Needs Assessment Overview Shelley Taylor-Donahue, MPH HIV Services Planner Virginia Department of Health (804) HIV Care Services Contractors Meeting August, 12, 2009

Objectives At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to answer the following questions about needs assessment (NA) 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 Assessment A process of collecting information about the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (both receiving care and those not in care), identifying current resources available to meet those needs and determining what gaps in care exist. A process of collecting information about the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (both receiving care and those not in care), identifying current resources available to meet those needs and 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? Consortia – members, lead agencies, providers, consumers, key stakeholders Consortia – members, lead agencies, providers, consumers, key stakeholders Planning Councils – PC staff, providers, consumers Planning Councils – PC staff, providers, consumers States – health department staff, statewide planning bodies (CPG), providers, consumers States – health department staff, statewide planning bodies (CPG), providers, consumersEVERYBODY!!

Some Ways to Collect NA Information NA Committees, Workgroups, Advisory Boards NA Committees, Workgroups, Advisory Boards Focus Groups Focus Groups Public Hearings Public Hearings Data Analysis (service, epidemiology, etc) Data Analysis (service, epidemiology, etc) Surveys Surveys Key Informant Interviews Key Informant Interviews

What Do You Want to Know First? What results are we currently achieving? What results are we currently achieving? How do we prioritize and justify our needs? How do we prioritize and justify our needs? How will we know if we are successful? How will we know if we are successful? How will stakeholders determine if we are successful? How will stakeholders determine 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 effectively delivering required results? What current processes are effectively delivering required results? What should we change in order to achieve more of the results we want? What should we change in order to achieve more of the results we want? How is not achieving required results costing us? How is not achieving required results costing us? Some Questions that NA Answers 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 Assessment Surveys 1) 1) Establish a working committee 2) 2) Determine which needs will be assessed 3) 3) Identify the stakeholders 4) 4) Select questions for the survey 5) 5) Identify the respondents

Implementing Needs Assessment Surveys (cont’d) 6) 6) Collect the data 7) 7) Analyze the data 8) 8) Report the results 9) 9) Identify/implement strategies to resolve needs

Six-step Problem Solving Process Identify (or Verify) Problem (from Needs) 1.0 Determine Solution Requirements and Alternatives 2.0 Select Solution(s) 3.0 Implement 4.0 Determine Effectiveness and Efficiency Revise as Required Problemidentification Problem resolution Problem analysis & Solution 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

Brainstorming NA Activity How do we develop/determine the questions we ask? How do we develop/determine the questions we ask? What do we do with the information we get from our NA activities? What do we do with the information we get from our NA activities? Why do we REALLY do NA? Why do we REALLY do NA?