Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
-Pennsylvania 
Collaboration 


Introduction 


The 
Pennsylvania 
collaboration 
consists 
of 
the 
Disability 
Rights 
Network 
(DRN), 
the 
PA 
Coalition 
Against 
Domestic 
Violence 
(PCADV) 
and 
the 
PA 
Coalition 
Against 
Rape 
(PCAR). 
Approximately 
15 
years 
ago, 
the 
Disability 
Rights 
Network 
of 
Pennsylvania 
(DRN) 
joined 
efforts 
with 
the 
Pennsylvania 
Coalition 
Against 
Rape 
(PCAR) 
with 
the 
intent 
to 
eliminate 
sexual 
violence 
in 
the 
lives 
of 
persons 
with 
disabilities. 
In 
the 
summer 
of 
2004, 
DRN 
and 
PCAR 
joined 
efforts 
again, 
this 
time 
in 
conjunction 
with 
other 
organizations 
including 
the 
Pennsylvania 
Coalition 
Against 
Domestic 
Violence 
(PCADV), 
who 
became 
a 
member 
of 
the 
team 
a 
year 
later. 
Our 
work 
together 
has 
focused 
on 
improving 
physical, 
programmatic 
and 
attitudinal 
accessibility 
to 
victims’ 
services 
for 
people 
with 
disabilities. 
Additionally, 
it 
has 
focused 
on 
raising 
awareness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
disability 
services 
providers 
of 
the 
prevalence 
and 
higher 
risk 
to 
violence 
of 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
the 
existing 
community 
resources 
available 
to 
the 
individuals 
they 
support. 


In 
October 
of 
2007, 
with 
the 
overall 
goal 
of 
improving 
services 
for 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
we 
received 
a 
three-year 
grant 
from 
the 
U.S. 
Department 
of 
Justice, 
Office 
on 
Violence 
Against 
Women 
that 
provides 
technical 
assistance 
and 
the 
opportunity 
of 
a 
planning 
phase 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
funding 
period 
and 
an 
implementation 
phase 
at 
the 
end 
of 
the 
grant. 
Our 
work 
during 
the 
planning 
phase 
has 
focused 
on 
formalizing 
our 
collaboration 
by 
documenting 
our 
process, 
shared 
values 
and 
shared 
vision 
for 
our 
work. 


Our 
shared 
vision 
will 
guide 
and 
direct 
the 
work 
of 
our 
collaboration 
throughout 
implementation 
and 
for 
years 
to 
come: 
Vision 
Statement 
People 
with 
disabilities1 
in 
Pennsylvania 
who 
have 
experienced 
sexual 
or 


domestic 
violence 
will 
receive 
appropriate, 
responsive 
and 
accessible 
supports 
and 
services. 


Our 
funding 
also 
affords 
us 
the 
opportunity 
to 
assess 
the 
needs 
of 
selected 
Pennsylvania 
communities 
around 
the 
issue 
of 
violence 
against 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
Deaf 
or 
hard 
of 
hearing. 
Based 
on 
our 
shared 
vision 
for 
Pennsylvania, 
our 
collaboration 
has 
decided 
that 
our 
work 
is 
going 
to 
be 
cross-disability 
and 
cross-violence 
against 
women. 
Additionally, 
we 
developed 
a 
set 
of 
criteria 
to 
assist 
in 
selecting 
the 
communities 
in 
which 
we 
will 
work. 
Some 
of 
the 
elements 
taken 
into 
account 
included 
geographic 
and 
cultural 
diversity, 
willingness 
among 
community 
members 
to 
take 
part 
in 
this 
process, 
and 
areas 
where 
collaboration 
among 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
providers 
was 
already 
in 
existence 
or 
about 
to 
occur. 
Ultimately, 
we 
decided 
to 
conduct 
our 
needs 
assessments 
in 
Dauphin/Perry 
and 
Lancaster 
counties. 


1 
Persons 
with 
disabilities 
include 
adults 
with 
physical, 
sensory, 
and 
cognitive 
disabilities 
as 
well 
as 
persons 
who 
are 
deaf, 
hard 
of 
hearing, 
or 
in 
mental 
health 
recovery. 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
1 



While 
the 
work 
of 
our 
organizations 
takes 
place 
at 
the 
state 
level, 
this 
grant 
requires 
us 
to 
limit 
the 
number 
of 
participating 
communities 
in 
this 
project. 
In 
addition 
to 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
grant, 
considering 
the 
size 
of 
the 
state 
of 
Pennsylvania 
makes 
it 
impossible 
for 
our 
collaborative 
to 
assess 
the 
needs 
of 
all 
the 
communities 
within 
the 
timeframe 
of 
the 
grant. 
However, 
based 
on 
the 
selection 
criteria 
stated 
above, 
these 
pilot 
sites 
exhibit 
demographic 
characteristics 
representative 
of 
our 
state. 
An 
analysis 
of 
their 
strengths 
and 
needs 
around 
the 
delivery 
of 
services 
to 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities, 
Deaf 
or 
hard 
of 
hearing 
persons 
will 
provide 
us 
with 
the 
opportunity 
to 
utilize 
the 
results 
of 
the 
needs 
assessment 
in 
the 
future, 
as 
they 
will 
continue 
to 
inform 
our 
work 
for 
many 
years 
to 
come. 
The 
information 
and 
data 
collected 
from 
this 
needs 
assessment 
will 
be 
used 
to 
develop 
a 
strategic 
plan 
that 
will 
guide 
our 
work 
throughout 
the 
remaining 
grant 
years. 


Participation 
of 
Partner 
Organizations 


One 
of 
the 
most 
important 
elements 
of 
this 
grant 
for 
our 
collaboration 
consists 
of 
assessing 
our 
own 
organizations 
(DRN, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV) 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
We 
have 
each 
committed 
to 
following 
a 
process 
similar 
to 
what 
will 
be 
taking 
place 
within 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Honoring 
such 
a 
process 
will 
provide 
critical 
information 
that 
will 
influence 
how 
we 
modify 
our 
policies 
and 
procedures 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
in 
the 
near 
future. 
Additionally, 
subjecting 
our 
organizations 
to 
a 
process 
similar 
to 
that 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites 
will 
assist 
us 
in 
relating 
to 
these 
communities 
on 
a 
much 
closer 
and 
concrete 
level. 
Our 
collaborative 
appreciates 
this 
opportunity 
particularly 
because 
of 
the 
statewide 
focus 
that 
characterizes 
the 
work 
of 
our 
organizations. 
The 
local 
organizations 
with 
each 
of 
us 
are 
partnered 
look 
to 
our 
state-level 
organizations 
as 
models 
for 
their 
own 
policy 
development 
and 
practice. 
Although 
focus 
groups 
of 
our 
own 
staff 
will 
not 
be 
conducted 
for 
reasons 
of 
confidentiality, 
objectivity 
and 
feasibility, 
our 
collaborative 
will 
administer 
online 
surveys 
to 
members 
of 
our 
staff 
and 
to 
a 
sample 
of 
each 
of 
our 
board 
of 
directors. 
These 
surveys 
will 
be 
slightly 
different 
as 
we 
are 
aware 
of 
the 
diverse 
levels 
of 
involvement 
with 
the 
day-to-day 
activities 
of 
our 
organizations 
for 
both 
members 
of 
our 
staff 
and 
the 
board 
of 
directors. 


Participating 
Pilot 
Sites’ 
Organizations 


As 
stated 
in 
the 
previous 
section, 
Dauphin/Perry 
and 
Lancaster 
counties 
are 
the 
selected 
communities 
for 
this 
project. 
Dauphin 
and 
Perry 
counties 
have 
the 
characteristic 
of 
sharing 
resources 
and 
services 
in 
both 
the 
disability 
and 
the 
victims’ 
services 
fields 
and 
will 
serve 
as 
one 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Lancaster 
does 
not 
share 
this 
profile 
but 
has 
its 
own 
unique 
characteristic 
in 
that 
it 
houses 
the 
largest 
Deaf 
and 
hard 
of 
hearing 
community 
in 
our 
state. 
Both 
pilot 
sites 
exhibit 
a 
wide 
array 
of 
ethnic 
and 
cultural 
groups 
and 
specific 
geographic 
characteristics 
representative 
of 
the 
diversity 
existent 
among 
Pennsylvanians 
and 
their 
communities. 
The 
organizations 
listed 
below, 
a 
total 
of 
13 
agencies, 
were 
invited 
to 
participate 
in 
our 
project 
as 
part 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Utilizing 
our 
talking 
points, 
each 
member 
of 
our 
team 
contacted 
each 
organization, 
based 
on 
their 
already 
existing 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
2 



relationships 
or 
knowledge 
of 
such 
entities. 
This 
initial 
contact 
involved 
the 
ED/CEO 
and 
occurred 
via 
phone. 
Following 
that 
step, 
our 
group 
organized 
an 
information 
gathering/meet 
and 
greet 
session 
in 
each 
of 
the 
two 
pilot 
areas. 
We 
asked 
that 
all 
the 
EDs 
and 
their 
designees 
attend 
this 
session. 
The 
goal 
of 
the 
meeting 
was 
to 
introduce 
all 
the 
potential 
pilot 
site 
members 
to 
one 
another 
as 
well 
as 
to 
share 
the 
goals 
of 
our 
project 
in 
more 
depth. 
Additionally, 
we 
informed 
each 
agency 
of 
their 
recruitment 
role 
in 
identifying 
and 
keeping 
track 
of 
participants 
for 
the 
focus 
groups 
that 
will 
take 
place 
later 
in 
the 
process. 


The 
organizations 
contained 
in 
the 
following 
table 
are 
the 
members 
of 
each 
pilot 
site: 


County 
Victims’ 
Services 
to 
Services 
to 
Services 
Services 
to 
Disability 
Services 
persons 
with 
persons 
with 
to 
persons 
Deaf 
and 
Services’ 
Intellectual 
physical 
in 
mental 
hard 
of 
Providers 
(for 
Disabilities 
disabilities 
health 
hearing 
individuals 
recovery 
individuals 
with 
Developmental 
Disabilities) 


Dauphin/ 
Domestic 
Arc 
of 
Dauphin 
Center 
for 
Dauphin 
Cumberland/ 


Perry 
Violence/Sexual 
County. 
Independent 
County 
Perry 
Arc 
assault-YWCA 
Living 
(CIL) 
Clubhouse 
of 
Harrisburg 
Arc 
of 
of 
Central 
PA 
(Dauphin 
& 
Cumberland/Perry 
Perry 
counties. 
Counties. 


Domestic 
Violence 
Services 
of 
Cumberland/ 
Perry 
counties. 


Lancaster 
Domestic 
Arc 
of 
Lancaster 
Disability 
Arch 
St. 
Deaf 
and 
Shared 
Violence 
County. 
Empowerment 
Center 
Hard 
of 
Supports 
Services 
of 
Center 
(CIL) 
Hearing 
Lancaster 
Services 
County. 
of 
YWCA 
of 
Lancaster 
Lancaster 
County 
County 
(sexual 
assault) 


Following 
the 
meet 
and 
greet 
sessions, 
a 
follow-up 
with 
face-to-face 
meetings 
with 
each 
ED 
and 
designee 
at 
their 
individual 
sites 
will 
take 
place. 
These 
in-person 
meetings 
will 
offer 
our 
collaborative 
an 
opportunity 
to 
initially 
assess 
the 
physical 
accessibility 
of 
each 
site. 
We 
will 
informally 
assess 
the 
meeting 
space 
and 
accessibility 
of 
the 
building. 
However, 
it 
is 
our 
understanding 
that 
disability 
specific 
organizations 
are 
already 
located 
in 
accessible 
locations. 
We 
will 
make 
sure 
that 
the 
same 
holds 
true 
for 
victims’ 
services. 
If 
physical 
access 
is 
an 
issue, 
we 
will 
coordinate 
and 
hold 
the 
focus 
groups 
at 
alternative 
sites. 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
3 



What 
We 
Know 


For 
the 
past 
several 
years, 
through 
cross-systems 
work 
and 
collaboration 
among 
members 
of 
the 
disability 
and 
anti-violence 
communities 
in 
Pennsylvania, 
we 
have 
gathered 
some 
useful 
information 
about 
victims/ 
survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
There 
is 
increased 
awareness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
violence 
against 
women 
services’ 
providers 
of 
the 
needs 
of 
women 
with 
disabilities 
and 
Deaf 
women. 
Along 
the 
same 
lines, 
there 
is 
also 
a 
gradual 
increase 
in 
understanding 
of 
the 
roles 
and 
responsibilities 
on 
the 
part 
of 
disability 
services 
in 
their 
response 
to 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
However, 
much 
more 
needs 
to 
be 
done 
and 
improved 
in 
both 
fields 
to 
enhance 
the 
responsiveness 
and 
access 
to 
services 
for 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
Deaf 
individuals 
who 
experience 
violence 
in 
their 
lives. 
Although 
there 
are 
some 
programs 
in 
the 
state 
that 
model 
best 
practices 
in 
both 
fields, 
the 
work 
continues 
to 
be 
in 
the 
early 
stages 
for 
many 
of 
our 
violence 
against 
women 
and 
disability 
services’ 
providers. 


For 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
the 
availability 
of 
services 
and 
access 
to 
them 
vary 
greatly, 
depending 
on 
the 
region 
of 
the 
state. 
For 
example, 
rural 
areas 
face 
the 
majority 
of 
challenges 
related 
to 
transportation 
issues 
and 
limited 
or 
lack 
of 
lack 
of 
options. 
Additionally, 
obstacles 
resulting 
from 
lack 
of 
attitudinal 
access 
on 
the 
part 
of 
service 
providers 
across 
the 
board 
contribute 
to 
these 
challenges. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
existing 
collaboration 
among 
some 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
entities 
serves 
to 
provide 
a 
model 
for 
best 
practices. 


In 
the 
case 
of 
Deaf 
individuals, 
work 
is 
still 
needed 
in 
the 
areas 
of 
establishing 
and 
fostering 
partnerships 
between 
Deaf 
and 
hard 
of 
hearing 
organizations 
and 
victims’ 
services 
groups. 
However, 
although 
that 
effort 
is 
in 
its 
infancy 
at 
this 
point, 
a 
commitment 
and 
the 
desire 
to 
move 
in 
this 
direction 
are 
present 
in 
some 
communities. 


Based 
on 
what 
we 
know 
at 
this 
stage, 
gaps 
and 
lack 
of 
services 
continue 
to 
exist 
for 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities 
trying 
to 
access 
necessary 
and 
appropriate 
supports. 


Needs 
Assessment 
Goals 


During 
our 
planning 
for 
the 
needs 
assessment, 
our 
collaborative 
arrived 
at 
a 
series 
of 
questions 
that 
will 
guide 
our 
work 
with 
the 
selected 
communities. 
What 
follows 
are 
the 
general 
themes 
our 
team 
will 
explore 
with 
the 
pilot 
sites: 


• 
What 
are 
the 
strengths 
and 
barriers 
that 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities 
experience 
within 
victims’ 
services 
and 
disability 
service 
providers 
when 
seeking 
safety? 
• 
What 
do 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
victims/survivors 
need 
from 
victims’ 
services 
and 
disability 
providers 
to 
experience 
welcoming, 
comfortable 
and 
responsive 
environments? 
What 
exists 
and 
what 
is 
still 
needed? 
How 
do 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
know 
an 
organization 
is 
welcoming 
and 
comfortable? 
PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
4 



• 
What 
are 
the 
strengths, 
challenges 
and 
barriers 
experienced 
by 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
providers 
when 
serving 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities? 
• 
What 
are 
organizations’ 
understanding 
(including 
DRN, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV) 
of 
access 
and 
safety 
and 
how 
is 
this 
incorporated 
into 
policy, 
practice, 
training, 
budgets, 
community 
connections 
etc.? 
How 
can 
it 
be 
improved 
upon? 
• 
To 
what 
extent 
do 
relationships 
among 
organizations 
exist 
and 
how 
do 
they 
function 
together? 
Audience/Methods 


For 
the 
purpose 
of 
gathering 
information 
that 
will 
allow 
us 
to 
meet 
our 
goals, 
we 
will 
work 
with 
the 
following 
individuals 
and 
entities 
utilizing 
specific 
data 
collection 
methods: 


• 
Persons 
with 
disabilities 
will 
participate 
in 
focus 
groups 
and 
interviews. 
• 
Victims/survivors 
will 
participate 
in 
focus 
groups 
and 
interviews. 
• 
Sexual 
assault, 
domestic 
violence 
and 
disability 
advocates 
and 
line 
staff 
will 
participate 
in 
focus 
groups 
or 
interviews. 
• 
Information 
from 
the 
leadership 
of 
all 
the 
organizations 
represented 
in 
the 
pilot 
sites 
will 
be 
gathered, 
including 
the 
boards 
of 
directors. 
Interviews 
will 
be 
utilized 
for 
the 
leadership 
at 
each 
organization. 
In 
order 
to 
maximize 
resources, 
we 
will 
administer 
surveys 
to 
a 
sample 
of 
the 
board 
of 
directors 
of 
each 
pilot 
site. 
• 
For 
the 
partner 
agencies 
(DRN, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV) 
surveys 
will 
be 
administered 
around 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
Members 
of 
our 
staff 
and 
our 
boards 
of 
directors 
will 
receive 
electronic 
surveys. 
• 
Interviews 
will 
be 
conducted 
with 
leadership 
of 
each 
partner 
organization 
(DRN, 
PCAR, 
PCADV). 
Note: 
When 
the 
number 
of 
participants 
sharing 
the 
same 
role 
(i.e. 
consumers 
or 
line 
staff) 
is 
greater 
than 
three, 
we 
will 
conduct 
focus 
groups. 
However, 
consumers 
will 
be 
offered 
the 
option 
of 
an 
interview, 
if 
there 
is 
an 
expressed 
desire 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
person 
due 
to 
safety 
and/or 
confidentiality 
concerns. 


The 
following 
table 
illustrates 
the 
projected 
number 
of 
participants 
for 
all 
needs 
assessment 
activities: 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
5 



Site 
Board 
of 
Directors-
# 
of 
Surveys 
Board 
of 
Directors-
# 
of 
Interviews 
Leadership-
# 
of 
Interviews 
Advocates 
& 
Staff-# 
of 
Surveys 
Advocates 
& 
Staff-
# 
of 
Participants 
(Focus 
Groups/Interviews) 
Consumers 
& 
Survivors-
# 
of 
Participants 
(Focus 
Groups/Interviews) 
Dauphin/ 
Perry 
Pilot 
Site 
YWCA 
N/A 
4 
4 
N/A 
8 
16 
DV 
Services 
N/A 
4 
3 
N/A 
8 
16 
CIL 
of 
Central 
PA 
N/A 
4 
5 
N/A 
8 
16 
Dauphin 
Clubhouse 
N/A 
4 
2 
N/A 
5 
16 
Arc 
of 
Dauphin 
N/A 
4 
4 
N/A 
8 
16 
CPARC 
N/A 
5 
5 
N/A 
8 
16 
Lancaster 
Pilot 
Site 
YWCA 
N/A 
4 
4 
N/A 
8 
16 
DV 
Services 
N/A 
4 
4 
N/A 
8 
16 
Empowerment 
Ctr 
CIL* 
N/A 
4 
2 
N/A 
N/A 
8 
Arch 
St. 
Clubhouse 
N/A 
4 
4 
N/A 
5 
16 
Arc 
of 
Lancaster* 
N/A 
4 
3 
N/A 
N/A 
10 
Shared 
Supports* 
N/A 
4 
3 
N/A 
N/A 
10 
Deaf 
& 
HOH 
N/A 
4 
3 
N/A 
5 
16 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
6 



Collab. 
Partners 
------
DRN 
7 
N/A 
3 
30 
N/A 
N/A 
PCADV 
15 
N/A 
3 
25 
N/A 
N/A 
PCAR 
15 
N/A 
3 
25 
N/A 
N/A 
TOTAL 
37 
53 
55 
80 
66 
188 


* 
Due 
to 
the 
small 
size 
of 
these 
organizations, 
only 
interviews 
will 
be 
conducted. 
Structural 
Considerations 


Focus 
Groups 


As 
illustrated 
above, 
numerous 
focus 
groups 
will 
take 
place 
at 
each 
pilot 
site. 
Depending 
upon 
the 
size 
of 
the 
organization, 
1-3 
focus 
groups 
will 
be 
conducted 
for 
each 
audience. 
This 
data 
collection 
method 
will 
give 
us 
the 
ability 
to 
collect 
qualitative 
information 
from 
numerous 
participants 
in 
a 
relatively 
short 
amount 
of 
time. 
We 
will 
provide 
a 
meal 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
each 
session. 
The 
distribution 
of 
gift 
cards 
will 
follow 
the 
meal 
($10 
gift 
cards 
per 
participant 
as 
an 
incentive 
for 
agreeing 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
project). 
The 
following 
components 
will 
be 
present 
in 
order 
to 
provide 
safety 
and 
maximize 
confidentiality, 
preserve 
the 
integrity 
of 
the 
information 
collected 
during 
the 
sessions, 
and 
facilitate 
the 
manageability 
of 
this 
process: 


• 
Facilitator 
– 
this 
person 
will 
lead 
the 
discussion, 
primarily 
the 
project 
director 
but 
other 
members 
of 
the 
collaborative 
will 
take 
this 
responsibility 
when 
feasible 
or 
necessary. 
• 
Advocate(s) 
– 
a 
staff 
person 
from 
one 
of 
the 
local 
sa/dv 
program(s) 
will 
be 
stationed 
outside 
the 
room 
to 
provide 
support 
as 
needed. 
Participants 
will 
be 
informed 
of 
their 
presence 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
each 
session. 
• 
Note 
Taker 
– 
a 
member 
from 
the 
partner 
organizations 
will 
take 
notes 
using 
a 
standard 
template 
and 
a 
laptop. 
No 
audiovisual 
recording 
or 
photographs 
will 
take 
place. 
• 
Observer 
– 
a 
member 
of 
our 
collaboration 
who 
will 
be 
paying 
attention 
to 
the 
interactions 
among 
participants. 
• 
Duration 
– 
the 
focus 
groups 
will 
be 
between 
an 
hour 
to 
an 
hour 
and 
a 
half 
in 
length. 
This 
does 
not 
include 
meal 
time. 
PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
7 



In 
person 
Interviews 
– 
This 
data 
collection 
method 
will 
be 
utilized 
when 
gathering 
information 
from 
the 
leadership 
or 
in 
the 
case 
of 
consumers 
and/or 
survivors 
requesting 
this 
method. 
A 
member 
of 
our 
collaboration 
will 
perform 
the 
duties 
of 
the 
interviewer 
while 
another 
partner 
will 
act 
as 
the 
note 
taker. 
There 
might 
be 
situations 
where 
the 
roles 
of 
an 
interviewer 
and 
the 
note 
taker 
are 
performed 
by 
the 
same 
person. 
This 
data 
collection 
method 
will 
provide 
us 
with 
qualitative 
information 
and 
will 
offer 
the 
participant 
a 
private 
forum 
where 
to 
share 
information. 
This 
method 
will 
be 
offered 
when 
requested 
by 
a 
consumer/survivor 
or 
in 
the 
event 
our 
collaborative 
is 
dealing 
with 
a 
very 
small 
organization 
where 
focus 
groups 
would 
not 
be 
appropriate. 
An 
advocate 
will 
also 
be 
available 
on 
site 
to 
assist 
consumers 
in 
the 
event 
they 
request 
their 
support. 


Surveys 
– 
This 
method 
will 
be 
designed 
to 
obtain 
information 
from 
larger 
numbers 
of 
individuals 
belonging 
to 
organizations, 
either 
those 
serving 
in 
the 
capacity 
of 
members 
of 
the 
Board 
of 
Directors 
or 
staff 
from 
the 
partner 
organizations. 
This 
data 
collection 
method 
will 
be 
administered 
to 
partner 
organizations 
(DRN, 
PCAR, 
PCADV). 
These 
tools 
will 
be 
administered 
electronically. 
This 
method 
will 
provide 
us 
with 
both 
quantitative 
and 
qualitative 
information 
while 
participants 
can 
respond 
to 
questions 
anonymously. 


Incentives 
for 
People 
with 
Disabilities 
& 
Victims/Survivors 
-$10 
in 
the 
way 
of 
gift 
cards 
to 
grocery 
or 
book 
stores. 
Our 
collaborative 
will 
rely 
on 
recruiting 
agencies 
to 
learn 
about 
participants’ 
preferences. 
Staff 
participating 
in 
focus 
groups 
will 
not 
receive 
incentives 
(disability 
line 
staff 
and 
sa/dv 
staff). 


Accessibility 
Considerations 


Location 


Our 
collaborative 
will 
visit 
each 
recruiting 
agency 
with 
the 
purpose 
of 
assessing 
its 
physical 
accessibility. 
If 
the 
agency 
is 
to 
be 
the 
site 
of 
the 
focus 
groups, 
we 
will 
review 
the 
existing 
space 
to 
ensure 
physical 
access 
to 
the 
focus 
groups. 
Additionally, 
we 
will 
design 
RSVPs 
for 
the 
focus 
groups 
that 
will 
include 
requests 
for 
reasonable 
accommodations. 
The 
recruiting 
agency 
will 
be 
responsible 
for 
collecting 
this 
information 
on 
an 
individual 
basis. 
A 
summary 
that 
will 
include 
the 
anticipated 
number 
of 
participants 
and 
any 
requested 
or 
identified 
accommodations 
will 
be 
submitted 
to 
the 
project 
director 
by 
the 
recruitment 
agency, 
two 
weeks 
after 
the 
recruitment 
process 
starts. 
DRN 
will 
rely 
on 
its 
internal 
mechanisms 
to 
financially 
work 
out 
the 
details 
and 
arrange 
for 
the 
requested 
accommodations. 


Written 
Materials 


If 
written 
materials 
are 
provided 
to 
participants, 
we 
will 
accommodate 
individual 
needs 
using 
alternative 
formats 
as 
requested 
by 
individuals. 
Questions 
used 
in 
the 
focus 
groups 
will 
be 
projected 
on 
a 
screen 
or 
wall. 
We 
will 
also 
utilize 
pictures 
to 
ensure 
individuals 
at 
diverse 
reading 
levels 
are 
able 
to 
fully 
participate. 
This 
system 
will 
also 
allow 
us 
to 
keep 
participants 
on 
track 
by 
bringing 
them 
back 
to 
the 
projected 
pictures/questions 
if 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
8 



digression 
occurs. 
Electronic 
information 
will 
be 
made 
available 
if 
needed 
and 
the 
questions 
will 
also 
be 
read 
to 
participants. 
Requests 
for 
materials 
in 
Braille 
will 
also 
be 
accommodated. 


Attendants 
and 
Interpreters 


Personal 
care 
attendants 
and 
interpreters 
will 
be 
contracted 
by 
DRN 
to 
provide 
their 
services 
when 
needed. 
These 
individuals 
will 
not 
be 
affiliated 
with 
participating 
agencies 
(See 
‘Maximizing 
Safety’ 
section). 


Maximizing 
Safety 


Safety 
– 
Maximizing 
safety 
is 
an 
element 
of 
crucial 
importance 
to 
our 
collaborative. 
In 
that 
regard, 
several 
measures 
will 
be 
put 
in 
place 
with 
the 
intent 
of 
avoiding 
disclosures 
and 
situations 
that 
could 
potentially 
place 
participants 
at 
risk 
prior 
to, 
during 
or 
following 
the 
focus 
groups. 
Additionally, 
these 
measures 
will 
assist 
in 
and 
avoiding 
disclosures. 
What 
follows 
are 
some 
of 
the 
issues 
that 
will 
be 
taken 
into 
account: 


• 
Personal 
Care 
Attendants 
(PCAs) 
-our 
collaborative 
is 
aware 
of 
the 
possible 
need 
for 
PCAs 
during 
the 
focus 
groups 
and 
will 
contract 
for 
these 
services 
on 
behalf 
of 
focus 
group 
participants. 
The 
contracted 
PCAs 
will 
remain 
available 
outside 
the 
room 
where 
focus 
groups 
are 
taking 
place. 
In 
the 
event 
that 
a 
participant 
requires 
the 
assistance 
of 
a 
PCA 
in 
the 
room 
during 
the 
focus 
group, 
this 
individual 
(the 
PCA) 
will 
sign 
a 
confidentiality 
form 
prior 
to 
the 
beginning 
of 
that 
session. 
We 
will 
adopt 
the 
confidentiality 
forms 
already 
in 
use 
by 
the 
participating 
organizations. 
PCAs 
will 
be 
identified 
by 
the 
recruitment 
agency 
during 
the 
RFP 
process. 
In 
the 
event 
a 
consumer 
requests 
to 
have 
the 
support 
of 
his/her 
regular 
PCA 
during 
the 
focus 
groups, 
our 
collaborative 
will 
honor 
such 
request. 
• 
Interpreters 
– 
American 
Sign 
Language 
(ASL) 
interpreters 
will 
not 
be 
affiliated 
with 
the 
Deaf 
and 
hard 
of 
hearing 
services 
organization 
that 
will 
be 
participating 
in 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
The 
Deaf 
and 
Hard 
of 
Hearing 
services 
agency 
will 
help 
us 
identify 
appropriate 
interpreters. 
• 
Legal 
guardians 
– 
they 
will 
remain 
outside 
the 
room 
during 
the 
focus 
groups. 
Our 
collaborative 
will 
rely 
on 
recruiters 
to 
determine 
when 
an 
individual 
has 
a 
legal 
guardian 
during 
the 
recruitment 
process. 
If 
the 
person 
with 
the 
disability 
who 
has 
a 
guardian 
desires 
to 
participate, 
a 
consent 
form 
signed 
by 
the 
guardian 
will 
have 
to 
be 
obtained 
prior 
to 
the 
focus 
group. 
• 
Interviews 
-participants 
will 
be 
given 
the 
option 
of 
an 
interview, 
in 
the 
event 
the 
idea 
of 
a 
focus 
group 
is 
unsettling 
or 
causes 
discomfort 
or 
fear. 
• 
Recruiters’ 
training 
-designated 
staff 
from 
the 
recruiting 
agencies 
will 
undergo 
a 
training 
that 
will 
clarify 
their 
responsibilities 
and 
provide 
them 
with 
specific 
measures 
to 
maximize 
the 
safety 
of 
all 
participants 
in 
the 
focus 
groups. 
• 
Participation 
of 
advocates 
-an 
advocate 
from 
the 
local 
sa/dv 
center 
will 
be 
available 
on-site, 
outside 
the 
room, 
to 
speak 
with 
individuals 
and 
to 
offer 
a 
list 
of 
accessible, 
local 
resources. 
PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
9 



• 
Incentives-gift 
cards 
will 
be 
provided 
to 
individuals 
(persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
survivors) 
as 
incentives 
for 
their 
participation 
in 
the 
amount 
of 
$10.00 
at 
a 
vendor 
of 
the 
participant’s 
choice 
(choice 
of 
grocery 
store 
or 
book 
store). 
Recruiters 
will 
assess 
whether 
there 
are 
safety 
concerns 
associated 
with 
the 
gift 
cards. 
An 
alternative 
option 
will 
be 
provided 
in 
the 
event 
that 
a 
participant 
is 
unable 
to 
take 
the 
gift 
card 
home. 
Additionally, 
individuals 
will 
be 
informed 
that 
leaving 
the 
focus 
group 
at 
any 
time 
is 
an 
option 
that 
will 
not 
jeopardize 
their 
incentive. 
• 
Contact 
information 
of 
project 
representative 
– 
during 
the 
recruitment 
phase 
of 
the 
project, 
only 
the 
contact 
information 
of 
the 
project 
director 
will 
be 
provided 
to 
all 
individuals 
who 
agree 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
focus 
groups. 
This 
measure 
will 
be 
implemented 
because 
the 
project 
director 
is 
not 
affiliated 
with 
a 
victims’ 
services 
organization. 
This 
precautionary 
measure 
will 
be 
utilized 
in 
case 
an 
abuser 
has 
access 
to 
the 
participant’s 
personal 
belongings. 
Carrying 
the 
phone 
number 
and 
contact 
information 
of 
the 
other 
members 
of 
our 
collaborative 
could 
create 
a 
safety 
problem 
for 
the 
participant. 
• 
If 
needed, 
informal 
one-on-one 
chats 
will 
precede 
each 
focus 
group. 
The 
members 
of 
our 
collaborative 
will 
arrive 
at 
the 
focus 
group 
location 
an 
hour 
early 
and 
will 
stay 
after 
the 
session 
concludes 
to 
share 
with 
participants 
who 
desire 
or 
need 
some 
extra 
contact 
time. 
In 
addition 
to 
having 
advocates 
on 
site 
during 
the 
focus 
groups, 
they 
will 
also 
be 
available 
after 
and 
before 
each 
session. 
Advocates 
will 
offer 
participants 
accessible 
resources 
if 
requested. 
• 
The 
questions 
administered 
in 
the 
focus 
groups 
or 
interviews 
have 
been 
designed 
in 
a 
way 
to 
minimize 
disclosures. 
However, 
if 
a 
disclosure 
occurs, 
the 
facilitator 
will 
make 
every 
effort 
to 
redirect 
participants 
to 
the 
point 
in 
question 
and 
will 
offer 
the 
possibility 
to 
speak 
with 
an 
advocate 
if 
desired. 
Consent 
and 
Confidentiality 


Our 
collaborative 
will 
utilize 
a 
passive 
consent 
process. 
Participants 
will 
show 
their 
consent 
to 
participate 
by 
remaining 
in 
the 
room 
during 
the 
focus 
groups 
or 
interviews. 
Personally 
identifying 
information 
of 
participants 
will 
not 
be 
recorded 
in 
any 
form. 
In 
the 
case 
of 
a 
legal 
guardian, 
this 
person 
will 
provide 
a 
signed 
consent. 
However, 
when 
information 
gathered 
from 
participants 
involves 
a 
specific 
organization, 
some 
general 
information 
pertaining 
to 
the 
agency 
will 
be 
collected. 
Based 
on 
that, 
we 
will 
produce 
two 
slightly 
different 
reports: 
one 
for 
the 
organization, 
and 
a 
second 
for 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
community 
that 
reflects 
aggregate, 
non-identifying 
information. 


The 
issue 
of 
mandatory 
reporting 
does 
not 
apply 
to 
our 
Pennsylvania 
collaboration. 
The 
note 
taker, 
facilitator 
and 
observer 
are 
not 
mandatory 
reporters. 
Therefore, 
they 
are 
not 
obligated 
to 
report 
any 
disclosures 
of 
violence. 
However, 
if 
someone 
with 
a 
disability 
discloses 
abuse 
to 
any 
of 
us 
we 
would 
provide 
the 
person 
with 
referrals 
and 
offer 
that 
they 
contact 
the 
advocate 
present 
if 
desired. 


We 
will 
explain 
to 
the 
participants 
that 
every 
effort 
on 
our 
part 
will 
be 
made 
to 
maximize 
confidentiality. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
we 
recognize 
that 
other 
members 
of 
the 
focus 
group 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
10 



may 
share 
information 
beyond 
the 
session, 
so 
participants 
will 
be 
periodically 
reminded 
to 
honor 
each 
other’s 
privacy 
and 
to 
exercise 
caution 
when 
divulging 
any 
information 
about 
what 
transpires 
during 
the 
focus 
group. 
Through 
the 
course 
of 
the 
focus 
group, 
participants 
will 
be 
addressed 
and 
or 
referred 
to 
by 
nothing 
more 
than 
a 
first 
name 
if 
they 
choose 
to 
provide 
one. 
None 
of 
this 
information 
will 
be 
recorded. 


The 
collected 
data 
will 
be 
stored 
in 
a 
locked 
file 
cabinet 
at 
DRN. 
Names 
of 
participants 
will 
not 
be 
recorded 
during 
the 
note 
taking 
process. 
This 
mechanism 
will 
be 
consistent 
regardless 
of 
the 
utilized 
data 
collection 
method. 
Our 
collaborative 
will 
keep 
the 
original 
notes 
until 
the 
strategic 
plan 
is 
approved, 
once 
this 
process 
is 
finalized; 
these 
original 
documents 
will 
be 
shredded. 


ADA 
Violations 
and 
DRN’s 
Responsibilities 


Our 
collaboration 
sees 
part 
of 
the 
purpose 
of 
the 
grant 
as 
working 
collectively 
with 
our 
partners 
to 
resolve 
access 
issues. 
DRN 
would 
use 
the 
means 
available 
within 
the 
grant 
(along 
with 
our 
partners) 
to 
encourage 
the 
pilot 
sites 
to 
become 
accessible. 
We 
would 
not 
consider 
it 
appropriate, 
while 
involved 
in 
a 
grant, 
the 
purpose 
of 
which 
is 
to 
promote 
access, 
to 
take 
adverse 
action 
against 
a 
subcontractor 
of 
one 
of 
our 
partners 
because 
we 
had 
not 
yet 
been 
successful. 
Therefore, 
the 
results 
of 
our 
Needs 
Assessment 
will 
not 
be 
used 
against 
participating 
organizations. 


Training 
of 
Recruiters 


Preceding 
the 
focus 
groups 
and 
interviews 
of 
participating 
organizations, 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
and 
survivors, 
our 
collaboration 
will 
train 
individuals 
designated 
by 
each 
ED/CEO 
to 
represent 
the 
member 
organizations 
preceding 
the 
focus 
groups 
and 
interviews 
of 
participating 
organizations, 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
and 
survivors. 
These 
individuals 
will 
assume 
the 
role 
of 
recruiters 
in 
the 
next 
phases 
of 
this 
project. 
The 
training 
will 
provide 
them 
with 
the 
necessary 
tools 
to 
recruit 
participants 
for 
the 
focus 
groups 
(or 
interviews 
when 
requested). 
Both 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
organizations 
will 
post 
information 
about 
the 
upcoming 
focus 
groups 
provided 
by 
our 
collaboration 
and 
will 
also 
announce 
these 
events 
when 
appropriate 
to 
the 
individuals 
they 
are 
currently 
serving. 
Additionally, 
recruiters 
will 
be 
the 
contact 
person 
within 
their 
own 
organizations 
in 
charge 
of 
tracking 
RSVPs. 
The 
training 
of 
recruiters 
will 
take 
place 
in 
two 
phases. 
Approximately, 
seven 
recruiters 
per 
pilot 
site 
will 
attend 
the 
training, 
for 
a 
total 
of 
14 
recruiters 
to 
be 
trained. 


Phase 
I: 


The 
information 
covered 
in 
this 
training 
phase 
will 
include 
topics 
not 
necessarily 
related 
to 
our 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
but 
as 
determined 
by 
our 
collaboration 
as 
crucial 
to 
guide 
recruiters 
through 
the 
next 
phases 
of 
this 
project. 
The 
main 
goal 
of 
this 
training 
phase 
is 
to 
lay 
the 
foundation 
for 
the 
work 
ahead. 
Information 
related 
to 
our 
shared 
values, 
history 
of 
our 
movements, 
and 
other 
relevant 
areas 
will 
be 
among 
the 
topics 
addressed 
during 
the 
trainings. 
It 
is 
expected 
that 
these 
training 
sessions 
will 
not 
last 
over 
3 
hours. 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
11 



What 
follows 
is 
a 
list 
of 
the 
planned 
training 
topics: 


a) 
What 
we 
know 
about 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities 
and 
Deaf/HOH 
women 
in 
Pennsylvania 
through 
the 
work 
of 
our 
collaboration. 
What 
we 
know 
about 
this 
issue 
in 
the 
U.S. 


b) 
Information 
on 
the 
disabilities’ 
right 
movement 
and 
the 
anti-violence 
against 
women 
movement. 
Definitions, 
differences, 
shared 
values, 
etc. 
c) 
Disabilities: 
Deinstitutionalization, 
person 
centeredness, 
people 
first 
language, 
community 
integration, 
recovery, 
independent 
living 
philosophy, 
peer 
support 
etc. 


d) 
Violence 
against 
women: 
Advocacy, 
systems 
and 
social 
change, 
empowerment, 
feminist 
approach 
to 
helping, 
survivor, 
victim-centered 
services 
and 
advocacy, 
safety 
focused, 
confidentiality, 
history 
of 
the 
two 
coalitions 
in 
Pennsylvania, 
etc. 


e) 
Deaf: 
Top 
cultural 
issues, 
living 
in 
a 
hearing 
world, 
ASL 
as 
first 
language, 
assistive 
devices. 
f) 
HOH: 
Challenges 
faced 
by 
the 
HOH 
population. 
Cultural 
issues, 
etc. 


a. 
Confidentiality 
(absolute 
vs. 
qualified). 
Understanding 
that 
sexual 
assault 
and 
domestic 
violence 
providers 
under 
no 
circumstance 
are 
considered 
to 
be 
competent 
to 
provide 
testimony 
while 
disability 
providers 
could 
be 
subpoenaed 
under 
specific 
situations. 
b. 
How 
to 
honor 
differences 
related 
to 
confidentiality 
protections 
while 
always 
working 
towards 
the 
safety 
of 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
survivors, 
and 
participants 
in 
general. 
g) 
Confidentiality 
and 
third 
parties: 
ASL 
interpreters, 
PCAs 
etc. 


Phase 
II: 


The 
information 
that 
will 
be 
covered 
in 
this 
training 
phase 
will 
relate 
to 
the 
specifics 
of 
the 
recruiters’ 
roles. 
Recruiters 
will 
be 
trained 
on 
how 
to 
approach 
potential 
participants, 
how 
to 
determine 
the 
need 
for 
accommodations, 
screening 
for 
safety 
etc. 
The 
following 
topics 
reflect 
what 
we 
have 
determined 
to 
be 
important 
under 
this 
section: 


a) 
Screening 
for 
accommodations 
and 
accessibility. 
Recruiters 
will 
identify 
and 
report 
the 
number 
of 
individuals 
needing 
accommodations 
and 
the 
nature 
of 
each 
accommodation 
(ASL 
interpreters, 
personal 
care 
attendants, 
etc.) 


b) 
Providing 
recruitment 
techniques 
and 
materials 
to 
recruiters 
(recruiters’ 
script 
and 


other 
info 
if 
necessary). 
c) 
Screening 
for 
safety 
in 
general 
and 
tying 
safety 
to 
the 
provision 
of 
incentives. 
d) 
Reviewing 
responsibilities 
and 
expectations 
for 
recruitment 
phase. 


Recruitment 
Plan 


Overview 


Pilot 
sites 
members 
will 
become 
familiar 
with 
the 
recruitment 
process 
in 
two 
ways: 
during 
our 
meetings 
and 
later 
in 
the 
training 
of 
recruiters 
where 
detailed 
information 
will 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
12 



be 
shared 
with 
the 
individuals 
designated 
by 
each 
organization 
to 
play 
this 
role. 
The 
topics 
that 
will 
be 
covered 
during 
the 
training 
of 
recruiters 
are 
outlined 
in 
that 
section 
of 
this 
plan. 
Once 
recruiters 
are 
trained, 
our 
collaborative 
will 
begin 
the 
recruitment 
process. 
There 
are 
multiple 
layers 
involving 
this 
phase 
of 
our 
project 
because 
we 
will 
utilize 
different 
data 
collection 
methods. 
What 
follows 
is 
an 
outline 
of 
what 
this 
process 
will 
entail. 


Interviews 


Members 
of 
the 
leadership 
of 
each 
pilot 
site 
organization 
will 
be 
interviewed. 
Our 
collaborative 
will 
set 
up 
times 
to 
begin 
interviewing 
the 
leadership 
of 
each 
participating 
organization. 
This 
first 
contact 
will 
occur 
via 
EDs/CEOs 
who 
will 
direct 
us 
to 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
members 
of 
the 
leadership. 
As 
a 
matter 
of 
practice, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV 
will 
set 
up 
those 
interviews 
with 
the 
victims’ 
services 
organizations 
while 
DRN 
will 
do 
the 
same 
with 
disability 
services’ 
agencies. 
Considering 
the 
organizational 
structure 
there 
might 
be 
slight 
differences 
in 
the 
number 
of 
individuals 
who 
will 
be 
interviewed 
from 
the 
leadership 
of 
each 
organization. 
It 
is 
our 
intention 
to 
set 
up 
interviews 
that 
will 
take 
place 
either 
simultaneously 
or 
back 
to 
back 
at 
each 
organization. 
A 
member 
of 
our 
collaborative 
will 
serve 
as 
both 
an 
interviewer 
and 
note 
taker 
in 
these 
situations. 
This 
approach 
will 
allow 
us 
to 
move 
through 
this 
process 
in 
a 
more 
organized 
and 
manageable 
way. 


DRN/PCAR/PCADV: 


We 
will 
conduct 
interviews 
within 
the 
leadership 
of 
our 
own 
organizations 
following 
the 
method 
described 
above. 


Focus 
Groups 


Persons 
with 
Disabilities/Victims/Survivors 


Information 
related 
to 
the 
focus 
groups 
will 
be 
posted 
in 
common 
areas 
at 
each 
of 
the 
participating 
organizations 
(see 
attached 
flyer). 
Additionally, 
recruiters, 
advocates, 
and 
counselors 
(when 
appropriate) 
will 
verbally 
advertise 
the 
upcoming 
focus 
groups. 
In 
this 
category, 
we 
are 
referring 
to 
counselors 
who 
facilitate 
support 
groups 
for 
survivors. 
In 
the 
case 
of 
disability 
organizations, 
this 
role 
may 
apply 
to 
advocates. 
Once 
initial 
contact 
is 
made 
with 
potential 
participants, 
recruiters 
will 
follow 
up 
with 
each 
individual 
who 
has 
expressed 
the 
desire 
to 
participate. 
At 
this 
point 
in 
time, 
recruiters 
will 
utilize 
the 
‘Recruiters’ 
script’ 
to 
communicate 
more 
information 
to 
potential 
participants 
(see 
attached). 
Recruiters 
will 
provide 
each 
individual 
with 
the 
project 
director’s 
contact 
information 
in 
case 
some 
questions 
arise 
before 
the 
focus 
groups. 
It 
is 
also 
at 
this 
time 
that 
recruiters 
will 
offer 
the 
option 
of 
an 
interview 
in 
case 
potential 
participants 
share 
some 
hesitation 
related 
to 
the 
structure 
of 
these 
meetings 
or 
other 
concerns. 
Additionally, 
recruiters 
will 
inform 
participants 
of 
the 
incentive 
and 
collect 
requests 
for 
accommodations. 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
13 



Line 
staff/Advocates 


The 
recruitment 
of 
participants 
for 
the 
focus 
groups 
for 
line 
staff 
from 
disability 
organizations 
and 
dv/sa 
programs 
will 
follow 
a 
slightly 
different 
process. 
Staff 
members 
will 
be 
informed 
of 
the 
focus 
groups 
and 
invited 
to 
participate 
by 
recruiters 
and/or 
EDs. 
Recruiters 
will 
keep 
track 
of 
participants 
and 
will 
provide 
the 
necessary 
information 
to 
the 
project 
director, 
similarly 
to 
how 
this 
part 
of 
the 
process 
is 
handled 
with 
the 
survivors/persons 
with 
disabilities/Deaf 
or 
hoh 
participants. 
Although 
issues 
of 
safety 
will 
not 
apply 
to 
this 
set 
of 
participants 
in 
the 
same 
ways 
as 
the 
survivor 
and 
consumer 
focus 
groups, 
every 
effort 
will 
be 
made 
to 
guarantee 
their 
confidentiality 
with 
the 
goal 
of 
facilitating 
an 
environment 
conducive 
to 
the 
sharing 
of 
information 
in 
an 
honest 
and 
open 
manner. 
The 
focus 
group 
facilitator 
will 
encourage 
participants 
to 
keep 
the 
information 
shared 
in 
the 
group 
among 
its 
members. 
Additionally, 
individuals' 
names 
will 
not 
be 
recorded 
anywhere. 
Only 
staff 
members 
sharing 
equal 
status 
within 
the 
organization 
will 
be 
part 
of 
the 
same 
focus 
group 
(i.e. 
supervisors 
will 
not 
participate 
in 
the 
same 
focus 
groups 
as 
their 
supervisees). 


Assessing 
Safety 


While 
this 
process 
is 
taking 
place, 
recruiters 
are 
also 
assessing 
for 
safety 
by 
asking 
questions 
such 
as 
whether 
it 
is 
safe 
to 
take 
home 
the 
gifts 
cards, 
printed 
materials, 
whether 
individuals 
have 
hesitation 
about 
participating 
in 
public 
meetings, 
etc. 
Recruiters 
will 
also 
explain 
to 
participants 
that 
PCAs 
will 
be 
available 
to 
assist 
those 
who 
need 
this 
support 
however, 
these 
individuals 
will 
not 
be 
their 
regular 
attendants 
unless 
the 
person 
requests 
otherwise. 
This 
approach 
will 
allow 
us 
to 
eliminate 
situations 
where 
the 
PCA 
is 
abusing 
an 
individual. 
We 
will 
be 
able 
to 
alleviate 
the 
potential 
risks 
to 
these 
persons 
and 
will 
provide 
participants 
with 
a 
forum 
to 
share 
information 
and 
seek 
assistance 
if 
desired. 


Handling 
the 
RSVP 
Process 
by 
Recruiters 


After 
recruiters 
finish 
meeting 
with 
each 
individual 
who 
has 
expressed 
the 
desire 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
focus 
groups, 
they 
will 
begin 
recording 
information 
related 
to 
the 
number 
of 
attending 
participants, 
and 
the 
necessary 
accommodations 
requested 
by 
each 
individual. 
Recruiters 
will 
fill 
out 
the 
provided 
form 
(see 
RSVP 
form 
attached) 
and 
will 
submit 
it 
to 
the 
project 
director. 
The 
project 
director 
will 
not 
receive 
any 
personally 
identifying 
information 
related 
to 
the 
participants 
for 
the 
focus 
groups. 


Setting 
the 
Dates 


Our 
collaboration 
will 
rely 
on 
recruiters 
to 
set 
up 
the 
best 
date 
for 
the 
focus 
groups 
in 
advance. 
This 
information 
will 
be 
posted 
as 
part 
of 
the 
flyer 
advertising 
the 
focus 
groups. 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
14 



Recruitment 
Plan 
Summary 


Participating 
Organizations 
Posting 
flyers/verbal 
announcements 
Recruiter 
Agency 
(RSVP) 
Who 
is 
being 
invited 
Dauphin/ 
Perry 
Pilot 
Site 
YWCA 
x 
YWCA-counselor/group 
facilitator 
Survivors, 
Advocates, 
counselors 
DV 
Services 
x 
Counselor/group 
facilitator 
Survivors, 
advocates 
CIL 
of 
Central 
PA 
x 
Advocate 
Persons 
with 
disabilities, 
advocates, 
direct 
care 
staff 
Dauphin 
Clubhouse 
x 
Director 
Mental 
health 
consumers 
CPARC 
x 
Director 
of 
advocacy 
Persons 
with 
developmental 
disabilities, 
advocates, 
direct 
care 
staff 
Lancaster 
Pilot 
Site 
YWCA 
x 
Group 
facilitator/counselor 
Survivors, 
advocates 
DV 
Services 
Group 
facilitator/counselor 
Survivors, 
advocates 
Empowerment 
Ctr 
CIL* 
x 
Advocate/ED 
Persons 
with 
disabilities 
Arch 
St. 
Clubhouse 
x 
ED 
Mental 
health 
consumers, 
advocates 
Arc 
of 
Lancaster* 
x 
ED, 
advocate 
Persons 
with 
developmental 
disabilities 
Shared 
Supports* 
x 
ED 
Persons 
with 
developmental 
disabilities 
Deaf 
& 
HOH 
x 
Case 
manager 
Deaf 
and 
HOH 
individuals, 
case 
managers 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
15 



Surveys 


EDs/CEOs 
will 
inform 
their 
board 
of 
directors 
and 
members 
of 
their 
staff 
(for 
partner 
organizations) 
of 
the 
upcoming 
electronic 
surveys. 
We 
anticipate 
to 
survey 
participating 
organizations 
within 
our 
pilot 
sites 
first 
followed 
by 
our 
own 
partner 
organizations. 


Work 
Plan 


Finalize 
needs 
assessment 
plan.......................................... 
December‘08 
Finalize 
survey 
instruments 
……………………………. 
December 
‘08 
Approval 
of 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
by 
OVW.................... 
January 
‘09 
Conduct 
focus 
groups 
and 
interviews................................ 
Jan. 
’09, 
Feb. 
‘09 
Conduct 
surveys................................................................. 
January 
‘09 
Analyze 
data....................................................................... 
February/ 
March 
‘09 
Draft 
report......................................................................... 
March 
‘09 
Finalize 
report..................................................................... 
March/April 
‘09 
Approval 
of 
report 
by 
OVW............................................... 
April/May 
‘09 


PA 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
16