Program Evaluation Paper II
Program Evaluation Paper
Evaluation Methodology/ HCS/549
July 25, 2011
Program Evaluation The Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group (KSPG) has established them as a program that helps with suicide prevention. According to KSPG the program began as a planning group and has developed into in a group program (2008). During the planning process a needs assessment was performed at the beginning phase and was included in the evaluation plan. Information was collected throughout the beginning phase to answer why, who, how, what, and when during the needs analysis. Also Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group used evaluation design to conduct beginning phase of program planning.
Needs Assessment “Needs assessment is the process of collecting information about an expressed or implied organizational need that could be met by conducting training” (Unknown, 2007). Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group used needs assessment to develop a strategy to help reduce deaths by suicide in the state of Kentucky. In the beginning KSPG studied the suicide rate by comparing the suicide rate to surrounding states. This was performed so KSPG can get enough data and to measure the needs as well as the feasibility of the program. Kentucky reported that the death rate by suicide is sixty-nine percent. This also helped KSPG in decision making such as target areas, planning for future interventions, and seeing patterns develop across the state. Another approach that KSPG used was social indicator of needs by accessing records from the Center for Disease Control which gave the program many variables that can indicate unmet needs. While evaluating variables understanding unmet needs KSPG has realized that Kentucky has the highest rates of death by suicide amongst the United States general population. Having this information readily available helped in the planning phase of the suicide prevention group and gave vital information when the business plan was taken to
Evaluation Methodology/ HCS/549
July 25, 2011
Program Evaluation The Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group (KSPG) has established them as a program that helps with suicide prevention. According to KSPG the program began as a planning group and has developed into in a group program (2008). During the planning process a needs assessment was performed at the beginning phase and was included in the evaluation plan. Information was collected throughout the beginning phase to answer why, who, how, what, and when during the needs analysis. Also Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group used evaluation design to conduct beginning phase of program planning.
Needs Assessment “Needs assessment is the process of collecting information about an expressed or implied organizational need that could be met by conducting training” (Unknown, 2007). Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group used needs assessment to develop a strategy to help reduce deaths by suicide in the state of Kentucky. In the beginning KSPG studied the suicide rate by comparing the suicide rate to surrounding states. This was performed so KSPG can get enough data and to measure the needs as well as the feasibility of the program. Kentucky reported that the death rate by suicide is sixty-nine percent. This also helped KSPG in decision making such as target areas, planning for future interventions, and seeing patterns develop across the state. Another approach that KSPG used was social indicator of needs by accessing records from the Center for Disease Control which gave the program many variables that can indicate unmet needs. While evaluating variables understanding unmet needs KSPG has realized that Kentucky has the highest rates of death by suicide amongst the United States general population. Having this information readily available helped in the planning phase of the suicide prevention group and gave vital information when the business plan was taken to