Josh Esrick, Senior Policy Analyst at Carnevale Associates, walks us through the top 10 reasons why substance misuse prevention efforts should begin with a needs assessment: 

§ COMPLIANCE AND FIDELITY TO A BEST PROCESS

· Required by or for a funder.

· First step of the Strategic Prevention Framework

§ DATA

· make sure your work is responsible to community needs

· to have an understand the data that will inform your planning process

· Gives you a baseline for your evaluation.

· SU patterns are changing and strategies aren't as impactful

§ FEASIBILITY

· focus your limited resources to be most useful

· Better understand what you are capability of implementing - Will, readiness that is there with stakeholders

§ STAKEHOLDERS

· helps with communicating as you move through the process. Helps to explain why you chose to focus on MJ vs. alcohol. Helps to explain to those who are not involved.

· Accountability