Regional Needs Assessment : Procedures and Outcomes / Patricia S. Anderson and Dennis Deck.

This paper presents the procedures used for carrying out a needs assessment concerning drug and alcohol abuse prevention and intervention efforts across nine western states and the Pacific territories prior to and subsequent to the receipt of United States Department of Education funds to implement training and technical services in the region. Methods which are described include focus group probing, key informant interviewing, personal interviews, questionnaires, review of existing data, and primary and secondary focus surveys. Outcomes for two needs assessments are presented historically with the pre-award findings first, followed by subsequent data. They are presented under the headings of adolescent alcohol and drug use, school and community programs, state agencies, and institutions of higher education. Annual needs assessments and development of plans for service delivery are envisioned due to the value of information in targeting training and technical assistance. The report concludes that managing a needs assessment across nine states and the Pacific territories is a major undertaking requiring an understanding of appropriate procedures and consumer audiences. (ABL)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.