Community Resources

These frameworks and toolkits provide support and guidance to aid community partners as they assess, plan, and work to meet the needs of Lucas County Residents.

1) Assessing Community Needs and Resources Toolkit

• Community Tool Box provides a variety of resources for community health improvement. The Assessing Community Needs and Resources Toolkit outlines six steps for assessing community needs and provides examples and related resources. In addition, Chapters 3, 4, and 5 in the Learn a Skill Table of Contents provide in-depth guidance related to community health.

2) Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE)

• The CHANGE tool, produced by the CDC, is a resource for data collection and planning for those who want to improve the health of their communities. It consists of Five Phases: Commitment, Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation.
• Additionally, the Tool’s Five Sectors include specific questions to be answered in the areas of demographics, physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, chronic disease management, and leadership.

3) Community Health Assessment Toolkit

• The Association for Community Health Improvement designed this toolkit to assist in conducting community health assessments. While the nine-step process was designed for hospitals, it has a strong focus on community engagement and the process may be modified for local health agencies. The nine steps are: Reflect and Strategize, Identify and Engage Stakeholders, Define the Community, Collect and Analyze Data, Prioritize Community Health Issues, Document and Communicate Results, Plan Implementation Strategies, Implement Strategies, and Evaluate Progress.

4) County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Action Center

• The Action Center includes key activities to improve the health of communities. Each Action Step includes information on the purpose of the step, key activities, and additional resources. The Assess Needs & Resources page may be especially useful. The Partner Center also contains useful guides for various sectors, including government and public health.

5) MAP-IT

• MAP-IT stands for Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, and Track. It helps communities plan to reach goals outlined in the Healthy People 2020 objectives. Each step of the MAP-IT process has its own webpage, which includes questions to ask and answer, Healthy People 2020 Tools, field notes, toolkits, and other resources.

6) Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP)

• MAPP is a community-driven strategic planning tool for improving community health designed to be facilitated by public health leaders. There are six MAPP phases: 1) Organizing for Success & Partnership Development, 2) Visioning, 3) The Four Assessments, 4) Identify Strategic Issues, 5) Formulate Goals & Strategies, and 6) Action Cycle. You can find an overview of each phase, as well as additional guidance, resources, and training, on the MAPP website.

7) Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH)

• PATCH is a model for community health planning, developed by the CDC with local and state health departments in the mid-1980s. Its goal is to increase the capacity of communities to plan, implement, and evaluate programs that address priority health problems.

8) Engaging Your Community: A Toolkit for Partnership, Collaboration, and Action

• This Toolkit is a resource for organizations that serve adolescents. It is designed to assist with cultivating strategic partnerships, implementing innovative outreach strategies, and developing robust communications that target the diverse organizations and populations in their communities.

Collecting primary data to inform assessment and planning processes is key to highlighting critical issues or concerns, filling in gaps from secondary data sources, and providing target audiences a way to directly inform the development or assessment of the services meant to improve their health and well-being.

Resources related to general primary data collection methods (e.g., focus groups, key informant interviews, and surveys) are provided below.

1) Listening to the Community’s Input: A Guide to Primary Data Collection

• Topic(s): Data Collection
• Addresses the important role of primary data in community health assessments, and provides guidance on key informant interviews, focus groups, community surveys, community forums, and direct observation.

2) Selecting Data Collection Methods

• Topic(s): Data Collection
• Originally prepared for program evaluation, this document provides useful information for general data collection as well. It also describes the advantages and disadvantages associated with surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, observation, and document review.

3) Community Themes & Strengths Assessment

• Topic(s): Data Collection, Focus Groups, Surveys
• The third Phase within the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) framework, this page contains a series of resources and examples regarding community surveys, focus groups, and data analysis. Select the “Community Themes and Strengths Assessment” section on the page for all related resources.

4) Conducting Focus Group Interviews

• Topic(s): Focus Groups
• This document, from the USAID Center for Development Information and Evaluation, provides information on the advantages, limitations, and usefulness of focus group interviews, and includes step-by-step guidance to help ensure quality data are collected.

5) Conducting Focus Groups

• Topic(s): Focus Groups
• This website provides information on when, why, and how to conduct focus groups; in addition, the website provides links to resources including:
  • Designing and Conducting Focus Group Interviews
  • Guidelines for Conducting a Focus Group
  • Introduction to Conducting Focus Groups
  • Toolkit for Conducting Focus Groups
  • These resources include sample questions, preparation and facilitation guidance, and other useful information.

6) Focus Groups for Program Evaluation

• Topic(s): Focus Groups
• This brief from the CDC Evaluation and Research Team provides a basic overview of focus groups.

7) Conducting Key Informant Interviews

• Topic(s): Key Informant Interviews
• From the USAID Center for Development Information and Evaluation, this document provides an overview of the advantages, limitations, and steps in conducting key informant interviews.

8) Key Informant Interviews

• Topic(s): Key Informant Interviews
• From the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, this document includes guidance on identifying key informants, choosing the type of interview, developing the interview tool(s), and conducting interviews.

9) Conducting Needs Assessment Surveys

• Topic(s): Surveys
•  A part of the Community Tool Box, this resource comprehensively answers basic questions about needs assessment surveys: What is it? Why, when, and how should you carry out a needs assessment survey?
• Additional links to resources include:
  • Community Needs Assessment Survey Guide: helpful when a survey is conducted by a community government.
  • Methods for Conducting Educational Needs Assessment: explains the objective, target audience, and six steps for a needs assessment. It provides considerable detail on survey design and construction. 
  • Conducting an Effective Needs Assessment: focuses on needs assessments in training programs

10) Conducting Surveys

• Topic(s): Surveys
• A part of the Community Tool Box, this resource contains guidance for developing, distributing, and analyzing surveys.

11) Calculating Sample Size

• Topic(s): Surveys
• The sample size is an important consideration for any population-based survey. Sample size refers to the number of completed responses received during the survey period. While surveying an entire target group or geographic population is often not possible, calculating and reaching specific sample sizes allows survey results to be generalized across the population as a representative sample. Generally, the larger the sample size, the more statistically significant your survey’s results will be — meaning there’s less of a chance that your results were coincidental or happened by coincidence.
• There are many free Sample Size Calculators available online. The following examples provide additional explanation of key terms and significance:
  • SurveyMonkey Sample Size Calculator
  • SurveyMonkey Margin of Error Calculator
  • Raosoft Sample Size Calculator

Secondary data is information collected by any external source. Secondary data sources may include information related to births and deaths (vital statistics), demographics, behavioral risk factors/rates, hospital admissions, socioeconomic status, and other relevant subject areas. Secondary data is an important supplement to tell the full story of the health status and challenges facing any group of individuals.

1) US Census Data & Information

• Topic(s): Demographics; Socioeconomic Characteristics; County Level Data (✓)
• The US Census Bureau provides access to national and local demographic and socioeconomic data through a variety of tools that include data visualizations, mobile apps, interactive web software, and searchable databases.
  • United States Census QuickFacts
    • Contains demographic and socioeconomic data such as education, income, race, ethnicity, sex, housing, and insurance status. Users can compare county-level estimates to state and national estimates in side-by-side tables.
  • Explore Census Data (data.census.gov)
    • The new platform replaces American FactFinder to access data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • American FactFinder
    • Provides data tables from the American Community Survey.
    • Note: The US Census Bureau stopped releasing new data in American FactFinder (AFF) at the end of June 2019 and transitioned to data.census.gov for data releases formerly on AFF. AFF will remain as an archive system until early 2020. After July 1, 2019, all new data (previously released on American FactFinder) will be released on this new data platform.

2) America’s Health Rankings

• Topic(s): Health Behaviors; Policy; Environment; Health Outcomes
• This resource provides information on state health rankings across a variety of health indicators. Charts and graphics are available to download and share.

3) CDC WONDER

• Topic(s): Vital Statistics; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; AIDS; Cancer; County Level Data (✓)
• This online database from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) uses various data sources to produce customizable tables on AIDS, births, cancer statistics, environmental data, mortality, and sexually transmitted disease morbidity. Can also save web links to reports.

4) Community Commons

• Topic(s): Various; County Level Data (✓)
• The Community Commons features map-making and report-building capabilities. Users can select data of interest from a wide range of sources to generate reports and maps once a free account has been created.

5) County Health Rankings and Roadmaps

• Topic(s): Various; County Level Data (✓)
• County Health Rankings contain county-level data on numerous health indicators and health outcomes and are updated annually. Users can easily compare health statistics between counties and nationally.

6) Ohio Department of Health Data & Statistics

• Topic(s): Various; County Level Data (✓)
• The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) provides users access to statewide and county-level data on various topics. This web page provides access to interactive applications, published reports, and other resources related to data and analyses at ODH.
• Ohio Public Health Data Warehouse:
  • The Ohio Public Health Information Warehouse is a self-service online tool containing the most recent public health data available about Ohio.  The application allows for the creation of custom reports, charts, and maps from a variety of data sources. Covers
• 2019 Online State Health Assessment:
  • The 2019 State Health Assessment (SHA) is a comprehensive and actionable picture of health and well-being in Ohio. This interactive website displays state and county-level data on topics such as demographic trends, leading causes of death, population health, healthcare spending, access to health care, public health and prevention, social and economic environment, and physical environment.
• ODH Published Reports:
  • A comprehensive listing of current and historical reports published by the Ohio Department of Health. The reports primarily describe the health status of Ohio’s population or pertain to selected health conditions impacting Ohioans.

7) Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health

• Topic(s): Child and Adolescent Health
• The Data Resource Center pulls together data from five surveys on child and adolescent health. Users can build queries based on survey, topic, year, and location.

8) KIDS COUNT Data Center

• Topic(s): Child and Family Health; County Level Data (✓)
• The KIDS COUNT Data Center provides information on children and families. Users can explore topics by state, county, and year.

9) Disability and Health Data System

• Topic(s): Persons with disabilities
• The Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) Disability and Health Data system provides access to health and demographic data about adults with disabilities.

10) National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network

• Topic(s): Environmental Health and Hazards; Health Effects; Population Health; County Level Data (✓)
• Users can build maps to compare state and county rates for a selection of health indicators, with a focus on environmental health indicators. Data can also be viewed in tables and charts. County environmental health profiles are available with the “Info by Location” tool.

11) PeriStats

• Topic(s): Maternal and Child Health
• PeriStats is developed by the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center. It provides data on maternal and infant health.

12) Substance Abuse & Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA)

• Topic(s): Substance Use and Treatment Data and Reports
• Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), SAMHDA allows users to access substance abuse and mental health data for analyses. Uses can Analyze Data through the Public-use and Restricted-use Data Analysis Systems (PDAS & RDAS respectively), or view SAMHSA reports Here.
  • Useful tutorial videos:
    • Getting Started with PDAS
    • Running Crosstabs in PDAS
• Note: A previous version of SAMHSA’s data allows users to generate State Profiles of Treatment Facilities and Summaries of Client Admissions from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), and view demographics and substance use characteristics of admissions for treatment from the Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS).

13) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates

• Topic(s): Income and Poverty; County Level Data (✓)
• The SAIPE Interactive Data Tool allows users to view maps and tables of population, income, and poverty estimates.

14) State Cancer Profiles

• Topic(s): Cancer; County Level Data (✓)
• State Cancer Profiles present data on cancer incidence, prevalence, and mortality. Information on demographics and screening & risk factors is also accessible. Users can create maps and tables, and examine trends over time.

15) Trust for America’s Health

• Topic(s): Various
• Provides data on key health indicators, public health preparedness, and public health funding indicators; state rankings are available for select data points.

Whether working on a Community Health Assessment, organizational strategic plan, or individual program strategy, identifying priorities through specific criteria and defined processes helps to ensure that the most important issues are addressed and the right people and partners are involved from the start.

1) County Health Rankings & Roadmaps: Prepare to Prioritize

• The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Action Center focuses on how to prepare for prioritization. It provides questions to consider when prioritizing health issues, possible processes for prioritization, and other factors to consider when determining that process, such as the role of the facilitator.

2) County Health Rankings & Roadmaps: Prioritize the Issues

• This resource is also a part of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Action Cycle. It links to three tools: avoiding groupthink, the nominal group technique, and an example of a priority-setting exercise.

3) NACCHO: Guide to Prioritization Techniques

• This guide from The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) describes step-by-step instructions to conduct five prioritization methods including Multi-Voting Technique, Strategy Grids, the Nominal Group Technique, the Hanlon Method, and the Prioritization Matrix. The document also provides blank templates that can be used in the prioritization process.

4) Focus on What’s Important Guide

• This guide from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps provides a succinct, easy-to-follow process to prioritize efforts and limited resources on the most important issues for the greatest impact on health. Includes suggested tools for each stage of the process and numerous links to related resources.

5) Community Tool Box: Developing and Using Criteria and Processes to Set Priorities

• This section of the Community Tool Box provides background information about establishing priorities. The “Tools” tab provides a list of prioritization methods to choose from.