Needs Assessment Flashcards

Asset mapping in a community needs assessment is used to identify:

Answer: Existing resources, strengths, and capacities within the community

Asset mapping, rooted in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), catalogs existing strengths like organizations, skills, and facilities to complement gap analysis.

A CAA discovers that transportation is a top barrier based on its needs assessment. The NEXT most appropriate step is to:

Answer: Prioritize the finding within the community action plan and identify potential strategies

Needs assessment findings should feed directly into the community action planning process to align strategies with documented community priorities.

Which method is MOST effective for reaching homeless individuals during a needs assessment?

Answer: Street outreach interviews conducted by trained community workers

People experiencing homelessness are best reached through in-person street outreach, since they typically lack stable internet, phone, or mailing addresses.

In a needs assessment, a 'key informant interview' is conducted with:

Answer: Individuals who have specialized knowledge about community conditions

Key informant interviews target people with expertise or unique insight—such as service providers, faith leaders, or community organizers—to gather informed perspectives.

Which of the following is an example of a SOCIAL determinant of health that a CAA needs assessment should capture?

Answer: Access to safe and affordable housing

Social determinants of health—like housing, education, food access, and economic stability—are core areas Community Action Agencies address through needs assessment.

A needs assessment that uses both a community survey AND focus groups is applying which research design?

Answer: Mixed-methods design

Mixed-methods design combines quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group) approaches to provide a more complete picture of community needs.

Which entity is responsible for approving and overseeing the community needs assessment process at a CAA?

Answer: The CAA's tripartite board of directors

The tripartite board—which includes low-income representatives, elected officials, and private sector members—governs CAA operations including the needs assessment process.