9. Report Back to Partners | MCH Needs Assessment Toolkit

Introduction

On Your Mark: Start Here with Grounding Concepts and the Evidence Base

This final step of reporting to ensure accountability to partners who have worked with the MCH staff throughout the needs assessment process. It also assures the continued involvement of all partners in the ongoing needs assessment processes. By presenting findings at community events, professional conferences, and through electronic communication, all partners have the opportunity to be on the same page regarding project priorities and resource allocation.

These activities also help inform other programs working on related initiatives. Ongoing communication with partners help to keep interest and involvment high and momentum going.

Importance of Reporting Back to Partners

Reporting needs assessment findings to stakeholders is essential for converting data into actionable insights, enabling informed decision-making, resource allocation, and the development of effective strategies to address identified needs. It promotes collaboration, accountability, and transparency, ultimately contributing to the success of interventions and programs. Here are specific

Informed Decision-Making. Community partners, including organizational leaders and policymakers, rely on the results of a needs assessment to make informed decisions. Reporting findings provides them with the necessary data to understand current conditions and needs.
Resource Allocation. Effective resource allocation is dependent on accurate needs assessment findings. Reporting these findings helps partners allocate resources, such as funding, personnel, and time, to address the identified needs appropriately.
Stakeholder Engagement. Sharing the assessment results fosters engagement and buy-in from stakeholders, as they become part of the solution-building process. It promotes transparency and collaboration, which can enhance the overall effectiveness of interventions.
Goal Setting and Planning. Reporting findings allows partners to set clear goals and develop actionable plans to address identified needs. It helps define specific objectives, timelines, and strategies for implementation.
Monitoring and Evaluation. Regular reporting of assessment findings provides a basis for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of interventions. It helps measure progress and make necessary adjustments to ensure the achievement of desired outcomes.
Accountability. By sharing the results with partners, accountability is established. This transparency holds individuals and organizations responsible for addressing the identified needs and tracking progress over time.
Risk Mitigation. Reporting findings can highlight potential risks and challenges, enabling partners to proactively mitigate them. It supports the identification of barriers and obstacles that might impede progress.
Prioritization. Reporting findings helps partners prioritize needs based on their significance and urgency. It guides them in determining which issues require immediate attention and which can be addressed in the long term.
Communication and Transparency. Effective communication of findings ensures that all relevant parties are well-informed. Transparency in the process enhances trust and credibility among partners.

Barriers to Reporting Back to Partners

There are a number of barriers that can make it difficult to report back to partners about the five-year needs assessment. These include:

Lack of Stakeholder Engagement. Inadequate involvement and engagement of key partners can lead to a disconnect between assessment findings and community needs, hindering alignment and action.
Resistance to Change. Community partner resistance to implementing recommendations or addressing identified needs can impede progress, particularly when it involves disrupting established practices.
Resource Constraints. Limited financial and human resources can pose a significant barrier to implementing recommended actions, even when needs are well-documented.
Data Quality. Inaccurate or incomplete data can erode the credibility of assessment findings and diminish partner trust in the process.
Communication Challenges. Poor communication methods or inadequate presentation of findings can make it difficult for partners to comprehend and utilize the information effectively.

The MCH Evidence Center has reviewed the literature to find strategies for reporting back to partners:

Boaz, A., Hanney, S., Borst, R., O’Shea, A. and Kok, M., 2018. How to engage stakeholders in research: design principles to support improvement. Health research policy and systems, 16(1), pp.1-9.
Longest BB Jr, Rohrer WM. Communication between public health agencies and their external stakeholders. J Health Hum Serv Adm. 2005 Fall;28(2):189-217. PMID: 16521669.
J South, A M Connolly, J A Stansfield, P Johnstone, G Henderson, K A Fenton, Putting the public (back) into public health: leadership, evidence and action. Journal of Public Health, Volume 41, Issue 1, March 2019, pp. 10–17.

Learn What Works

Get Ready: Immerse Yourself in Effective Strategies and Learn More

There are multiple evidence-based strategies that can help address the barriers and improve the effectiveness of reporting findings to community partners after a needs assessment. Tailoring these strategies to the specific context and needs of the organization or community is essential for successful implementation:

Effective Partner Engagement. Prioritize two-way communication with community partnersthroughout the assessment process. Engage them in discussions, listen to their concerns, and ensure they feel heard and valued.
Clear and Compelling Communication. Develop clear, concise, and compelling messages when presenting assessment findings. Highlight key insights and their significance in a way that resonates with partners.
Tailored Communication. Customize communication methods and messages to suit the needs, preferences, and understanding of different partner groups. Ensure that the information is accessible and relevant to each audience.
Visual Communication. Utilize data visualization techniques, such as charts, graphs, and infographics, to make complex data more understandable and engaging for partners.
Regular Updates and Feedback. Establish a regular reporting schedule to keep partners informed about progress and developments. Encourage feedback and open communication channels to address concerns and questions.
Storytelling. Present assessment findings in the form of compelling stories that illustrate the real-world impact of identified needs. Stories can make the data more relatable and memorable.
Engagement Campaigns. Implement targeted communication campaigns to raise awareness about assessment findings and the importance of addressing identified needs. Use a variety of channels, including social media, email, and community events.
Change Communication Plan. Develop a comprehensive communication plan that specifically addresses the changes required as a result of the assessment. Articulate the rationale for change and its benefits clearly to partners.
Cultural Sensitivity. Be culturally sensitive in communication, recognizing the cultural nuances and values of different partner groups. Adapt communication strategies to align with cultural expectations.
Capacity Building for Communication. Provide training and resources to partners to enhance their communication skills, ensuring they can effectively convey and discuss assessment findings with others.

These trainings have been collected by the MCH Navigator:

Changing the Public Conversation on Health: How to Use Framing to "Decode" Social Determinants and Health Outcomes. Year Developed: 2018. Source: CityMatCH. Presenter(s): Andy Wessel, MPH. Type: Webinar. Level: Intermediate Advanced. Length: 80 minutes.
Communicating Public Health: Message Design Strategies to Promote Awareness and Action to Address Social Determinants of Health. Developed: 2015. Source: Region 2 Public Health Training Center. Presenter(s): Jeff Niederdeppe. Type: Video. Level: Intermediate. Length: 58 minutes.
Communicating with and For the Maternal and Child Health Population: Issues and Challenges. Source: South Central Public Health Partnership. Presenter(s): Cathy R. Taylor, DrPH, MSN, RN. Type: Online Course. Level: Intermediate.
Gathering Data, Developing Conclusions, and Putting your Findings to Use. Source: CDC. Presenter(s): Christina Christie. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 65 minutes.
Health Literacy for Public Health Professionals. Year Developed: 2014. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Presenter(s): Cynthia Baur, PhD, Julie Gazmararian, PhD, MPH. Type: Online Course. Level: Intermediate. Length: Self-paced.
How to Tell Your Program’s Story to Key Stakeholders. Developed: 2018. Source: Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center on Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Presenter(s): Deborah Klein Walker, PhD. Type: Video Meeting. Level: Introductory. Length: 48 minutes.
Using Good Communication Skills in Public Health Education and Promotion to Overcome Community Language Barriers. Year Developed: 2013. Source: n.a.. Presenter(s): Giovanna Lipow, Marie Cobalt, Yajing Zhang, and Zachary Mckellar. Type: Narrated Slide Presentation. Level: Introductory. Length: 7 minutes.

Tools to Try

Get Set: Use these Tools to Move from Knowledge to Implementation

These tools and examples have been developed by the National MCH Workforce Development Center or collected by the MCH Digital Library:

Data Placemats. Data placemats help stakeholders interpret and draw meaning from data. They can be particularly effective in communicating the current health status of sub-groups, and can be easily customized for sharing data with various audiences.
- Brief overview of the tool
- Scenario for using the tool

These resources have been collected by the MCH Digital Library:

Stakeholder Reporting Made Easy: 9 Practical Tips. The Simply Stakeholders collaborative explains why stakeholder reporting matters, what it’s used for, and nine tips for better reports.
Identifying and Determining Involvement of Stakeholders. CDC. This factsheet identifies different types of partners and provides questions to ask in involving individuals and groups in the program evaluation process.
Communication with Stakeholder of Public Health Accreditation: A Guide for Public Health Departments. NACCHO provides a five-step process to effectively engage stakeholders. It includes forms and templates to use at the state and local levels.
Reporting to Stakeholders. In addition to reporting back to project-affected groups and other stakeholders as part of the consultation process, there are other types of reporting that target a different set of stakeholders.

Title V Tools and Examples

Go: Learn from Your Peers Across the Country

Tools

These tools have been collected by AMCHP and the MCH Evidence Center:

Colorado: Data Briefs. Colorado's MCH program has developed this approach to compiling quantitative data in an easy-to-digest format both as part of the MCH needs assessment as well as for staff and partners to learn and communicate about key issues affecting the MCH population.
Colorado MCH Needs Assessment Summary. This is a document used to share the design and results of the needs assessment with partners throughout the five-year needs assessment cycle.
Iowa’s Five-Year Needs Assessment Report. Example from Iowa of a report that can be shared on their Needs Assessment Process and Outcomes
Oregon 2020 Title V Needs Assessment Report. Example from Oregon of a concise Needs Assessment report and an accompanying video for sharing their results.
MCH Block Grant Priorities. Tennessee created a webpage that provides a short slide deck and health brief summaries for each population domain.

Stories and Strategies for Peer-to-Peer Learning

These stories and strategies have been collected by AMCHP and the MCH Evidence Center related to Step 9:

New Hampshire: Creating an ongoing needs assessment plan that includes mechanism for reporting each.
Delaware: Reporting back to my community partners with transparency on where we were, where we are going and also their contributions to the success in the service delivery for CYSHCN.
South Dakota: Our program has a series of meetings scheduled for November to look at survey results with our stakeholders.
South Dakota: Share, share, share information. Don't assume people know it. They don't!
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Partner engagement. Ensure population representation. Keep partners in the loop (informed) of every stage of the NA process.
Republic of Palau: Share program, progress and data with partners, and make them feel part of the work that we do.

Share Your Stories and Strategies

Please take a moment to share your stories and strategies related to Step 9 of your needs assessment that you would like highlighted on this page. By sharing your stories, you help to document the needs assessment process for use by other Title V agencies during this cycle and will help preserve this knowledge for needs assessment processes in the future.

Share your stories and strategies here