Checklist for Identifying Data Gaps

Conducting a strong needs assessment is the foundation for developing a successful prevention plan. However, no needs assessment is ever complete. To identify gaps and strengthen on-going data collection for your needs assessment, the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Data-Informed Decisions Working Group has designed this checklist. The checklist is organized by the six (6) core data areas of the Strategic Planning Framework: consequences, consumption, target populations, intervening variables (i.e. risk and protective factors), prevention resources, and community readiness. Data should be as local as possible, but include data from neighboring counties, state, regional, or national data for comparison purposes.