Set Goals and Priorities
Program partners should use the community health needs assessment results to establish priorities likely to have the greatest impact.
A variety of methods can be used to identify goals and take action on community issues. Many approaches include a role for an outside facilitator, such as a community healthcare provider, an individual from the public health department, or a researcher who partners with community members.
Three formal prioritization strategies that can be used to prioritize the issues identified during the community health needs assessment are:
- Nominal Group Process: A facilitated approach that uses a series of votes to narrow down priorities. Each member of stakeholder group will select their top priorities. Based on the responses, the problems with the most votes are the ones that are selected as major priorities.
- Hanlon Method/ Basic Priority Rating System: Prioritizes issues by assigning a score (1- 10) in each of the following categories: magnitude (size), importance (urgency, severity, consequence), and potential intervention success.
-
Intervention Mapping: This is a tool designed
for program planners who are developing and implementing health promotion programs. There are six
steps:
- Step 1: Logic model of the problem
- Step 2: Program outcomes and objectives; Logic model of change
- Step 3: Program design
- Step 4: Program production
- Step 5: Program implementation plan
- Step 6: Evaluation plan
Less formal methods for prioritization include:
- Roundtable discussions
- Unstructured focus groups
- General forums
- Community meetings/forums
Resources to Learn More
Health Promotion Planning: An Educational and Ecological Approach, Third
Edition
Document
This health program planning book provides information on assessments, evaluation, and applications in various
settings.
Authors(s): Green, L.W. & Kreuter, M.W.
Date: 1999
Best
Practices for Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy Development: A Review of
Scientific Methods, Current Practices, and Future Potential
Document
This report summarizes findings from an expert panel meeting and includes information about community health
needs assessments, how to define community, and what constitutes community engagement within the context of
improving community health.
Author(s): Barnett, K.
Organization(s): Public Health Institute
Date: 2/2012
Community
Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation (CHANGE) Action Guide
Document
This guide provides instructions to implement the CHANGE tool. The resource is designed to be a compilation of
best practices for communities to understand the policies and systems currently in place throughout the
community; develop a plan for improve community health; and help prioritize community needs and allocate
available resources.
Organization(s): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Date: 2010
The
Community Tool Box: Chapter 8 - Section 3. Creating Objectives
Website
A guide that defines objectives and provides information on why, when, and how to develop objectives.
Organization(s): University of Kansas Work Group for Community Health and
Development
The
Community Tool Box: Chapter 3 - Section 23. Developing and Using Criteria and Processes to Set
Priorities
Website
This tool provides guidance on developing priorities.
Organization(s): University of Kansas Work Group for Community Health and
Development
Setting Targets for
Objectives
Document
This document provides tips that focus primarily on setting targets for health outcomes and performance.
Organization(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion
SMART Objectives
Template
Website
This website provides a template to help develop SMART objectives.
Organization(s): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention