Conducting a Community Assessment & Policy Scan

1. University of Colorado REACH 2012 Conducting a Community Assessment & Policy Scan Angela G. Brega, PhD Program Evaluator

2. Overview & Acknowledgments Overview • Objectives of Community Assessment & Policy Scan (CAPS) • Review the recommended process • Provide guidance on reporting your results Acknowledgments • Venice Ng & Cory Sedey-Seitz • UCLA REACH 2012 Team

3. Community Assessment & Policy Scan • Required component of your projects • Due 60 days from execution of subcontract • Objectives • To evaluate the current state of “PSE” in your community • Policies, Systems, and Environmental factors that influence nutrition, physical activity, and ultimately obesity • Provides a foundation for identifying areas to target in your final Work Plans

4. Refresher: Definitions • Policy: Laws, regulations, rules, protocols, and procedures that influence health-related behavior. • Taxes on tobacco products • Affordable Care Act – menu labeling provisions • Systems: Features of an organization, institution, system that influence health behavior • District-wide school physical activity policies • National School Lunch Program in state school system • Environment: Physical, social, or economic factors that influence people’s behaviors • Availability of healthy food and safe walking paths • Categories can overlap.

5. Conducting Your CAPS • Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation (CHANGE Tool) • CDC • Provides a snapshot of PSE factors in your community • Strengths and weaknesses • Weaknesses represent areas for PSE improvement • Follow some of the recommended steps • Suggesting a simplified process

6. Selected CHANGE Steps • Assemble the Team • Develop Team Strategy • ReviewCHANGE Tool Process • Gather Data • Review Gathered Data

7. Step 1. Assemble the Team • Kelly Moore’s webinar on coalition building • http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/PublicHealth/research/centers/CAIANH/REACH/Pages/Resource-Library.aspx • Coalition should participate in this work • Partners from different sectors will bring different skills, knowledge, and perspectives to the process • Develop buy-in from your coalition partners • First opportunity to work together – accomplishment • Shared understanding of the problems • Awareness of opportunities to improve PSE • Build a strong foundation for implementing Work Plans

8. Step 2. Develop Team Strategy • Work with coalition to identify best approach to collecting and reviewing community data • Should coalition work as a whole or “divide & conquer” • Divide the assessment by sector • If coalition is divided, each subgroup should includes 2+ people collecting/reviewing data and reporting back to the full group • Decide on decision-making process • 100% agreement, majority rules • Define what is meant by “community” • County, city, town, zip code, school district, etc. • Jurisdiction wide; not just the American Indian population

9. Step 3. Review CHANGE Tool Process • Review the process of conducting the Community Assessment and Policy Scan with coalition • Early meeting of the coalition • Steps • 3a. Review CHANGE Sectors • 3b. Review Assessment Process • 3c. Review Excel Workbooks

10. Step 3a. Review CHANGE Sectors • Community-At-Large Sector • School Sector • Preschool, elementary/middle/high school, after-school programs • Worksite Sector • Any place of employment • Community Institution/Organization Sector • Childcare settings, churches, senior centers, YMCA, colleges/universities, boys and girls clubs, etc.

11. Step 3b. Review Assessment Process • Assessment of 4 sectors in your community • Community-At-Large Sector • School Sector (≥3 sites) • Worksite Sector (≥3 sites) • Community Institution/Organization Sector (≥3 sites) Identification of Sites • Identify sites that involve a higher concentration of American Indians or that serve Native people • Community organizations – specific or varied types

12. Step 3c. Review Excel Workbooks • Excel Workbooks for each Sector • Developed as of the CHANGE Tool • Guide your assessment • Outline the questions to ask • Colorado REACH 2012 team has revised • Limited the number of questions to be asked • You are welcome to add additional questions • Appendix C of the CHANGE Tool provides recommendations • Each Workbook contains • Demographics • Physical Activity • Nutrition • School Sector Workbook also contains District spreadsheet

17. Step 4. Gather Data • Complete Excel workbook for each sector • Complete one workbook for each site assessed • Approaches to collecting data • Key informant interviews • Online data sources

18. Key Informant Interviews • Key informants are people in your community who have expertise in PSE factors • Interviewing key informants can: • Provide knowledge and documentation • Point you to other resources and informants • Make connections with key stakeholders • Can become partners in implementation of Work Plan • Not a formal interview

19. Identification of Key Informants • Coalition members can assist in identification • Other organizations/programs can help • Community Transformation Grants • Other programs focused on PSE efforts • Who is likely to have expertise? • Department of Transportation • Health Department • State Legislature, City Council, Mayor’s Office • School Board, school principal • Appendix to Slides: Suggested starting places • Appendix B of CHANGE Tool

20. Online Data Sources • Provide information in specific areas • Demographic data • Policies • Suggested resources • You may know of others – we would be happy to hear about them! • Ensure data are up-to-date

21. Community at Large: Demographics • Census Data • http://www.census.gov/2010census/ • Population Finder – Areas within • http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml • Community Facts • County Health Rankings and Roadmaps • http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/#app/ • Find Your County

22. Other Sectors: Demographics School Sector • School District Demographics System • http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/index.aspx • School District/School websites • State Department of Education website • Key informants Worksiteand Institutional/Organizational Sectors • Worksite or organization websites • Key informants

23. Policy & Other Websites • CDC Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System • http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/CDPHPPolicySearch/Default.aspx • State-level, health-related policies with status (e.g., enacted) • ENACT Local Policy Database • http://eatbettermovemore.org/sa/policies/ • Nutrition and physical activity at multiple levels (city, county, school district) • Community Garden Locator • http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/what-is-a-community-garden/find-a-community-garden.php • Locate community gardens in area, including at schools

24. Completing Workbooks • Complete Excel workbook for • Community-at-Large Sector • Each site from the other sectors • For each question, rate policy & environment • Has policy been developed • Has implementation happened • Don’t leave items blank • All questions are required • 99 if not applicable

25. Rating Scale

26. Example

27. Step 5. Review Gathered Data Review Data with Sector-Specific Subgroups • Discuss findings related to each item • Decide on final scoring – Enter into workbooks • Identify strengths and weaknesses in sector • Review the “Module Score Summaries” • %s combine the ratings for all applicable items • Take detailed notes • Why did you decide on the scores you chose • What was the rationale for the areas you identified as strengths and weaknesses

30. Step 5. Review Gathered Data Review Data with Whole Coalition • Subgroups present their findings to the coalition • Coalition decides on any refinements to scoring • Enters changes • Identify strengths and weaknesses in community • Review the “Module Score Summaries” • What areas should be targeted for improvement? • Take notes regarding findings and decisions

31. Consultant Assistance • Involving a consultant in conduct of the CAPS • Consultant can conduct and write up the scan • Coalition should review all results with the consultant and identify areas to target in the Work Plan • Consultant should follow the process outlined here • Can go beyond this, but must include these elements at a minimum

32. Reporting Your Results

33. Report Outline • Introduction • Community Assessment and Policy Scan Methods • Sites reviewed • Data collection process and sources • Key informants and other resources • Coalition review and decision-making process

34. Report Outline (cont.) • Findings • Sector-Specific Findings • Community-at-Large Sector • School Sector • Worksite Sector • Community Institution/Organization Sector In each sector, describe: • Demographics • PSE factors related to physical activity & nutrition • What policies are in place? • What PSE approaches have already been implemented? • What weaknesses did your coalition identify? • Across all sectors, where were the greatest needs identified?

35. Report Outline (cont.) • Conclusions • Discuss the implications of your Community Assessment and Policy Scan • What PSE strategies would address the weaknesses your coalition identified? • Provide initial thoughts on how your Work Plan could be refined to address these areas • Appendices • Copies of your final workbooks • Copies of other data gathered

36. Resources • CDC CHANGE Tool • http://www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram/tools/change/downloads.htm • Sector-Specific Excel Workbooks • Will be uploaded to UCD REACH 2012 website • REACH Kick-off Training • May 7th & 8th • Come prepared with thoughts and questions • What has worked well? • What barriers are you facing?

37. Contact Information • Tim Noe – Co-Principal Investigator • Timothy.Noe@ucdenver.edu • Kelly Moore – Co-Principal Investigator • Kelly.Moore@ucdenver.edu • Angie Generose – Project Manager • Angie.Generose@ucdenver.edu • Angela Brega – Program Evaluator • Angela.Brega@ucdenver.edu • Venice Ng – Evaluation Specialist • Venice.Ng@ucdenver.edu • Cory Sedey-Seitz – Professional Research Assistant • Cory.Sedey-Seitz@ucdenver.edu

38. Questions?

39. Appendix Identification of Key Informants Possible Starting Places

40. Community-at-Large Sector • Government: Directorof specific programs • Parks and recreation • Community and economic development • Health department • Transportation • Community Assembly Groups • Farm or neighborhood representatives • City district representation • Community food groups • Minority Health Council: Chairman, Project Coordinator

41. School Sector • District: • Superintendent • program coordinator • Chairperson of health services or School Board • Food service director • School: • Principal or Administrator • School nurse • Director of child nutrition • PE Instructor

42. Worksite Sector • Owner/CEO • General manager • Board member • Human Resources Director or benefits coordinator

43. Institutional/Organizational Sector • Community center/Community action organization: Director, program staff • University/College: Senior administration, Professor • Church: Pastor • Head Start Agency: Executive Director • Food bank/Youth center/Family center: Director of programs