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Step Two: Identify Data Sources

After your collaboration has identified the purpose and goals of the needs assessment, as well as the kind of information that is needed to accurately identify gaps, the next step is to identify sources of this information.

Existing Data Sources

When thinking about potential data sources, your collaboration should first determine if any of the needed information already exists in your community. For example, domestic violence and sexual assault organizations might have statistics on the number of people they have served who have disabilities or who are Deaf.

Potential Sources

  • adult protective services,
  • census bureaus,
  • courts,
  • county boards of mental retardation or developmental disabilities,
  • domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions,
  • hospital emergency rooms,
  • independent living centers,
  • law enforcement,
  • mental health services,
  • personal care attendant services,
  • protection and advocacy agencies, and
  • substance abuse services.

Not only will using existing data sources save your collaboration time and money, it will put your collaboration in contact with potential partners who may be able to assist in your overall effort to improve services for women with disabilities and Deaf women who have been victimized by violence.

New Data Sources

While some of the data your collaboration needs may already exist in your community, chances are much of the data your collaboration needs will not exist. So, your collaboration will need to collect it. While collecting new data can be time and resource intensive, it will provide your collaboration with the information it needs to make sound planning decisions.

Potential sources of this information are key informants or people in your community who, because of their professional training, affiliation with particular organizations, or experiences, are in a position to know about violence against women with disabilities and Deaf and the services available to address it in your community. Potential key informants may include people who work in organizations that serve people with disabilities, individuals who are Deaf, and victims of violence.

Organizations

  • adult protective services,
  • courts,
  • county boards of mental retardation or developmental disabilities,
  • domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions,
  • independent living centers,
  • law enforcement,
  • mental health services,
  • personal care attendant services,
  • protection and advocacy agencies, and
  • substance abuse services.

Key Informants

  • people with disabilities,
  • individuals who are Deaf, and
  • victims/survivors of violence.

While people who work in related organizations provide important perspectives on the needs of the community, it is important to incorporate the voices of people who are intended to use or who have used the services in question in your collaboration’s needs assessment process. Their insights are integral to understanding gaps in services in your community and potential strategies for overcoming those gaps.

Step One | Step Three