Write a 2,100- to 2,800-w0rd needs assessment. Use the following sections to organize your pap3r:
- Summarize the target population: Use your knowledge of your community to provide context and illustrate the dynamics of the population. You may wish to incorporate details like demographics, social structure, community culture, history, values, and even its infrastructure.
- Examples of a target population:
- trauma survivors
- preschool children with autism-spectrum disorders
- adults in a substance-abuse treatment program
- homeless individuals
- client advocates
- parents
- administrators
- human services professionals
- Describe this populations perceived need(s).
- Incorporate relevant research from your literature review in the Week 5 Needs Assessment Part 1 assignment.
- If necessary, read additional articles on the topic so you are well-versed in the needs of a particular population.
- As needed, include existing data from published studies in this section of your report.
- Describe the current status of the population in your community.
- For example, if you are interested in addressing the needs of homeless people in your community, describe the services and resources currently available and accessible to this population. Many needs may already be met by existing programs and services. Describe these needs.
- You might also wish to describe the evolution of the population. What changes has this population experienced in recent years? What has remained the same? How might the population change in the future?
- Create one additional strategy for collecting information about the needs of the target population (in addition to reading literature and interviewing specialists).
- For example, you may decide to administer a questionnaire or organize a focus group. Discuss your strategy in detail. If there is already a validated questionnaire that is relevant to the group you are assessing, describe it. If not, describe the type of instrument that would be useful in assessing the needs of the target population. For additional information on needs assessment strategies, conduct additional internet research.
- Create a general plan for data analysis.
- Although you will not actually collect data, determine which approach (mixed methods, survey, or action research) you would most likely use. Provide rationale for your answer.
- Once you have collected data, either qualitative or quantitative, you need to analyze and interpret it. Explain how you would do this.
- Describe 1-2 potential interventions or strategies for addressing your target populations need(s).
- Typically, the next step in a needs assessment is to analyze the data and use the results to plan appropriate interventions. Because you are only planning and not actually conducting a needs assessment, you will not have actual data to analyze and use. However, you may still anticipate the needs of a given population by reflecting on the information you have gathered
- For example, if the information you gleaned from research articles and your key informant suggests that the homeless population in your community needs education on existing mental health services, you may develop a plan for helping the homeless population learn more about community mental health services currently available to them. In other words, you can devise a strategy for increasing awareness of mental health services. Keep in mind your plan will be general and tentative because you have not actually analyzed data.
Cite a minimum of five scholarly r3ferences.
