What the NAC? A Participatory Approach to Embedding Equity into the SNAP-Ed Needs Assessment
Abstract
Background: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is a USDA-funded program whose aim is to strengthen SNAP’s public health impact by addressing food and nutrition security to improve nutrition and prevent or reduce diet-related chronic diseases among SNAP recipients. The Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services (DHS DFCS) is tasked with managing the SNAP-Ed program. SNAP-Ed requires that DHS DFCS lead a comprehensive needs assessment every three years to inform program planning and investment strategies. DHS DFCS program has invited community members and partners to plan and implement a state-level needs assessment through a Needs Assessment Committee (NAC).
NAC was established as a way to advance equity within SNAP-ED programming by bringing together community members, stakeholders, and partners in the development of a state-level needs assessment. The NAC provides an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the assessment, ensure that the inquiry reflects the needs, and focus on reaching the impacted community.
Methods: DHS DFCS invited partners and requested that community members apply for a position on the Needs Assessment Committee. Partners and Community members discussed findings from the previous assessment, discussed potential gaps in analysis, guided the focus group learning agenda, and draft with recommendations.
Results: Share strategies that were used to engage community members and partners. Discuss unique decision points that project managers should consider when engaging partners and community members in a state-level assessment. Additionally, results from the focus group’s will be shared. NAC will develop strategic recommendations for future program planning that prioritize equity, ensuring that public health interventions are accessible and responsive to all communities.
Conclusion: We will present a comprehensive strategy to engage community members and partnerships in a collaborative environment to share skills, implementation, and analysis of needs assessment findings.
Key Words: Community Engagement, Needs Assessment, Partnerships
Keywords
Community Engagement, Needs Assessment, Partnerships
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What the NAC? A Participatory Approach to Embedding Equity into the SNAP-Ed Needs Assessment
Background: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is a USDA-funded program whose aim is to strengthen SNAP’s public health impact by addressing food and nutrition security to improve nutrition and prevent or reduce diet-related chronic diseases among SNAP recipients. The Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services (DHS DFCS) is tasked with managing the SNAP-Ed program. SNAP-Ed requires that DHS DFCS lead a comprehensive needs assessment every three years to inform program planning and investment strategies. DHS DFCS program has invited community members and partners to plan and implement a state-level needs assessment through a Needs Assessment Committee (NAC).
NAC was established as a way to advance equity within SNAP-ED programming by bringing together community members, stakeholders, and partners in the development of a state-level needs assessment. The NAC provides an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the assessment, ensure that the inquiry reflects the needs, and focus on reaching the impacted community.
Methods: DHS DFCS invited partners and requested that community members apply for a position on the Needs Assessment Committee. Partners and Community members discussed findings from the previous assessment, discussed potential gaps in analysis, guided the focus group learning agenda, and draft with recommendations.
Results: Share strategies that were used to engage community members and partners. Discuss unique decision points that project managers should consider when engaging partners and community members in a state-level assessment. Additionally, results from the focus group’s will be shared. NAC will develop strategic recommendations for future program planning that prioritize equity, ensuring that public health interventions are accessible and responsive to all communities.
Conclusion: We will present a comprehensive strategy to engage community members and partnerships in a collaborative environment to share skills, implementation, and analysis of needs assessment findings.
Key Words: Community Engagement, Needs Assessment, Partnerships
