Reed Consulting offers a diverse range of program development assistance, whether it be the enhancement/refinement of pre-existing programs and services or the creation of entirely new programs based on unmet constituent needs.
Needs Assessments. Conducting needs assessments can be one of the most important steps to determining the potential direction of program development. Needs assessments can also be an important precursor to seeking out grant funding since it demonstrates to funders that there has been a thorough evaluation of actual needs (not just an assumption or bias about what services should be provided). Sometimes needs assessments may be related to “internal constituents” such as program staff and Board members(identifying areas for concern, potential for burnout, reducing conflict, training needs, etc.) as well as “external constituents” such as partner agencies, referral parties, customers and clients (identifying areas for potential collaboration, clarifying misconceptions about an agency’s available services, assessing whether constituents have the financial capacity to pay on a sliding scale, etc.).
Reed Consulting has created and administered both traditional hardcopy printed surveys as well as online, anonymous surveys to gauge needs. These methods can be useful due to the potential anonymity of this process. Constituents may feel more comfortable to give constructive or critical feedback with no fear of reprisal or discontinuation of services.
In person focus groups with constituents can be another valuable method of conducting needs assessments. Focus groups pose unique opportunities for candid feedback. Face-to-face interaction on an individual level or in a group setting can build rapport and trust. This is particularly useful when needs assessments are periodic and may track changing needs over time with the same constituency cohort. Trust can also be enhanced by having constituent feedback be anonymous to the agency. Identifying information in client comments can be redacted. Having surveys that rely on scaled Likert responses (“on a scale of 0 to 5 how would you rate….?”) can provide valuable aggregated data. Having a clear written disclaimer given to participants (outlining the parameters of what is and isn’t confidential, how this information will specifically be shared, etc.) is critical to ensure proper buy-in and consent.
Incentivization can be an extremely helpful component of these activities, whether it’s providing food/drinks for participants, conducting raffles of gifts or other gestures of appreciation.
Data Collection Systems. Collecting relevant service and constituent data is critical to ensure that a program is ultimately able to track relevant information, measure outcomes and, ultimately, be able to objectively confirm how successful these services were. Reed Consulting has worked with outside vendors in the past to solicit bids and evaluate commercial data collection software. Particularly in the provision of health services, such data collections must comply with both federal HIPAA guidelines as well as any state specific legal mandates. Sometimes funding requirements from grantors may require the collection of additional data (such as in counties that use an HMIS homeless information systems database).
Research on Best Practices. Reed Consulting has assisted a variety of organizations with conducting research with funders, professional organizations and licensing agencies regarding current (and emerging) best practices. This has been particularly evident in the health care arena where the Affordable Care Act and other public health programs have informed many of the new standards on how the general public receives healthcare. For example, during the last few years of the Covid pandemic, tele-services (using phone and video) have emerged as a best practice in providing case management, counseling, legal and educational services. Reed Consulting has successfully sought out highly competitive multi-year grant funding that required that the grant proposal summarize available research about mental health best practices so as to demonstrate that the proposed project was unique and innovative.
Cultural Competency is a best practice that is important when working with diverse constituents. Cultural Competency is a holistic approach that looks at the unique needs of different populations. It can be based on ethnicity, age, language, literacy level, health status, gender identity, sexual orientation or other factors unique to someone’s identity. For example, the very first grant program we ever created was for an innovative free group counseling service for transgender individuals. This was at a time when even addressing the unique mental health needs of gay and lesbian clients was considered “cutting edge innovation.” Developing a “first of its kind” program on the Central Coast of California required having a series of collaborative needs assessments (as mentioned above) and relationship building with members of the local transgender community to address their very unique needs as well as concerns. This process had to happen before funding was even applied for to make sure the right approach had to be taken. This program was highly successful and went on to be replicated by other mental health providers in the community.
Trauma Informed Care is another best practice that is common when working in healthcare and homeless services. This approach requires a unique understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma, and how impacted populations (such as veterans and victims of abuse and human trafficking) may have unique challenges and needs that need to be factored into program development. For example, trauma informed services may have to be more flexible and permissive in scheduling (to accommodate individuals who may have panic attacks and need to cancel appointments on short notice, etc.). Trauma informed care is even factored into interior design standards where certain colors, open room layouts and furniture arrangements are considered to be more calming and therapeutic.