IV.

Needs Assessment

A needs assessment is a systematic process of investigating the health status

indicators of a population or community in order to identify the key health issues in that

community. We will use this needs assessment in the planning of our program to

address the direct needs of United Voice adolescents.

Step 1: Determining the purpose and the scope of the needs assessment

The needs assessment was used to collect information about the Brockton

adolescents who participate in the youth leadership group, United Voices. The ultimate

goal of the data collection was to deepen our understanding of influential factors that

may or may not affect the adolescents’ exposure, knowledge, and application of

mindfulness practices. We were also interested in the early identification and address of

any conditions that may prevent the desired outcome of our program.

Step 2: Gathering Data

Both primary and secondary sources were used in the collection of data for our

needs assessment. Two methods were used to collect primary data: a self-report

questionnaire and interviews.

The questionnaire was sent out to the adolescents who belong to United Voices.

The questions on this survey mostly related to information concerning the respondents’

experiences with stress, with the stigma surrounding mental health, and with

mindfulness practices. Because our target population, the adolescents involved with
United Voices, was fairly small, the questionnaire was distributed to all members. (ore

info here about how many respondents, who they were demographically, etc)

Interviewing with a key informant, a Brockton Public School physical education

teacher, enabled us to better understand the opportunities available to Brockton area

adolescents. The interviewee provided data related to the available stress reduction

programs already in place at Brockton Public Schools and to the general attitude of

Brockton Public Schools’ educators toward mindfulness curriculum. Another key

informant, the facilitator of United Voices, was able to offer numerous data concerned

with the lifestyles, support systems, and demographics of our target population.

The secondary data we collected as part of our needs assessment are primarily

involving the demographics of our target population. Using sources such as Healthy

People 2020, the United States Census Bureau, and MassCHIP, we were able to gather

population and epidemiological data concerning the Brockton area population.

Step 3: Analyzing the Data

Upon analysis of the primary data, … (insert analysis of survey questionnaire

here) …

The key informant interviews provided us with some significant information

regarding the adolescents’ lifestyles, their opinions on mental health, and their exposure

to stress reduction curricula. According to Yasmina Carvalho, a physical education

teacher, Brockton High School offers students a stress management course that is

taught in three different sections. The course primarily focuses on yoga as a tool for

stress reduction. Carvalho confirms that the consensus of the educators at Brockton
High School reflects the idea that stress reduction should be offered to all students at all

schools through the physical education and health departments; “students need to learn

different tools [to] deal with certain situations… prevention is key!.” Exposure to stress

reduction techniques, such as yoga, is a vital component in expanding adolescents’

knowledge, and use, of mindfulness practices. However, if the adolescents are not

given the resources, or are not being encouraged, to take that exposure out of the

classroom and put it to use, the full potential of a stress reduction curriculum will not be

achieved.

France Belizaire Augustave, the facilitator of United Voices, supplied us with

useful information regarding how the adolescents’ reflect on the stigma surrounding

mental health and the kinds of support systems that are in place for the adolescents.

While adolescents are aware of the stigma that surrounds mental health, they are also

proponents of changing that stigma. Public health efforts to improve mental health seem

to be resonating with today’s adolescent generation; awareness and destigmatization of

mental health issues and mental health services are on the rise. France’s accounts of

the adolescent’s family situations reflect the diversity found within the Brockton area

community. While some adolescents come from stable, supportive homes, others may

come from a broken home or may be in a situation where little support is available. Just

as important, to an adolescent’s state of mental health, as knowledge and skills

pertaining to stress reduction is a secure support system; social support systems aid in

stress reduction through their existence in an individual’s life.

 Demographic and population data based on the Brockton area, and the

adolescents residing in the Brockton area specifically, allows us to examine which kinds

of barriers we may or may not face in the planning and implementing of our program.

Financial barriers faced by organizations and programs in Brockton may hinder their

ability to reach their full impact potential. These barriers may be experienced by the

organizations, when it comes to acquiring funds or resources, or by the adolescents

who are targeted by the programs, when it comes to transportation to the program

location, program fees, or any extra expenses needed to attend or participate in the

programs; within the city of Brockton, 19.8% of children under the age of 18 are living

below 100% of the poverty line compared to the 12% within the state (“MassCHIP

Health Status Indicators Report for Brockton,” 2013). Our program will need to account

for this by ensuring maximum efficiency when it comes to any spending needed for the

program to proceed. The diverse population of Brockton and the broad range of

socioeconomic statuses within the population, do not take away from the sense of

community instilled in Brockton’s people. According to the Brockton Public Schools

School Committee, Brockton schools, and the programs the school system endorses,

are committed to providing “a climate that promotes healthy, productive social and

emotional well-being for all” with its District Wellness Policy” (“Healthy Schools

Program,” 2017). Augustave praises the community involvement of Brockton’s school

system, community members and leaders, noting the opportunity for us to count on

community participation in our program.

Step 4: Identifying the factors linked to the health issue

Poor mental health, including the presence of stress and chronic stress, has

been proven to have adverse effects on an individual’s overall health. These effects are

identified and explored in the Background section of this program plan. When looking at

health with a holistic perspective, the state of an individual’s mental health has just as

much influence, on their overall health, as does their state of physical health.

Mental health issues can be addressed in a number of ways including improving

societal norms, increasing self-efficacy, and changing behavior. Addressing poor mental

health in a time as crucial to development as adolescence is notably impactful on an

individual’s prospective mental health during adulthood.

Step 5: Identifying the program focus

The primary issues that our program will address are: the lack of knowledge

surrounding the extent to which stress can negatively impact quality of life, the lack of

knowledge in and skills of using mindfulness practice to reduce stress, and the stigma

surrounding mental health. Enabling and encouraging the adolescents to understand

the detrimental effects that may occur as a result of poor mental health, as well as to

learn how to use a tool such as mindfulness practice to improve mental health, is key to

this program’s success. In implementing this program and reducing poor mental health

within the United Voices adolescents, we will also create community resource personnel

who can continue our work by sharing what they have learned with their peers and

families.
 In order to address the primary issues of concern, we will identify the

predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors of poor mental health. The predisposing

factors include the stigma surrounding mental health issues, the knowledge regarding

signs and symptoms of mental health issues, the support systems adolescents have at

their disposal, and the knowledge of stress reduction practices. Enabling factors include

the availability of mental health services, the availability of stress management

programs and resources, and the development of stress-reduction skills. Short-term

reinforcing factors include: support from peers, family, and mental health professionals,

lower day-to-day stress levels, increased self-efficacy, and improved social health.

Long-term reinforcing factors include: improved performance in school and lower

morbidity rates of mental health issues.

Step 6: Validating the prioritized needs

Our prioritized needs will be validated by Dr. Angela Bailey upon examination of

our needs assessment.