Incorporating Data into a Needs Assessment

1. Incorporating Data into a Needs Assessment Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Office of Planning Office of Research

2. TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

3. Introduction • In developing and prioritizing the needs your region will focus on, some questions to consider are: • What do Tennesseans need? • How is that different than what we see now? • What is causing or contributing to the current issues, concerns, or gaps? • What is needed to change current conditions? • What are we willing and/or able to do to ensure we make a difference? TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

4. How can data be used in a needs assessment? • Identify supports and services needed in a region or community • Improve decision-making • Identify needs that were not clear before we looked at the data TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

5. 1. What is the need? What is the primary source or origin of the need? • Who:The characteristics of those experiencing the need (e.g. age, gender, race or ethnic group) • What is contributing to the need:Services, changes in law, changes in policy, changes in programming • Where is the need:Any location in the region where the need seems more concentrated • Why:Risk factors that contribute to the need TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

6. Finding and using data to establish the need Once need is identified, what data do we need to make a good decision? • What data would show a good outcome or result? • How do our data compare with last year? • How do our data compare with national/regional norms? Example questions: • What does the population in our region look like? • What do we know about the services that are available now? TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

7. What is data? Data is a collection of facts such as • Numbers (# of people …) • Words (focus group comments, interviews) • Measurements (average length of stay) • Observations (monitoring visit, treatment delivery, customer service) • Descriptions (consumer experience of services received) TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

8. Where can we find data? TDMHSAS Office of Research website • TN Regional and County Data Books United States data sources • Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA) • Census Bureau Tennessee data sources • Tennessee Department of Health • Tennessee Bureau of Investigation • Tennessee Department of Corrections TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

9. 2. Is the need adequately addressed in the Three-year Plan? • Look at the 2014 Three-year Plan Strategies and Outcomes on the Office of Planning website • TDMHSAS Office of Planning website • 2014 Three-year Plan Strategies and Outcomes • Example: Housing • Objective 5.2: TDMHSAS increases access to resiliency and recovery oriented services that include peer support, family support, employment and housing • Strategy 5.2.2: In FY14, DMHS, through the CHI, will assist local communities create new or improved units of affordable, appropriate and integrated permanent housing options along a continuum from 24/7 supportive living facilities through home ownership, to be reported in August 2014. • 500 new or improved units will be created TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

10. 3. What is the desired outcome? • The result is different from the need • Result is broad: Stable housing for adults with SMI • Need is specific: Housing options for Tennesseans in our region • What results do we want? • How can we improve the quality of life for people with mental illness and substance abuse issues? • Examples of outcomes: • Stable housing for adults with SMI • Decrease the number of homeless people with SMI • Reduce the number of people placed in state psychiatric hospitals TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

11. 4. What steps can the community and/or Regional Council take to achieve the desired outcome? • Invite TDMHSAS staff to talk about issues; programs • Invite local experts to come talk about the issue • Set up a task force to look at specific problems in the region • Form agency partnerships to address a regional need TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

12. 5. How can TDMHSAS assist the region to achieve the desired outcome? Discuss: • Department priorities • Shift funding within or between programs TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

13. 6. Will the action required of TDMHSAS require additional funding? • Describe the type of funding that will be required • Startup costs (match dollars from organizations, adequate infrastructure, etc.) • Program operation • Source • Where will the funding come from? • Federal • State • Private grants • Is this proposal revenue neutral? • What will be the impact on the state budget? TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics

14. 7. If no additional funding is available, how might a desirable outcome be achieved? • TDMHSAS could: • Provide information sessions • Investigate expansion of programs • Look for federal grants to expand programming • Analyze existing data to pinpoint needs across the state • Councils could: • Develop partnerships to address needs • Use existing resources to leverage dollars from the community • Look for federal grants to expand programming TDMHSAS Division of Planning, Research & Forensics