Program Planning Basics
• Systematic process
• Continual feedback and evaluation
• Cyclical: based on increasing understandings of the true nature of the situation and the effectiveness of interventions.
• Starts with an assessment of the current situation
Community Nutrition Assessment:
• Anchors interventions in the reality of the community
• Essential part of ongoing process:– Needs assessment– Designing and implementing interventions– Evaluation – Feedback for improvement
• Includes community and stakeholders as fully active participants
Community Nutrition Assessment:
• Based on assets more than deficits
• Helps to integrate nutrition programs into community-based institutions and initiatives
Successful Community Assessment Includes:
• Understanding current conditions of families, individuals, institutions & policies
• Evaluating local capacities for supporting change
• Building community support for implementing changes
Models and Protocols for Community Assessment
• Planned Approaches to Community Health (PATCH) – CDC
• Assessment Protocol for Excellence in Public Health (APEXPH) – NACHO (National Association of County Health Officials)
• Moving to the Future: Developing Community Based Nutrition Services – ASTPHND (Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors)
Strategic Planning for Initiatives to Address Local Health Efforts
• Organize a community planning group
• Define community boundaries
• Gather information– Statistical profile– Qualitative data– Community Resources & Environments– Policies
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Strategic Planning, cont.
• Analyze Information– Common issues– High risk individuals– Unmet needs– Prioritize
• Develop and implement plan
• Monitor and evaluate plan
Community Nutrition Planning Group: Responsibilities
• Collect data and information• Identify needs and gaps • Set priorities• Develop a plan• Help to implement interventions• Assist in evaluation
– Of assessment, planning, and intervention process– Of impact of intervention
Community Nutrition Planning Group: Potential Members
• Community leaders & advocates• Consumers• Health and nutrition service providers• Health organizations• Schools• Political office holders or their staff• Fitness, Parks & Rec professionals• Representatives from greater community health
planning groups• Food systems representatives
Community Description
• Geographic boundaries• General history• Key people and leaders• Demographics• Financial & economic information• Important issues• Morale and involvement levels• Key allies and rivals• Unspoken rules and norms• Attitudes and opinions• Strengths and shortcomings
Identify Community Assets
• Physical structure, place, business
• Concerned citizens
• History of successful efforts
• Organizations
• Individual and group skills
• Communications systems
• Relationships
Identify Perceived Needs
• WHY?– To understand public opinion– To become aware of needs the planning
group doesn’t know about– To gather support & expand group expertise– To make decisions about priorities– To plan programs in ways that will be
acceptable to stakeholders
How do we assess perceived needs?
• Listening sessions
• Public forums
• Key informant interviews
• Needs assessment survey or survey of concerns
Demographic Profile
• Economic status: income, employment, % below poverty
• Education levels
• Age and gender
• Race & ethnicity
• Social factors: homelessness, immigration status, family composition, TANF utilization
Community Health Status
• Causes of Mortality
• Hospital discharge data
• Disease prevalence data
• Food bourne illness reports
• Years of potential life lost
• Infant mortality
Community Nutritional Status
• Pregnancy related: – weight gain in pregnancy– Pre-pregnancy weight– Anemia
• Disease prevalence: HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, diabetes
• Activity levels (BRFSS)• Food intake: fat, fruits & vegetables (BRFSS)• Dental health• Food/dieting related behaviors (YRBS)• Food Security (BRFSS)
Community Nutrition Resources
• Food assistance programs (WIC, SNAP, summer feeding programs for school children, etc.)
• Educational programs
• Media
• Professional and non-profit organizations
• Nutrition counseling
Community Food Resources
• Grocery stores with high quality produce
• Food service with health promoting food options
• Farmers’ Markets
• Vegetable gardens
• Community Supported Agriculture
• Supports for growing local foods
Community Resources & Service Utilization
• What resources are available?• To what extent are people using them?• Sources of Information:
– Citizens– Service providers
• Tools– Existing data– Interviews– Surveys
Criteria for defining/prioritizing community problems
• Frequency• Duration• Scope or range• Severity• Perceptions• Root causes (“but why?”) & ability to impact root
causes (effectiveness of interventions)• Barriers to resolutions• Political and financial support
Group Work: Develop Problem List
• Brainstorm nutrition related issues & problems that arise from these data
• Choose 5 issues that are of interest to all stakeholders
• Prioritize these issues using criteria in these slides
• Establish the one issue or problem that all stakeholders will be comfortable working on for the next two weeks