1. Abstract #
An innovative model for prioritizing health care needs for women, infants and children in Texas:
Lessons from a 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 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.