One of the many reasons social workers conduct needs assessment is to provide support for new programs. Social workers have many methods available to collect necessary data for a needs assessment.

Social workers can use existing data from a wide range of sources, including local and national reports by government and nonprofit agencies, as well as computerized mapping resources. Social workers can gather new data through interviews and surveys with individuals and focus groups. This data can provide the evidence that supports the need for the program.

To prepare for this Assignment, review the needs assessment plans that you and your classmates generated for this week’s Discussion. Also, review the logic models that you created in Week 7 and any literature on needs of caregivers that you used to generate them. Consider the following to stimulate your thinking:

• Getting information about the needs of the target population:
  • Who would informants be?
  • What is your purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions would you ask?
  • What method would you use (interview, focus group, questionnaire)?
• Finding potential clients:
  • Who would informants be?
  • What is your purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions would you ask?
  • What method would you use?
• Interacting with the target population:
  • Who would informants be?
  • What is your purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions would you ask?
  • What method would you use?

Submit a 2- to 3-page paper outlining a hypothetical needs assessment related to the support group program for caregivers. Include the following:

• The resources needed to operate this service
• The program activities
• The desired outcomes
• A plan for gathering information about the population served
• Justifications for your plans and decisions
• A one-paragraph conclusion describing how you might conduct a follow-up to the needs assessment at the implementation stage of the program evaluation 

Required Readings

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
(For review) Chapter 6, “Needs Assessment” (pp. 107–142)
Chapter 7, “Crafting Goals and Objectives” (pp. 144–164)

Document: Tutty, L. M., & Rothery, M. A. (2010). Needs assessments. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed.,pp. 149–162). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)
Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Optional Resources

Stewart, K. E., Phillips, M. M., Walker, J. F., Harvey, S. A., & Porter, A. (2011). Social services utilization and need among a community sample of persons living with HIV in the rural south. AIDS Care, 23(3), 340–347.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.