About New York State Assessment Initiative
Action Checklist
There are several options to consider in putting together the assessment team
Logistical Questions
- How many members do you want, and what type of skills do they need to have?
- What will be their time commitment in terms of length of service and number of meetings?
- Where, when, and how often will they meet?
- What rules of order will be followed?
- Who will make the final decisions weighing all the input?
- Will the members be expected to represent their agencies, community or constituencies?
- Which population groups should be represented?
- Who will be held accountable for the plan and see the plan through?
- Will the groups sustain itself once the plan is developed? If so, how?
- What will be the role of members after the release of the plan?
- How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the groups?
- How will you reward great efforts?
Assessment Team set-up
Advisory Structure Options
Persons in an advisory role may provide informed input on topics such as the planning process, priority or focal areas, target populations, scope of objectives, marketing, and other aspects of the plan.
- Single, advisory group that meets throughout the process.
- Two or more advisory groups to ensure input from specific constituences (e.g. geographic areas, racial and ethnic populations), periodically convened.
- Consortium of various advsiory groups (e.g. healthy births, violence prevention)
- No formal advisory group, but planned events or activities to gain input from key constituencies
Steering Structure Options
Persons in a steering role navigate the course of the planning process, establish work groups, determine input processes, and make decisions about the content of the state plan.
- Steering group with full authority to develop and adopt plan
- Steering group with significant authority to develop plan, subject to final approval from authorities such as legislator, health board
- Steering group with specific authority over certain tasks such as development of objectives, as part of other tasks such as marketing which is under the authority of other authority.
Leadership Options
- Chaired by the head or nominee of the lead agency
- Chair elected by group
- Co-chaired by nominees of lead agencis such as a county health agency and hospital
- Co-chaired by a nominee of lead agency and community representative (appointed or elected)
- Rotating chair
- No chair - group receives direction and guidance from staff of lead agency
Membership Options
- Lead agency staff only
- Lead agency and key community organizations
- Representatives of private, public (state and/or local), voluntary and academic sectors
Distributing the Work
The option may apply to distributing the work of advisory groups, as well as steering groups.
Delegation Options
- The group does all the work in regularly scheduled meetings
- The group divides its members into work groups or subcommittees
- Establishes work groups with membership open to non-steering group members who have experise and interest
Work Group Options
Number
- Limited number of work groups
- Unlimited number of work groups
Organization
- By focal areas e.g. tobacco,infrastructure; so that workgroups are responsible for all aspects of developing the plan in their area of expertise
- By functions such as outreach, objectives, so that work groups oversee one aspect of the process for all focal areas
- By populations e.g. grouped by life stage, gender
- By target audience e.g.businesses, parents
- Combination of workgroups
Communication
- Work groups operate independently, reporting only to the steering group
- All work gorups are periodically convened with steering and advisory groups, sharing progress and discussing priorities of common concern.
- Certain, related work groups periodically meet
- Staff, maerials, website or electronic newsletters facilitate communication among groups
Staffing Options
- Members, or their respective staff, do all the work.
- Selected agencis jointly support the process.
- Contract with specific agencies for administrative or technical support funded by state or private grants.
Community Input and Involvement
Getting participation
- Public meetings with formal testimony
- Public meeting with informal discussion with steering committee members
- Public meetings with break out room for structured input or activities
- Requests made by email, website, fax or mail for specific input or comment
- Surveys
- Focus groups
- Internet discussion group
Scheduling public input
- One central location
- Multiple locations such as in every neighborhood
- Single point in the assessment process
- Multiple points in the assessment process
- Adapted from Healthy People 2010 Toolkit
