Needs Assessment Needs Assessment OverviewOverview

Shelley Taylor-Donahue, MPHShelley Taylor-Donahue, MPHHIV Services PlannerHIV Services Planner

Virginia Department of HealthVirginia Department of Health(804) 864-8013(804) 864-8013

Shelley.taylor-donahue@vdh.virginia.govShelley.taylor-donahue@vdh.virginia.gov

HIV Care Services Contractors MeetingAugust, 12, 2009

ObjectivesObjectives

At the end of this presentation, participants At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to answer the following will be able to answer the following questions about needs assessment (NA) questions about needs assessment (NA) activities:activities:

What is NA?What is NA?

Who participates in NA activities?Who participates in NA activities?

Why are NA activities important?Why are NA activities important?

How to develop effective NA tools?How to develop effective NA tools?

Definition of Needs Definition of Needs AssessmentAssessment

A process of collecting information A process of collecting information about the needs of persons living about the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (both with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (both receiving care and those not in care), receiving care and those not in care), identifying current resources identifying current resources available to meet those needs and available to meet those needs and determining what gaps in care exist. determining what gaps in care exist.

Source: Needs Assessment – Self Assessment Module. Ryan White CARE Act Title I HIV Health Services Planning Councils and Title II HIV Care Consortia/Planning Bodies Manuals. HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA).

Who Participates in NA?Who Participates in NA?

Consortia – members, lead agencies, Consortia – members, lead agencies, providers, consumers, key stakeholdersproviders, consumers, key stakeholders

Planning Councils – PC staff, providers, Planning Councils – PC staff, providers, consumersconsumers

States – health department staff, statewide States – health department staff, statewide planning bodies (CPG) , providers, planning bodies (CPG) , providers, consumersconsumers

EVERYBODY!!EVERYBODY!!

Some Ways to Collect NA Some Ways to Collect NA InformationInformation

NA Committees, Workgroups, Advisory NA Committees, Workgroups, Advisory

BoardsBoards

Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Public HearingsPublic Hearings

Data Analysis (service, epidemiology, etc)Data Analysis (service, epidemiology, etc)

SurveysSurveys

Key Informant InterviewsKey Informant Interviews

What Do You Want to Know What Do You Want to Know First?First?

What What resultsresults are we currently are we currently achieving? achieving?

How do we prioritize and justify How do we prioritize and justify our needs? our needs?

How will we know if we are How will we know if we are successful? successful?

How will stakeholders determine How will stakeholders determine if we are successful?if we are successful?

Rossett, A. (1987). Training Needs Assessment. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.Kaufman, R. (2000) Mega Planning: Practical tools for organizational success. London: Sage Publications.

What current processes are What current processes are effectively delivering required effectively delivering required resultsresults? ?

What should we change in order to What should we change in order to achieve more of the achieve more of the resultsresults we want? we want?

How is not achieving required How is not achieving required resultsresults costing us?costing us?

Some Questions that NA Some Questions that NA AnswersAnswers

Rossett, A. (1987). Training Needs Assessment. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.Kaufman, R. (2000) Mega Planning: Practical tools for organizational success. London: Sage Publications.

Implementing Needs Implementing Needs Assessment SurveysAssessment Surveys

1) Establish a working committee

2) Determine which needs will be assessed

3) Identify the stakeholders

4) Select questions for the survey

5) Identify the respondents

Implementing Needs Implementing Needs Assessment Surveys Assessment Surveys

(cont’d)(cont’d)6) Collect the data

7) Analyze the data

8) Report the results

9) Identify/implement strategies to resolve needs

Six-step Problem Solving Process

Identify (or

Verify)Problem

(from Needs)

1.0Determine Solution

Requirements and

Alternatives

2.0

Select Solution(s)

3.0

Implement

4.0

Determine Effectiveness

and Efficiency

5.0

6.0 Revise as Required

Problem Problem identificationidentification

Problem resolutionProblem resolutionProblem analysis & Problem analysis & Solution identificationSolution identification

* Needs are defined as gaps between current and required/desired results

Watkins, R. and Leigh, D. (2001). Performance Improvement: More Than Just Bettering the Here-and-Now. Performance Improvement. Vol. 41, No. 8, pp. 10-15.

BrainstormingBrainstormingNA ActivityNA Activity

How do we develop/determine the How do we develop/determine the questions we ask?questions we ask?

What do we do with the information What do we do with the information we get from our NA activities?we get from our NA activities?

Why do we Why do we REALLYREALLY do NA? do NA?