Page Contents
Framework Component
Indicator Description
Background and Context
SNAP-Ed local project staff trained on ways to determine environmental need, engage organizations, and conduct readiness assessment are needed for PSE implementation. SNAP-Ed providers can assess needs in organizations or sites that serve low-income people. Although the needs assessment itself is not a program outcome, it is a first step toward implementation and thus a key program output for SNAP-Ed.
Readiness tools measure an organization’s or site’s readiness to create changes that will address unmet needs for improved access or appeal of nutrition and physical activity supports.
SNAP-Ed local project staff can work with partners identified in ST7 and the organization’s staff to use the results from prior needs assessments and fill in any observable gaps. Because of the breadth of SNAP-Ed settings, the categorization of strategies is useful to track organizations, and each organization or site should be assigned an eat, learn, live, play, shop, and work category. This information could be used to identify other organizations working in the same domain in a larger area. The flow chart below can help you navigate ST5.
Outcome Measures
ST5a. | Number of SNAP-Ed staff who have documented readiness for changes in PSE |
ST5b. | Number of sites or organizations with an identified need for improving access or creating appeal for nutrition and physical activity supports |
ST5c. | Number of organizations or sites that have documented readiness for changes in PSE |
What to Measure
ST5b. Organizations or sites that have conducted a needs assessment or environmental scan focused on SNAP-Ed priority areas, the results of which have documented needs for changes in policies, systems, and environmental supports. Factors to consider in selecting a needs assessment tool or environmental scan process include institutional resources and capacity, trained staff or community residents, prior needs assessments, and plans for how the results will be used or shared. A consistent process for needs assessments or environmental scans is one that is documented and can be replicated across jurisdictions and over time.
ST5c. Organizations or sites that have been assessed for organizational readiness for change. Organizational readiness is often identified as an important precursor for change in policy, practice, and programs. Readiness assessments look at different areas such as commitment to make the change (resolve) and the capacity of the collective to make the change. The readiness assessment will allow for planning to meet the readiness to implement PSE. For example, an organization may be ready to change the school policies around food and beverages but lack the training and resources (capacity) to begin working on the policy. This information would provide SNAP-Ed programs and organizations direction on what resources and trainings would be required to achieve a change in school policies.
While there is no specific numerator or denominator in this indicator, some states may seek to evaluate readiness in all potential/eligible SNAP-Ed sites for the federal fiscal year. Other states may evaluate actual SNAP-Ed sites for the federal fiscal year (all sites and systems with SNAP-Ed services). A third option is to use a sampling methodology: choose a percentage of organizations or sites to assess readiness for change. Sampling is important because it would be cost-prohibitive to conduct assessments across the state or jurisdiction. (see Appendix C for details on sampling).
Population
Surveys and Data Collection Tools
(Note: Some needs assessment tools and resources listed below have their own staff trainings. If not, the North Carolina Institute for Public Health hosts an online staff training with a staff survey that can be administered at completion.)
Readiness Assessment
The 12-question ORIC tool is available at:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904699/bin/1748-5908-9-7-S1.doc
Environmental Needs Assessment Tools
- Nutrition Environment Measure Survey – Restaurant (NEMS-R)*
https://www.med.upenn.edu/nems/measures.shtml#nemsr
- Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard* https://cns.ucdavis.edu/content/training/startsalad/22.smarterlunchroomself-assessmtscorecard2014.pdf
- School Physical Activity and Nutrition Environment Tool (SPAN-ET)* https://extension.oregonstate.edu/growhkc/tools/span-et
- Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (GO NAP SACC)* https://gonapsacc.org/
- Contra Costa County’s C.H.O.I.C.E. Toolkit and Self-Assessment Questionnaire* https://www.cocokids.org/child-health-nutrition/c-h-o-i-c-e-toolkit-self-assessment-questionnnaire/
- San Francisco Healthy Apple Awards*
https://www.childrenscouncil.org/for-child-care-programs/health-nutrition/healthy-apple-program/ - UConn Rudd Center’s Wellness Child Care Assessment Tool (WellCCAT) https://www.uconnruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/communities/WellnessChildCareAssessmentToolForResearch.pdf
- Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT 2.0) – The Rudd Center
https://www.wellsat.org/ - School Health Index – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Alliance for a Healthier Generation – Healthy Schools Program Framework of Best Practices Assessment Tool* https://api.healthiergeneration.org/resource/11
- School Physical Activity Policy Assessment (S-PAPA)
https://activelivingresearch.org/files/S-PAPA_Instrument.pdf - Comprehensive School Wellness Program – Arizona Department of Education
https://www.azed.gov/wellness/csw - Promoting Health in Minnesota Schools: School Wellness Policies
https://publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/promoting-health-minnesota-schools-school-wellness-policies - Gretchen Swanson Center Farm to School Toolkit
https://www.centerfornutrition.org/
- USDA’s Community Food Assessment Toolkit
https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=43179 - Healthy Eating Active Living: Mapping Attributes Using Participatory Photographic Surveys HEAL MAPPS™*
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/growhkc/tools/heal-mapps - North Carolina Faith-Based Facility Assessment Tool https://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FaithBasedReport0514-FINAL.pdf
- Community Health Needs Assessments (through nonprofit hospitals) https://www.communitycommons.org/entities/89a00bbc-c727-4be7-8850-f237761b5917
- Steps to Health and Faithful Families, Thriving Communities – Communities Moving Together: A Guide to Facilitating Community-Led Walk Audits
https://snapedtoolkit.org/app/uploads/Steps-to-Health-and-Faithful-Families-Thriving-Communities-Communities-Moving-Together.pdf - Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) https://snapedtoolkit.org/app/uploads/PARA-Instrument-Revised-2-15-17.pdf
- Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT)
https://activelivingresearch.org/sites/default/files/CPAT_AuditTool_v3.pdf - Walkability Checklist – Safe Routes to School*
https://www.saferoutespartnership.org/resources/fact-sheet/walkability-checklist-0 - Bikeability Checklist – Safe Routes to School
https://www.saferoutespartnership.org/resources/toolkit/bikeability-checklist - Pedestrian Environmental Data Scan (PEDS)
https://activelivingresearch.org/pedestrian-environment-data-scan-peds-tool - California Youth Participatory Action Research*
https://yparhub.berkeley.edu/
- Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Assessment Tool (NEFPAT): https://inep.extension.illinois.edu/what-we-do/connect-resources
- Nutrition Environment Measure Survey – Store (NEMS-S)* https://www.med.upenn.edu/nems/measures.shtml
- Nutrition Environment Measures Survey – Corner Store (NEMS –CS)* https://www.med.upenn.edu/nems/measures.shtml
- Oregon Food Bank’s Healthy Pantry Initiative/Healthy Pantry Snapshot Assessment Tool chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5626862ce4b0b39e06352d65/t/56ccbd75d210b8bf6a3b4e8d/1456258422461/Oregon+Healthy+Pantry+Initiative-Toolkit+Dec+2014.pdf
- Oregon State University Rapid Farmers Markets Assessments https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/8665/SR_no.1088_ocr.pdf
- ChangeLab Solutions: Health on the Shelf
https://changelabsolutions.org/publications/health-on-the-shelf - FM Tracks, Prevention Research Center at Case Western Reserve University https://case.edu/swetland/research/fm-tracks
- Farmers Market Audit Tool
https://www.med.upenn.edu/nems/docs/FarmersMarketAuditTool.pdf
- CDC Worksite Check for Health Scorecard https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_WHSC/HealthScorecard/Home.aspx
- California Fit Business Kit/Check for Health* https://takeactionca.cdph.ca.gov/pages/california-fit-business-kit-tools.aspx
*Tools with an asterisk appear in SNAP-Ed Strategies and Interventions: An Obesity Prevention Toolkit for States
Additional evaluation tools to measure ST5 can be found in the SNAP-Ed Library.