Step 1. Assess Needs
Assessment involves the systematic gathering and examination of data related to substance abuse and related problems, as well as related conditions and consequences in the community. Assessing the problems means pinpointing where the problems are in the community, as well as the populations that are affected. It also means examining the conditions that put a community at risk and identifying conditions that can protect against those problems.
Practitioners engaged in a comprehensive assessment need to collect information related to:
- Population needs, including levels of substance abuse and related problems.
- Available resources to support prevention efforts.
- Community readiness to address identified prevention problems or needs.
Based on their assessment of need, resources, and readiness, practitioners at the State and community levels will identify one or more prevention priorities on which to focus their prevention efforts.
State Epidemiological Workgroups [2] help prevention practitioners integrate data about the nature and distribution of substance use and related consequences into their assessment activities, so that prevention resources are used effectively and efficiently.
Many epidemiological workgroups have developed materials that relate to and/or describe their assessment processes. Links to these materials are contained on their respective state, tribe, or jurisdiction pages [3].
Selected SAMHSA's CAPT Services
- Support State Epidemiological Workgroup (SEW) development and meeting planning
- Assist Tribes and Jurisdictions in using culturally-appropriate data collection methods and addressing data gaps
- Provide SEWs with resources to support local-level assessment
- Synthesize research on particular populations (e.g., elderly, GLBTQ, veterans)
Links:
[1] http://captus.samhsa.gov/access-resources/about-strategic-prevention-framework-spf#Step1
[2] http://captus.samhsa.gov/grantee/who-we-serve/epidemiological-workgroups
[3] http://captus.samhsa.gov/grantees/national-and-regional