Needs assessment report

Targeted impacts chosen are global community goals. Hocking County chose two impacts (or goals) expressing the desired change in our community.

Targeted impact #1: Youth substance abuse

Targeted impact #2: Behaviors associated with mental illness

The Needs Assessment Committee felt very strongly that “no one impact is more important than any other.” In spite of this belief, “ Substance Abuse” was ranked number 1. The first reason for this is statistical.

Hocking County teenage substance abuse rates are higher than national rates.* Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) also has collected data indicating an extremely high level of marijuana use in Hocking County.*

The second reason is the overwhelming results of the community survey, where substance abuse was ranked five times higher than any other category. Substance abuse also was the number one concern across all age groups.

“Behaviors associated with mental illness” was selected as the second impact, particularly since the committee felt that all of the other impacts also were mental health issues (delinquency, school failure, teen violence and pregnancy). Information on mental health services provided over several years* indicates a 45 percent increase in service units with no increase in staff.

Another problem identified is that, due to lack of earlier treatment, “new” clients tend to be needier and require more services. This is borne out by data showing the number of service units rapidly increasing while the number of clients remains steady.* National trends show all categories of mental illness increasing except adjustment disorders.*

Behaviors associated with mental illness was ranked last on the community survey, but this may indicate that the public either does not wish to acknowledge the issue of mental illness or does not understand what “behaviors associated with mental illness” really means. Other community groups in Hocking County (notably the mental health committee) have identified mental health stigma or prejudice as an ongoing barrier to mental health treatment.

Discussion around identifying key risk factors, protective factors, and assets (or RPAs), led to agreement on priorities.

1.       Focus on RPAs that needed the most improvement.

2.       Focus on RPAs that would affect all six targeted impacts.

3.       Forego assets since all services are designed to build several assets.

It was felt that gathering data on assets would not be useful in differentiating

either programming or needs.