New Toolkit Supports Assessment of Community Readiness for Home Visiting
A new toolkit is available to help users assess community readiness to address needs and service gaps using early childhood home visiting services. Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program awardees must assess community readiness as part of a state- or territory-wide needs assessment. The toolkit was produced for the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, to support MIECHV awardees.
The toolkit draws on multiple resources to guide users through the process of defining community stakeholders and exploring the dimensions and stages of readiness. It includes action steps, recommendations, and worksheets to help users gather, compile, and interpret information. The toolkit is organized into three sections:
- Compiling Existing Community Data reviews and expands on information compiled for the needs assessment by adding information on resources and services available to families in the community.
- Collecting Stakeholder Data uses interviews, focus groups, and other methods to gather data from leaders, service providers, and other stakeholders.
- Developing a Community Profile compiles the data to develop a community profile that summarizes the level of need for home visiting services, capacity to deliver services, and preparedness to support home visiting programs.
The process reviews community connections, capacity and infrastructure to address service gaps through home visiting, and willingness to support home visiting programs. It includes the perspectives of community leaders, service providers, and other stakeholders and aims to foster potential partnerships.