Completing a Statewide Needs Assessment Plan: Perspectives and Lessons Learned Darlene A.G. Groomes, PhD, CRC, LPC [e-mail]

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Completing a Statewide Needs Assessment Plan
Perspectives and Lessons LearnedDarlene A.G.
Groomes, PhD, CRC, LPCgracegroomes_at_gmail.com

• Program Evaluation Quality Assurance Webinar
• July 21, 2009
• 100pm

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Overview

• The Statewide Comprehensive Needs Assessment Plan
  (SNAP) is a mandated requirement.
• Since 2001, the Department of Energy, Labor
  Economic Growth Michigan Rehabilitation Services
  (MRS), Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB)
  and Michigan Rehabilitation Council (MRC)
  requested of Project Excellence to provide
  consultation services, collaborate with partners,
  compile data and write a final report on the
  SNAP.

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The Basic Process

• Involves obtaining and analyzing information
• Determines the current status and service needs
  of a defined population
• A need is defined as a gap or discrepancy between
  a present state and a desired state (Gupta,
  1999).
• A needs assessment must be end-focused and
  provide evidence required to select the most
  effective and efficient means-to-the-ends
  (Kaufman, 1993) .

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Defining Needs

• Professionals, experts, or views from staff
• vs. the target population or consumers
• perspectives (Percy-Smith, 1996 Royse, 2009).
• Through the process of taking into account both
  views, a more balanced consideration of the
  persons needs is possible.

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Factors Influencing Perceptions of Need (Slade,
1994)

• Medical Culture
• Ethics
• Demand from Consumer
  Negotiated Professional View of Need
• Need
• Past
• Experiences
  Research
• Expectations Personal
• Educational Values

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The Specific Process

• Review previous assessment reports
• Conduct literature review
• Hold several meetings and discussions with
  collaborating partners
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Draft report

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Perspectives and Idioms

• Its not whether you win or lose, but how you
  play the game
• Take time to make time, make time to be there
• Be not afraid
• Know the Ropes To understand the details.
• Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You Don't hurt
  anyone that helps you.
• A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand
  Everyone involved must unify and function
  together or it will not work out.

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Lessons Learned

• Planning is critical
• Communication with all partners is imperative
• Allow for more time
• Budget appropriately
• Be kind and patient
• Qualitative information is more engaging but
  avoid the pitfall of over-interpretation of
  findings.

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Growing Pains

• Developing partnerships
• Establishing collaborative sites for focus groups
• Budgeting
• Developing appropriate research methodologies

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Questions and Discussion

• I would like to open it up to questions and
  discussion at this time.
• Questions that could not be addressed in the
  allotted time for the webinar will be addressed
  via the website http//ncrtm.org

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Helpful References

• Gupta, K. (1999). A Practical Guide to Needs
  Assessment. San Francisco Pfeiffer/Wiley.
• Houser, R., Anderson, D., Wang, J. (1995).
  Participatory action needs assessment A unified
  approach to needs assessment within the
  state/federal VR system. Journal of Applied
  Rehabilitaiton Counseling, 26 (3), 55- 58.
• Kennedy, P., Hamilton, L.R. (1999). The needs
  assessment checklist a clinical approach to
  measuring outcome. Spinal Cord, 37 136-139
• Kaufman, R.A (1993). Needs Assessment. A Users
  Guide. New Jersey Educational Technology
  Publications.
• Leist, J.C., Gilman, S.C., Cullen, R.J. Sklar,
  J. (2004). Using Baldrige criteria to meet or
  exceed accreditation council for continuing
  medical education standards. Journal of
  Continuing Education in the Health Professions,
  24, 57-63.
• McTaggert, R. (1991). When democratic evaluation
  doesnt seem democratic. Evaluation Practice,
  12, 9-21.
• Percy-Smith, J. (1996). Needs Assessment in
  Public Policy. Philadelphia Open University
  Press.
• Royse, D. (2009). Needs Assessment in Social
  Work. New York Oxford University press.
• Slade, M (1994). Needs Assessment. British
  Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 293-296
• Teufel-Shone N. I , Siyuja, T., Watahomigie, H.J.
  Irwin, S. (2006). Community- based
  participatory research conducting a formative
  assessment of factors that influence youth
  wellness in the Hualapai community. American
  Journal of Public Health, 96(9), 1623-1628.

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Community of Practice

• National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation
• http//ncrtm.org/
• 2nd Annual Program Evaluation, Quality Assurance
  Summit
• Title "Expanding our Horizons
• Location Denver, Colorado
• Cost No Registration Fee
• Registration www.taceregion8.org