholder an interview guide.

Stakeholder Interview Guide

HEALTH NEEDS OF THE ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY

What are the priority health needs of the RC/EZ/EC?
What should the needs assessment address?
Recent and projected changes?
Problem areas? Barriers to provision of services?
Contributors to problems?
Special populations (AIDS, uninsured, Medicaid, prenatal care, ...)

HEALTH RESOURCES OF THE ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY

Adequacy/sufficiency of current resources?
Is there coordination of current resources?
Recent changes in access to health resources? Projected changes?
Recent changes in utilization of health resources? Projected changes?

PROJECTED NEEDS AND RESOURCES

What will the county look like in 5 years?
What changes are necessary?
What changes are likely?

PUBLIC/PRIVATE RELATIONSHIP

Duplication of services?
Gaps in services?
Other than health department, who meets public health needs?

ROLE OF STATE AND CITY GOVERNMENT

Assessment of needs?
Provision of services? Assurance that services are provided?
Integration of eligibility for all programs?

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Major concerns?
RC/EZ/EC role/ health department role? State role?
Adequacy of environmental protection?

KEY PLAYERS

Who influences the delivery of public health services?
Who influences health department programs and policies?

ECONOMIC ISSUES

How is health linked with economic prosperity in the RC/EZ/EC?
Are any of the economic efforts of the RC/EZ/EC tied to health? Can they be?
What is the major economic development issue?
What is the main health issue affecting economic success?

WISH LIST

Policy Maker Interview Guide

HEALTH NEEDS OF THE ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY

What are they?
Recent and projected changes?
Problem areas? Barriers to provision of services?
Contributors to problems?
Special populations (AIDS, uninsured, Medicaid, prenatal care, ...)

HEALTH RESOURCES OF THE ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY

Adequacy/sufficiency of current resources?
Recent changes in access? Projected changes?
Recent changes in utilization? Projected changes?

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Image of the health department?
Effectiveness of the health department?
Most important health department programs/roles?

PROJECTED NEEDS AND RESOURCES

What will the county look like in 5 years?
What changes are necessary?
What changes are likely?

PUBLIC/PRIVATE RELATIONSHIP

Duplication of services?
Gaps in services?
Other than health department, who meets public health needs?

ROLE OF CITY GOVERNMENT

Assessment of needs?
Provision of services? Assurance that services are provided?
Integration of eligibility for all programs?

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Major concerns?
RC/EZ/EC role/ health department role? State role?
Adequacy of environmental protection?

KEY PLAYERS

Who influences the delivery of public health services?
Who influences health department programs and policies?

ECONOMIC ISSUES

How is health linked with economic prosperity in the RC/EZ/EC?
What is the major economic development issue?
What is the main health issue affecting economic success?

WISH LIST

From the Wilmington Enterprise Community Benchmarking Project

Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Advisory group recruitment
	Develop list of prospective Advisory Group members.
	Finalize list with EC Director.
	Determine the Advisory Group Chair.
	Advisory group appointment
	Send letter of invitation to prospective Advisory Group members.
	Create Advisory Group membership list.
	Advisory group has a mission
	Write a mission statement for Advisory Group; incorporate the EC mission statement.
	Share with Advisory Group.
	Advisory group is informed
	Assemble material for first Advisory Group meeting- draft mission statement, written plan, and summary of findings.
	Advisory group has a written plan
	Write plan for needs assessment.
	Advisory group has an administrative structure for accomplishing work
	Develop a structure within which the Advisory Group will work.
	Write up structure.
	Advisory group staffing identified
	Develop resource people available to the Health Benchmarking Project activities.
	Resources for assessment activities identified
	Delaware Division of Public Health is assembling data; EC has allocated staff time; administrative support from ???

Wilmington Enterprise Community

Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Provide PHF with HUD software for exploration of utility in the Benchmarking Project. Provide a map of the EC Boundaries.
	Expertise identified
	Locate and authorize access to statisticians, data manipulators, surveyors, policy writers, program personnel, etc.
	Advisory Group Meets
	Regional Health Director is invited to first Advisory Group meeting.
	Advisory Group meets for first time.
	Advisory Group meets for second time.
	Advisory Group meets for third time.
Identifying Community Health Needs and Assets
	Ascertain key player perspectives (List of specific health issues and contributing factors)
	Develop list of key players and stakeholders.
	Invite key players and stakeholders to participate in interviews
	Develop Interview Guide. Interviews with key players, Advisory Group, Delaware DH representatives.
	Develop a list of potential interviewees
	Conduct phone interviews where in-person interviews not possible. Develop a list of health issues from the interviews.
	Interview key players and stakeholders.
	Summarize issues–policy, health issues, key players, prior assessments.
Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Collect previous assessments and reports of health
	Assemble previous needs assessments, data reports, assets assessments.
	Provide EC with health profile gleaned from sources outside Delaware.
	Obtain assessments identified during the interviews of stakeholders.
	Inventory of data sources
	List of available data and sources.
	Obtain community data source information.
	Assemble list from interviews.
	List measures desired from each data source
	Develop a request for data items from needs identified.
	Assemble a list of data desired from the interviews of key players.
	Gaps in available data identified
	Develop a list of health issues and the data needed.
	Access to needed data
	Submit requests for existing or new analysis of data.
	Data collection to fill gaps
	Identify data needed. Consult with EC.
	Assist in data collection instrument design.
	Conduct data collection.
	Health status assessment
	Assemble data about health issues.
Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Identify findings, gaps, trends, effects in special populations.
	Synthesis of data around issue areas– target population, disease, outcomes
	Synthesize findings.
	Assets inventoried
	List assets, map, strategize.
	Examine the policy environment
	Incorporate policy makers and policy questions into structured interview.
	Written conclusions including areas which need attention
	Needs and Assets \| Assessment Report.
Determining Priorities
	Criteria for priority setting (feasibility, importance, etc.)
	List of recommendations based on need conclusions
	Ascertainment of intervention partners and assets mapping
	Assessment of intervention partner involvement
	Specification of intervention points and expected outcomes
Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Prioritize recommendations
Setting Benchmarks
	Determine who will select benchmark(s)
	Review of possible measures
	Select measure(s)
	Compare status quo with ideal, "best," average, or neighbors
	Identify data source(s)
	Generate calculations of various implementation scenarios
	Select benchmark for community
Communicating Conclusions
	Communication plan for dissemination of conclusions
	Written assessment report
Needs and Assets Assessment Activity		Primary Person	Date Due/Done
Engaging Community Partners for RC/EZ/EC Assessment
	Short report of conclusions
	Presentation to community, intervention partners, policy makers
	Create opportunities to be part of the health improvement process

PATCH Chapter 3 - Collecting and Organizing Data (Meeting Guides)

Provides users methods of obtaining assessment data (including sample data sheets, questions and surveys), and possible uses of the data.

These technical assistance resources for RC/EZ/ECs were funded by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a cooperative agreement administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and prepared by the Public Health Foundation. Duplication and adaptation, with credit, are encouraged.

(back to menu | back to top)