Abstract # 227471 An innovative model for prioritizing health care needs for women, infants and children in Texas: Lessons from a 2009-2010 Texas-wide multi-method needs assessment approach Nandita Chaudhuri Ph.D. & Eric Booth Ph.D. Candidate Public Policy Research Institute, Texas A&M University Title V 5-Year Needs Assessment What is Title V? When the Social Security Act was passed in 1935, the Federal Government, through Title V, pledged its support of state efforts to extend and improve health and welfare services for mothers and children. The purpose of the Texas Title V Program is to improve the health of all mothers, women of childbearing age, infants, children, adolescents and children with special health care needs (CSHCN). The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is the state agency responsible for administration of the Title V program in Texas. What is 5-Year Needs Assessment? Every 5 years, Title V agency from each state is required to develop their own framework and process to conduct and submit a formal assessment of their state or territory's maternal and child health needs primarily to receive federal funding. For the stakeholder input phase of the 2011-2015 needs assessment process, the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University were contracted by the Texas Department of State Health Services to design and implement an innovative methodological approach for developing prioritized list of maternal and child health needs for Texas. When was the study conducted? Various stages of the study was conducted by the Public Policy Research Institute from April 2009 to March 2010. How were the study outcomes used? This multi-stage process resulted in a list of recommendations to Texas DSHS that was used to develop ten proposed priorities to help improve the health of women, infants, children, adolescents, and CSHCN. Information collected has been used to develop the long range priorities and plans for using the Title V funds in the state of Texas. What is the objective of this poster presentation? We discuss here the various phases of the multi-method needs assessment design that drove the needs assessment process and the findings derived from implementing the design. This Texas-based approach with its nuanced components served as a promising innovative program model for maximizing stakeholder input and reducing participation barriers in identifying and prioritizing the maternal and child health needs in Texas. Multi-Stage, Multi-Method Input Process 50 Listening Session Locations Innovative Model Combination of Multiple Methodologies Nuanced Components Both Qualitative and Quantitative Data Broad Geographic Spread (e.g., 19 counties) Varied Group of Stakeholder Involvement (e.g., Providers, Advocates, Consumers, Local Health Officials) Strategic Recruitment for Listening Sessions Focused Needs Assessment Website Open and Inclusive (e.g., Community Listening Sessions, Stakeholder Summit, Web-Based Reconfirmation Surveys and Public Forums) process Varied Feedback Options (e.g., toll-free number, mail, web-based) Subject Matter Expertise (DSHS Employee Survey) Input Maximization Input Individualization Transparency Priorities Equal for Final List of Needs Q-Sort Ranking Tool for individualized input Citizen input through public commenting Listening Session Data Content Analysis Stakeholder Input Process COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS: Identified all possible needs in 50 sessions at 19 locations; 71 need statements identified. WEB SURVEY 1: Reconfirmed and validated needs from the previous stage and identified the most important needs among the 71 need statements. WEB SURVEY 2: Prioritized Top 13 MCH and CSHCN Needs by the Stakeholder Group members (self-selected individuals from community listening sessions) STAKEHOLDER SUMMIT: Over 2 days; First Day: Small Group Sessions, Second Day: Plenary Sessions followed by Individualized Ranking; Stakeholder Group Members participated in facilitated group sessions to develop recommendations for the priority MCH needs in Texas using the final list of needs statements that emerged from the two web surveys. PUBLIC FORUMS: Obtained public comments in 8 public forums held in the public health regional headquarters on the stakeholder input process and the proposed priorities.