Needs Assessment

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Needs Assessment

• Social Work 5983 OU Norman
• February 9, 2004

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Social Needs

• Public health and social programs exist to
  improve social conditions (social problems)
• Programs must address social needs
• To do so . . .
• the social need must be identified

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• Definition of the social need (problem area) will
  directly link to the program theory
• Needs assessment have a population focus
• rather than human needs focus
• Need to distinguish between needs wants

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• All programs rest on assumptions of . . .
• the SOCIAL PROBLEM
• the TARGET POPULATION
• Always verify faulty assumptions are prevalent

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Verifying assumptions

• Check with stakeholders to . . .
• explicitly identify the assumptions
• May be necessary to conduct a complete needs
  assessment

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Social Problems

• When does a social situation become a social
  problem?
• When powerful stakeholders define it as a
  problem
• Thus the evaluator needs to know the
  perspective of the stakeholders

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Specifying the Problem

• Need to identify the extent of the problem
• Address these four areas
• Who (target population)
• When
• Where
• How big is the problem (quantification)

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Using Data Sources

• Two types of data sources
• Existing
• Collecting New Data
• Collate and assess this data for its value
• Examine relevance and quality of data
• Look for biases in data data reporting

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Identifying Trends

• Look for standardized social indicators
• Benefits include
• May estimate size distribution of problem
• May identify if problem is getting worse, staying
  the same, or getting better
• May identify effects of existing programs

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Problems with Social Indicators

• Threats to external validity
• Ability to generalize to another population
• Threats to internal validity
• HISTORY
• Events between measurement points
• MATURATION
• Changes in the population between
  measurements
• INSTRUMENTATION
• Changes in the scale or reading of
  measurements

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Collecting New Data

• Consider the following data sources
• Agency records
• Surveys
• Town hall meetings
• Key informant surveys
• Focus groups

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Forecasting Future Needs

• Accomplished by . . .
• TRENDS ANALYSIS, and/or
• REGRESSION
• However, can be . . .
• difficult
• time consuming
• and, unreliable

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Defining Intervention Targets

• Targets may include populations, organizations,
  or social conditions
• Correct definition of target is essential
• Indicates how large the problem is
• Indicates an appropriate intervention
• Indicates level of resources needed

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Targets defined

• May include . . .
• Individuals
• Groups (e.g., families, organizations)
• Geographical or political areas
• Physical units
• Targets may be direct or indirect targets

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Defining Targets

• Be clear, precise, and set boundaries
• Consider . . .
• eligibility rules
• Population at risk
• Need and demand
• Rates
• Sensitivity Specificity

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• Conclusion of needs assessment