1. Inventory Community needs & Resources
John Prochaska, DrPH, MPH

2. Learning Objectives
To outline the value of participatory approaches to assessing community needs and resources
To catalogue resources for secondary data relevant to assessing community needs and resources
To discuss the utility of mapping in assessing community needs and resources

3. “Traditional” Approaches
Researchers pre-define “problem”
Little community involvement / paternalistic
Researchers offer solutions, implement, evaluate and leave
Programs are typically not feasible “real-world” solutions
Communities
Define problem within context
Develop intervention
Evaluation / measurement may not be adequate

4. Participatory Approaches – How To
Goal – Community organization, capacity, capability to manage their own problems
Functional unit – Community-researcher partnership
Key – mutual say in the defining of the problem, development of the solution, distribution of resources
Researcher should serve as organizer, technical advisor, and advocate
Priority setting is a joint activity

5. How to (cont.) Typically start by getting familiar with the setting
Develop contacts with key stakeholders, community informants, and the like
Try to identify a “community champion”
The person or persons who will serve as the initial (and potentially long-term) bridge between researcher and community
Begin to examine context of the community
How are problems defined and managed
What role do various organizations play

6. How to (cont.) Consider various aspects of the community
Health care arena
Government
Faith-based
Educational
Civic organizations
Law enforcement
Also, try to interact with individuals from various locations and with various affiliations
Keep communicating w/ key stakeholders and community champion(s)
Meet them on their turf

7. Open Communication Facilitates Trust
COMMUNICATE
COMMUNICATE
Open Communication
Facilitates Trust

8. How to (cont.) Conduct various assessment activities
Ask questions about community issues that are important, what resources and strengths are in the community, who should be included that is “not here”, how has this community addressed past issues
Get multiple perspectives
Always remain cognizant of who is included and who is excluded / who is heard and who is not heard

9. Coalitions / Advisory Groups
As the process develops, groups (or interactions between groups) will begin to form
Might form from initial work by researcher
Might already be in place, but needs strengthening / streamlining / modification
Facilitates collective thought
Serve as advisors, informers, the actual “doers,” etc.
Also consider forming, or encouraging the formation of, groups of citizens not affiliated with various organizations – “regular folks”
Gives additional voice to those who may be otherwise not heard

10. Process is Dynamic Nature of the process requires flexibility
Communities are different
Various time frames (hard to create timelines)
Various personalities
Communities (Bryan vs. College Station vs. New York City)
Organizations (Cooperative Extension Agencies in various counties)
Individuals (county judges, mayors, etc.)

11. Camping rules as applies to CBPR
Always leave the site in better shape than when you arrive
Before jumping into a river/lake, always investigate thoroughly (ask locals about stumps, overhangs, safe areas to “swim”)
Not a good idea to leave fires burning when you leave with no one left to manage them or put them out

12. Is CBPR always the best approach?
Not necessarily
Very popular approach
Many are conducting research under the title of CBPR, but are not
Simply forming coalition to inform what is going on
May be instances when not the best approach

13. (Cont.) Obvious emergent issue requiring fast response
Flu epidemic, water quality issues, disaster response, STI outbreak, etc.
However, community can still be involved
Researcher identifies problem area
Community helps to define determinates, ideas for feasible solutions, and helps w/ implementation
Need to consider sustainability

14. Final Considerations
When entering, interacting with, or simply visiting, please remember:
This is someone’s home who is proud to live here and considers it a nice place
It depends on where you are standing as to how dumb you are
There is rarely a single best solution

15. Facilitated Process Personnel Materials Facilitator Scribe Note taker
Flip charts and pens
Maps (possibly)
Handouts (brief 1 pagers, not extensive documentation)

16. Process Review assessment findings
Highlight the top potential issues based on the data
Use a participatory approach at ranking issues
Consider available resources and funding, human resources, political will and potential barriers, economic impacts, cultural context, etc.
Collective decision making ensuring as many voices are heard

17. Resources for Data and Assessments

18. Considerations with Data
Source
Boundaries
State, Region, Zip Code, County, Census Tract
Age
Compared to other data sources
Major events (Hurricane Ike)
Benchmarks, Baselines, Relative Comparisons

19. Considerations With Analysis
Geographic variance
Areas of concentration
Areas of great diversity
Ratio / Denominator
Comparison Group or Benchmark
State & National level
HP2020

20. Understand the Stakeholders

21. Full-On Community Assessment
Demographics
Health Indicators and Broader Determinants of Health
Environmental Burdens
Health Care Infrastructure, Access and Utilization
Education
Transportation
Economy and Business
Housing
Government
Social Services
Faith-based Organizations
Philanthropy and Power Brokers
Social Capital
Historical Considerations and Evidence of Past Collaboration
Key Informants

22. Health Data Resources RWJF County Health Rankings
Community Health Status Indicators
DSHS County Reports
Health Indicators Warehouse
Census and American Community Survey (American FactFinder)
1115 Regional Assessments

23. Community Data Resources
Census and American Community Survey
Also grants access to economic and housing data
Community Context
Prizm
Local media outlets
Site visits & Key informants
Other data sources
USDA –
EPA -
Dartmouth Atlas -

24. Full-On Community Assessment
Demographics
Health Indicators and Broader Determinants of Health
Environmental Burdens
Health Care Infrastructure, Access and Utilization
Education
Transportation
Economy and Business
Housing
Government
Social Services
Faith-based Organizations
Philanthropy and Power Brokers
Social Capital
Historical Considerations and Evidence of Past Collaboration
Key Informants

25. Community mapping

26. Community Mapping Overview
Purpose
Information & Evidence Collection
Informed Priority Setting
Advocacy
Community Empowerment

27. Approaches Varying scales of sophistication and technology Sketches
Pre-developed paper maps, markers & stickers
Online freeware
Full-blown GIS development

28. Examples

29. Lessons Learned Must be a community-engaged process
Local knowledge essential for data collection, interpretation, and movement towards action
They will be the ones using it for their community’s benefit!
Have structure, but realize this is a free-flowing process
Reimburse participants for their time
Intensive process
Requires time/energy

30. Moving Forward Advocacy Technology Training & Dissemination of Methods
Using data collected to create
change in Port Arthur
Technology
Wii-Table
Training &
Dissemination of
Methods