community health analysis mph607

Lesson 2A

MAPP Assessments: Community Themes and Strengths

Assessment Forces of Change Assessment

Understand the purpose of the CTSA and FOCA assessments in the MAPP process.

Describe the aspects of strategic planning that relate to these MAPP assessments.

Identify methods for conducting the CTSA◦ Become familiar with the Windshield Survey and

Photo VOICE Identify methods for conducting a FOCA Explain how the assessments are used in

the MAPP process

Four MAPP Assessments◦ Community Themes

and Strengths◦ “What is important to our

community?”◦ Local Public Health

System “How are the Essential

Services being provided?”◦ Community Health Status

“How healthy is are our residents?”

◦ Forces of Change What is occurring or

might occur that affects the health of our community or LPHS?”

Matt H. Evans, [email protected]

External Assessment: Marketplace, competitor’s, social trends, technology, regulatory environment, economic cycles .

External Assessment: Marketplace, competitor’s, social trends, technology, regulatory environment, economic cycles .

Internal Assessment: Organizational assets, resources, people, culture, systems, partnerships, suppliers, . . .

Internal Assessment: Organizational assets, resources, people, culture, systems, partnerships, suppliers, . . .

Needs to be • specific• honest about weaknesses

Advantages Possible Pitfalls

Community Themes and Strengths (CTSA)◦ SWOT~ Strengths and Weaknesses◦ Emphasis on internal aspects of the community

Focus on Assets vs. Needs

Forces of Change (FOCA)◦ SWOT~ Opportunities and Threats◦ Focus on external factors impacting the community

Gauge environment in which change is occurring Potential support or barrier to implementation efforts

Approaches:◦ Community discussions/meetings:

Focus group (small 8-10) Community dialogue (medium 20) Community forum/town hall (large >50)

◦ Surveys/interviews Organization/key informants (small) Community leaders (medium/large) Residents (large)

◦ Other: Walking/windshield survey

‘Drive-through’ assessment Photovoice

Pictorial/photo assessment of community assets and weaknesses

Group processes◦ Focus group/dialogue/town hall◦ Need good facilitator

May want an external person Don’t want to lose control of the conversation Not a community “gripe” session

◦ Identify goals of the forum Tailor to invitees/those expected to attend

◦ Keep length reasonable – too long.. so long!

Interviews and Surveys:◦ Identify individuals/target audience◦ Decide on format – in person, mail, telephone◦ Need to formulate questions ahead of time

Pilot test tools prior to using them Consider barriers – language/literacy/education Keep length reasonable – too long …so long!

Walking/windshield SurveyAn observational survey of aspects of the community. May include photos, narrative, data, notes.

General What is the condition? Boundaries Housing type, condition Signs of decay and/or pollution Parks, recreational areas Transportation - roads/public transit Health and social service agencies Economics - industry/employers Protective services police/fire

Religion - types, numbers Schools - types, numbers Subjective feeling How do

you feel, being in the community?

Problem identification/ community needs

Community Strengths

PhotoVOICE:Voicing Our Individual and Collective Experience

◦ It entrusts cameras to the hands of people to enable them to act as recorders, and potential catalysts for action and change, in their own communities.

1. Selecting – choosing those photographs that most accurately reflect the community's concerns and assets

2. Contextualizing – telling stories about what the photographs mean This occurs in the process of group discussion.

3. Codifying – identifying the issues, themes, or theories that emerge

http://www.photovoice.com

http://www.photovoice.com/

CTSA:◦ Present community perceptions of health status◦ Identify issues not evident in health status data◦ Can be used to validate/refute data findings◦ Assets: serve as a source of potential resources for

planning and action phase

Summarize the Results◦ Identify Assets (Strengths) and Issues (Themes)

◦ Keep a running list of ideas, comments, quotes, and themes while the activities are being implemented.

◦ Note possible solutions to identified problems or innovative ideas for providing public health services.

The Foundation for Building Stronger

Communities

SOURCE: http://srdc.msstate.edu/publications/227/227_asset_mapping.pdf

A “need” is defined as a gap or discrepancy between an existing state of affairs (what is) and the desired or preferred results (what should be)

What Is? What Should Be?

A Need“Gap Between A & B”

A B


When we start with an assessment of local needs, we convey a message that communities and the people who reside within them are fundamentally deficient

Leaves impression that local people are unable to take charge of their lives and their community’s future

Deficiency models don’t tend to focus on the development of plans to mobilize the entire community


NEEDS ASSETS

focuses on deficiencies focuses on effectiveness

results in fragmentation of responses to local needs

builds interdependencies

makes people consumers of services; builds dependence

identifies ways that people can give of their talents

residents have little voice in deciding how to address local concerns

seeks to empower people


Asset-Based: Uncovers talents/skills found in the community right now

Internally Focused: Relies on the community’s assets, not on those found outside of it

Relationship Driven: Seeks to build linkages among local people, institutions, and organizations


People

Informal Organizations

Formal Institutions


Everyone has talents, skills and gifts relevant to community activities

Each time a person uses his/her talents, the community is stronger and the person more empowered

Strong communities value and use the skills that residents possess

Such an approach contributes to the development “of” the community


Identify the various type of community activities the individual has participated in

Assess the kind of community work the person would be willing to do in the future

This latter information serves as the “raw material” for community building

PEOPLE


Every community has institutions that carry out important community functions

These are persistent, on-going activities that meet the social needs of local residents

The vitality of communities is dependent on these functions being carried out

So what are these major institutions? Just remember the word KEEPRA !!

INSTITUTIONS


KinshipEconomic

Education

Political Religious Associations


Potential source of: Facilities Materials and equipment Purchasing power Employment Courses Teachers Financial capacity Parent/adult involvement Youth

Every community has individuals who have organized as a groups of for the purpose of pursuing some common goal

These organizations are informal in nature (example: don’t have officers or by-laws)

Often carry out three key roles:• decide to address an issue/problem of common

interest• develop a plan to address the issue• carry out the plan to resolve the problem


Church groups: prayer group, stewardship committee, youth group, service group

Community Celebrations: Annual Fair, Art and Crafts Festival, July 4th Parade

Neighborhood groups: crime watch, homeowner’s association

Sports Leagues: bowling, basketball, soccer, fishing, baseball


Examine printed materials• newspapers• community directories

Contact local institutions• Schools• Churches• Parks and recreation • Libraries

Contact individuals who seem to know what is going on in their community or neighborhoods

Find out the activities of these informal groups


During this phase, participants engage in brainstorming sessions aimed at identifying forces.

Forces are a broad all encompassing category that include trends, events, and factors.◦ Trends are patterns over time - population

migration or aging.◦ Factors are discrete elements – economic

conditions, political landscape, innovations ◦ Events are one-time occurrences, such as a

natural disaster, or the passage of new legislation.

◦Approaches Brainstorming sessions Can also incorporate into CTSA approaches

surveys, interviews, group processes

◦Determine scope/impact Conduct research on current issues

What is the evidence that this is a “force”.

◦ Identify potential THREATS and OPPORTUNITIES posed by each FORCE of CHANGE

FOCA Results Identify external support/barriers to improvement

efforts May not be issues that local community can change

◦ Tabled until strategy phase◦ Then:

Issues identified in the other MAPP assessments reviewed in light of the forces of change

Discuss the associated threats and opportunities. Ensures that strategic issues are relevant to the

changing environment.

CTSA and FOCA correspond to a SWOT analysis.CTSA and FOCA help to engage the community

◦ CTSA: assessing perceived community health problems and potential resources

◦ FOCA: examines major factors usually external to the community which impact health

CTSA information provides an initial snapshot of what the community feels is important

FOCA provides an environmental scan of CTSA and FOCA identify issues, resources and gaps

that will be considered in planning strategies

community health analysis mph607

Documents

community discussionsmeetings

community dialogue medium

community forumtown

internal assessment

internal aspects

process of group

foca assessments

amapp assessments