Abstract
This article offers specific strategies for ensuring utilization of needs assessment findings. It is designed to help prevention specialists, community planners, program evaluators, and involved citizens maximize their efforts in developing community services by tying those services closely to community needs. Program evaluators who completed a broad-based community needs assessment commissioned by their organization, found that the organization had gone ahead in developing programs and saw the needs assessment findings as unrelated to their ongoing activities. Far from being unique, this situation is common in organizations where participants feel an urgency to get programs under way to address widespread community problems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Aponte, J. F. (1983). Need assessment: The state of the art and future directions. In R. A. Bell, M. Sundel, J. F. Aponte, S. A. Murrell, & E. Lin, (Eds.), Assessing Health and Human Service Needs: Concepts, Methods and Applications. New York, New York: Human Sciences Press, 285-302.
DeVillaer, M., (1990). Client-centered community needs assessment. Evaluation and Program Planning, 13, 211-219.
Marenin, O. (1989). The utility of community needs surveys in community policing. Police Studies, 12, 73-81.
McKillip, J. (1987). Need Analysis: Tools For the Human Services and Education. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications.
Murrell, S. A. (1983). Procedures for maximizing usage of need assessment data. In R. A. Bell, M. Sundel, J. F. Aponte, S. A. Murrell, & E. Lin, (Eds.), Assessing Health and Human Service Needs: Concepts, Methods and Applications, New York, New York: Human Sciences Press, 250-264.
Nguyen, T. D., Attkisson, C., & Bottino, M. J. (1983). The definition and identification of human service needs in a community. In R. A. Bell, M. Sundel, J. F. Aponte, S. A. Murrell, & Lin, E. (Eds.), Assessing Health and Human Service Needs: Concepts, Methods and Applications, New York, New York: Human Sciences Press, 88-110.
Siegel, L.M., Attkisson, C.C., & Carson, L.G. (1978). Need identification and program planning in the community context. In C.C. Attkisson, W.A. Hargreaves, M.J. Horowitz, & J. E. Sorensen (Eds.), Evaluation of Human Service Programs, New York: Academic Press.
Sundel, M. (1983). Conducting need assessment in a community mental health center. In R. A. Bell, M. Sundel, J. F. Aponte, S. A. Murrell, & E. Lin, E. (Eds.), Assessing Health and Human Service Needs: Concepts, Methods and Applications, New York, New York: Human Sciences Press, 234-249.
Wade, J. L. (1989). Felt needs and anticipatory needs: Reformulation of a basic community development principle. Journal of the Community Development Society, 20, 116-123.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Amodeo, M., Gal, C. Strategies for Ensuring Use of Needs Assessment Findings: Experiences of a Community Substance Abuse Prevention Program. The Journal of Primary Prevention 18, 227–242 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024694525563
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024694525563