Needs Asessment direct Service Providers

OMB# 1121- XXXX

Date of Expiration: XXXX

O

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 20 minutes per response to complete this questionnaire. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The control number for this project is. The control number expires on.

ffice of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Direct Service/Volunteer Staff Needs Assessment

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is dedicated to meeting the needs of grantees through ongoing training and technical assistance (TTA) efforts. In planning for the future, OJJDP would like to take this opportunity to learn from you about the training and technical assistance that you need. This needs assessment effort will give you, as a representative of the juvenile justice field, a voice in the planning of responsive, successful services. The results of the needs assessment will be publicized and used to prioritize and plan for the future. The needs assessment is divided into four sections:

• Section 1 – Background Information, to include questions about your position and background.

• Section 2 – Previous Training and Technical Assistance, to include questions about your previous TTA experiences.

• Section 3 – Current Training and Technical Assistance Needs, to include questions about you/your organization’s needs regarding skills and knowledge related to the juvenile justice field. The assessment allows you to indicate your needs regarding generalized categories of interest and then further delineate the nature of your needs for the categories of most interest to you.

• Section 4 – Overall, to include questions about the particular challenges that your organization is facing and how OJJDP can be most useful to you.

It is expected that this needs assessment will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You will be given an ID and password so that you may complete the needs assessment in a manner most convenient to you. Your individual answers will be kept confidential and all reporting will be in aggregate. Your participation is voluntary and you can choose to skip any questions without penalty. Services provided by OJJDP will not be impacted by your decision to participate or not. If you have any questions or concerns about the needs assessment, please do not hesitate to call _____ at xxx-xxxx or e-mail at ___________. Thank you for taking the time to provide your input; we look forward to planning a successful future.

I. Background Information

First, we would like to begin by asking you a few questions about you and the type of agency you are representing.

In what organizational setting do you work? Please choose one.

• National

• State

• Local

• Tribal

What area do you primarily work in? Please choose only one.

• Ancillary Youth Services (e.g., recreation, prevention, mentoring, after-school)

• Child and Family Services (e.g., child welfare, adoption)

• Community-Based Organization

• Compliance Monitors

• Corrections

• Detention

• Court Services

• DMC Coordinator

• Education/Schools

• Faith-Based Organization

• Information Technology

• JJ Specialist

• Law Enforcement

• Legal Services –Defense

• Legal Services –Prosecution

• Mental Health

• Other Advocacy (e.g., GAL, CASA, etc)

• Other Residential Services

• Parole/Community Corrections

• Private Sector/Business

• Probation

• Problem Solving/Specialized Courts (e.g. drug courts)

• Research

• SAG Representative

• Substance Abuse

• Truant Youth/Dropout

• Youth Mentoring

What is your role in this organization? Please choose only one. (this is a screening question for the web to ensure that the correct needs assessment is administered)

• Management/Administrator (e.g., Chief Probation Officers, School Administrator, Judicial Administrator, Treatment/Mental Health Program Administrator, Detention/Corrections Administrator, Director, etc.)

• Frontline Staff (e.g., probation officer, teachers, police officers, school guidance counselors, addiction counselors, etc.)

• Volunteer Staff

What is your highest education level?

• Less than high school

• High school/GED

• AA/ Professional Training and Technical Assistance Certificate

• BA/BS

• MA/MS

• PhD/MD/JD or higher

• Other (please describe): _________________________

How many years of experience do you have in the field of juvenile justice?

• Less than 3 years

• 3 to 5 years

• 6 to 10 years

• 11 or more years

The following questions are intended to help us understand the population your organization primarily works with:

How would you describe the population you primarily serve?

• Urban

• Rural

• Suburban

• Tribal

Is the population you primarily work with:

• Male

• Female

• Both male and female

How would you describe the population with which you primarily work? (Check up to three)

• At-risk youth

• Children of Incarcerated Parents

• Dependent Youth

• Incarcerated Youth

• Homeless Youth

• Mentally Ill Youth

• Pre-adjudicated Youth (e.g., youth awaiting a judicial outcome)

• Post-adjudicated Youth (e.g. youth on parole, probation, or under community supervision)

• Substance using or abusing Youth

• Teen Parents

• Youth under 10 years of age

• Youth ages 11-15 years

• Youth ages 16 – the legal age of adulthood in your community

• Youth in the Child Welfare System e.g., foster youth, adopted youth, abused/neglected youth)

• Youth on probation

• Other: ______________

Next, we would like to ask you a few questions about your previous training and technical assistance experiences as well as your current training and technical assistance needs.

II. Previous Training and Technical Assistance Experiences

Please think about any previous trainings you have attended and technical assistance you have received.

What about each training workshop or conference made it most useful to you?

• Topics Discussed

• Take-away materials/Curriculum

• Presenter/Speaker

• Location

• Practicality/Applicability to my job

• Hands-on exercises

• Training modality (e.g., webinar, peer to peer, self-paced on-line, seminar/workshop)

• Other:________________________________________

What about the technical assistance received made it most useful to you?

• Topics Discussed

• Take-away materials/Curriculum

• Presenter/Speaker

• Location

• Practicality/Applicability to my job

• Hands-on exercises

• Training modality (e.g., webinar, peer to peer, self-paced on-line, seminar/workshop)

• Other:________________________________________

Please choose the statement that best describes your level of awareness of training sponsored by OJJDP

• I have not heard of training sponsored by OJJDP.

• I have heard of OJJDP sponsored training, but I do not know what they offer or how they could help me.

• I have heard of OJJDP sponsored training and I do know what they offer or how they could help me.

• I have heard of OJJDP sponsored training and have received training and/or technical assistance from them in the past.

Based on your knowledge and experience, what are the three most important emerging trends in the juvenile justice field?

1.

2.

3.

III. Current Training and Technical Assistance Needs

The following are 5 key categories of interest to the Juvenile Justice field. For each of the following categories, you will be asked to rate the need for training and/or technical assistance in that category.

Category 1: Program Operations

Category 2: Information Technology

Category 3: Sustainability

Category 4: Effectively Working with Youth

Category 5: Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field

Depending on the extent of your needs in each category, you will move to the next category or answer several follow-up questions regarding the nature of the training and technical assistance that would be most useful to you.

(There will be one screen per category. If the individual rates their organization as 1, 2, or not applicable on a 1-5 scale of assistance needed, they will move to the next screen. If the individual rates the organization as a 3-5, the possible topics of interest and follow-up questions will appear before they move to the next screen).

Category 1: Program Operations

Please rate the extent to which you think you need assistance with Program Operations.

1 2 3 4 5 N/A

No Helpful/ Some Essential/ A great deal Not applicable

assistance needed assistance needed of assistance needed to my organization

Follow up question 1: Within the category of Program Operations, these are topics that may be of interest to you. Please rate how much assistance you would need with each topic using the same scale as above.

Possible Topics of Interest	1 – No assistance is needed	2	3 – Helpful/ Some assistance is needed	4	5 – Essential/ A great deal of assistance is needed	Not Applicable
Case management/case assignment	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Culturally proficient/Developmentally appropriate service delivery	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Curriculum/service development	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Implementing evidence-based practices	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Needs assessment	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Partnerships/collaboration	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Program evaluation	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Program implementation/enhancement	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

Follow-up question 2: Please indicate the level of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Program Operations:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Follow-up question 3: Please select the format of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Program Operations: Please check all that apply.

• Conference-style

• Distance learning/Web-based

• Onsite consultation

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Phone consultation

• Publication

• Resource guide

• Fact sheet

• Tool kit

• Article

• Curricula

• Seminar/Workshop

• Training of trainers

• Webinar

Follow-up question 4: For the category of Program Operations, please select the training/technical assistance length you would find most useful. Please choose only one: (only if they check an appropriate T/TA type: Conference style, on-site consultation, peer to peer learning, seminar/workshop, training of trainers)

• 1-hour workshop as part of a conference

• Half-day seminar/workshop

• One-day seminar/workshop

• Multi/day workshop

• Conference

Category 2: Information Technology

Please rate the extent to which you think you need assistance with Information Technology.

1 2 3 4 5 N/A

No Helpful/ Some Essential/ A great deal Not applicable

assistance needed assistance needed of assistance needed to my organization

Follow up question 1: Within the category of Information Technology, these are topics that may be of interest to you. Please rate how much assistance you would need with each topic using the same scale as above.

Possible Topics of Interest	1 – No assistance is needed	2	3 – Helpful/ Some assistance is needed	4	5 – Essential/ A great deal of assistance is needed	Not Applicable
Information sharing within and among agencies	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Juvenile record systems	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
- Online reporting	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
- Data collection	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
- Developing a plan for records management in a crisis or emergency	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Obtaining/using technological equipment	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Staff training on technology (e.g., live meeting, E-lert system, webinar, searching for topics on the internet)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

Follow-up question 2: Please indicate the level of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Information Technology:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Follow-up question 3: Please select the format of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Information Technology: Please check all that apply.

• Conference-style

• Distance learning/Web-based

• Onsite consultation

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Phone consultation

• Publication

• Resource guide

• Fact sheet

• Tool kit

• Article

• Curricula

• Seminar/Workshop

• Training of trainers

• Webinar

Follow-up question 4: For the category of Information Technology, please select the training/technical assistance length you would find most useful. Please choose only one: (only if they check an appropriate T/TA type: Conference style, on-site consultation, peer to peer learning, seminar/workshop, training of trainers)

• 1-hour workshop as part of a conference

• Half-day seminar/workshop

• One-day seminar/workshop

• Multi/day workshop

• Conference

Category 3: Sustainability

Please rate the extent to which you think you need assistance with Sustainability.

1 2 3 4 5 N/A

No Helpful/ Some Essential/ A great deal Not applicable

assistance needed assistance needed of assistance needed to my organization

Follow up question 1: Within the category of Sustainability, these are topics that may be of interest to you. Please rate how much assistance you would need with each topic using the same scale as above.

Possible Topics of Interest	1 – No assistance is needed	2	3 – Helpful/ Some assistance is needed	4	5 – Essential/ A great deal of assistance is needed	Not Applicable
Establishing partnerships and collaboration	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Establishing/measuring performance metrics	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Establishing relationships with community- and faith- based organizations	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Generating buy-in at the Federal, State, and local levels	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Identifying and retaining program participants	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Incorporating evaluation results into sustainability planning	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Institutionalization of Disproportional Minority Contact initiatives	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Institutionalization of Mental Health initiatives	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Institutionalization of Gender-specific initiatives	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Leveraging and managing funds/resources	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Marketing/outreach to the target population	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Planning for future sustainability	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Succession planning for organizational leadership	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Staff retention and recruitment	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

Follow-up question 2: Please indicate the level of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Sustainability:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Follow-up question 3: Please select the format of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Sustainability: Please check all that apply.

• Conference-style

• Distance learning/Web-based

• Onsite consultation

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Phone consultation

• Publication

• Resource guide

• Fact sheet

• Tool kit

• Article

• Curricula

• Seminar/Workshop

• Training of trainers

• Webinar

Follow-up question 4: For the category of Sustainability, please select the training/technical assistance length you would find most useful. Please choose only one: (only if they check an appropriate T/TA type: Conference style, on-site consultation, peer to peer learning, seminar/workshop, training of trainers)

• 1-hour workshop as part of a conference

• Half-day seminar/workshop

• One-day seminar/workshop

• Multi/day workshop

• Conference

Category 4: Effectively Working with Youth

Please rate the extent to which you think you need assistance with the category of Effectively Working with Youth.

1 2 3 4 5 N/A

No Helpful/ Some Essential/ A great deal Not applicable

assistance needed assistance needed of assistance needed to my organization

Follow up question 1: Within the category of Effectively Working with Youth, these are topics that may be of interest to you. Please rate how much assistance you would need with each topic.

Possible Topics of Interest	1 – No assistance is needed	2	3 – Helpful/ Some assistance is needed	4	5 – Essential/ A great deal of assistance is needed	Not Applicable
Adolescent development	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Child abuse/neglect/victimization	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Cultural competency (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Disproportionate minority contact	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Evidence-based practices for working with mentally ill youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Evidence-based practices for working with substance using or abusing youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Involving youth in the planning, development, and implementation of programs	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Truancy prevention and reduction	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Training staff to effectively interact with youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Youth in detention/corrections	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Working with special populations
Children of addicted parents	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Chronic offenders	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Females only	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Gang involved youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Gay/Lesbian/Transgender youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Homeless youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Immigrant youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Males only	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Non-English speaking youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Sexual offenders	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Teen parents	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Tribal youth	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Violent offenders	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Youth with disabilities	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Working with guardians or foster/adoptive parents	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Other:___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

Follow-up question 2: Please indicate the level of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Effectively Working with Youth:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Follow-up question 3: Please select the format of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Effectively Working with Youth: Please check all that apply.

• Conference-style

• Distance learning/Web-based

• Onsite consultation

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Phone consultation

• Publication

• Resource guide

• Fact sheet

• Tool kit

• Article

• Curricula

• Seminar/Workshop

• Training of trainers

• Webinar

Follow-up question 4: For the category of Effectively Working with Youth, please select the training/technical assistance length you would find most useful. Please choose only one: (only if they check an appropriate T/TA type: Conference style, on-site consultation, peer to peer learning, seminar/workshop, training of trainers)

• 1-hour workshop as part of a conference

• Half-day seminar/workshop

• One-day seminar/workshop

• Multi/day workshop

• Conference

Category 5: Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field

Please rate the extent to which you think you need assistance with the category of Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field.

1 2 3 4 5 N/A

No Helpful/ Some Essential/ A great deal Not applicable

assistance needed assistance needed of assistance needed to my organization

Follow up question 1: Within the category of Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field, these are topics that may be of interest to you. Please rate the assistance you would need with each topic using the same scale as above.

Possible Topics of Interest	1 – No assistance is needed	2	3 – Helpful/ Some assistance is needed	4	5 – Essential/ A great deal of assistance is needed	Not Applicable
Accountability	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
After care/continuing care (e.g. from Detention)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Afterschool programming	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Assessing future needs	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Bullying	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Case management	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Compliance Monitoring of Core Requirements of JJDP Act (DSO, Jail Removal, and Separation)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Collateral services (e.g., job training, counseling)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Community Policing/School Resource Officers	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Disproportionate Minority Contact	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Diversion programs	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Emerging trends in juvenile justice research	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Problem Solving courts (drug courts, gun courts, teen courts, mental health courts, etc)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Evidence-based practices and programs	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Gang violence	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Graduated sanctions	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Intensive residential services (detention/corrections, substance abuse, mental health inpatient facility	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Intervention Services, Programs, and strategies	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Involvement of faith/community-based organizations	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Juvenile reentry	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Juvenile sex offenders, chronic offenders, and violent offenders	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
On-line victimization of children (e.g. cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, etc)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Prevention services (e.g., mentoring, volunteering)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Risk/Assets assessment (psychiatric, education, housing, addition severity)	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Legal treatment of youth as adults	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Re-entry	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
School violence	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Substance Abuse Prevention	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
Violence Prevention	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

Follow-up question 2: Please indicate the level of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Follow-up question 3: Please select the format of training and/or technical assistance that would be most useful to you for the category of Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field: Please check all that apply.

• Conference-style

• Distance learning/Web-based

• Onsite consultation

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Phone consultation

• Publication

• Resource guide

• Fact sheet

• Tool kit

• Article

• Curricula

• Seminar/Workshop

• Training of trainers

• Webinar

Follow-up question 4: For the category of Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field, please select the training/technical assistance length you would find most useful. Please choose only one: (only if they check an appropriate T/TA type: Conference style, on-site consultation, peer to peer learning, seminar/workshop, training of trainers)

• 1-hour workshop as part of a conference

• Half-day seminar/workshop

• One-day seminar/workshop

• Multi/day workshop

• Conference

IV. Overall

Now that you have reviewed each of the categories and the associated possible topics of interest, please choose the two categories that you feel you need the most assistance with.

• Category 1: Program Operations

• Category 2: Information Technology

• Category 3: Sustainability

• Category 4: Effectively Working with Youth

• Category 5: Topics of Interest to the Juvenile Justice Field

If you were to attend a training sponsored by OJJDP, which of the states or territories would be most convenient? (drop down list)

What are the most critical barriers/challenges you face in providing services? Please choose up to three.

• Coordinating with Federal agencies

• Feelings of no support and isolation by service providers

• Lack of support for prevention efforts

• Lack of adequate funding/resources

• Lack of adequate training and technical assistance for staff members

• Lack of in-house procedures

• Lack of knowledge about juvenile justice topical areas

• Lack of knowledge about navigating the federal funding system (e.g., finding grants)

• Language concerns

• Local and/or State collaboration

• Safety concerns

• Turf issues among agencies/service providers

• Unclear organizational objectives

• Other:

What would you most hope to get out of utilizing training sponsored by OJJDP? Please rank your top three choices.

• Increased staff knowledge in relevant subject areas

• Increased staff skills in relevant subject areas

• Increased staff morale and retention

• Increased opportunities for interaction with others in the field

• Increased capacity to collaborate with others in the field

• Increased knowledge of funding/grantwriting resources

• Increased opportunities for TTA

• Increased access to publications and other resources

• Increased opportunities for TTA

• Increased access to technological resources and support

• More effective services for youth and families

• Other (please specify): _______________________________

How would you plan to use the information learned from utilizing training sponsored by OJJDP?

• To secure funding

• To ensure sustainable activities

• To implement evidence-based programming (e.g. evidence based practice, treatment, and supervision)

• To improve organizational functioning (e.g., morale, retention, policies and procedures, operations)

• To improve effective reach, treatment, and supervision of our target population

• To improve collaboration with other organizations

• To facilitate staff development

• Other (please describe): ______________________________

In thinking about your work in the juvenile justice field, please list the top three critical unmet training needs that would improve future efforts in the field.

1)

2)

3)

Please describe any other training and technical assistance needs you have that have not been addressed in this assessment.

1