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Getting Started: Conducting a Risk and Needs Assessment

As you begin, it is crucial to conduct a risk and needs assessment. A risk and needs assessment is a study of a particular situation to determine which risks or problems are likely to occur and which resources would be required or desirable to address them. In the case of the MRC, your community is being examined.

Before proceeding, determine if a community agency has conducted a risk and needs assessment in your area. Many community agencies have already conducted risk assessments, and therefore a community’s needs may be identified already.

There are many ways to conduct a risk and needs assessment. Some community MRC leaders have assessed the likelihood of disasters or other health-related emergencies in their area. They have considered the ideal response to these risks and have assessed how medical or health volunteers might assist local hospitals, their public health offices, emergency medical teams, first responders in disaster situations, underserved communities, populations facing certain health risks or hazards, etc. The role of your MRC unit may change as new community needs are identified, and as volunteers bring new skills to your unit.

Some leaders have broadly examined the ongoing public health needs of their area. Other communities have examined the makeup of potential volunteers in their area to evaluate their skill sets. Each community situation is different, and you will have a unique perspective on your community situation.

Begin with what you know about your community. The MRC does not have to answer every possible need in your area—it only must help local volunteers begin to make a difference. The differences they make can continue to grow.

No risk and needs assessment addresses all needs, and there always will be additional factors to consider. Assessment is a continuous, dynamic process. As such, it is more effective to conduct a limited risk and needs assessment and work with what you have than wait until you have considered each possible risk or need.

Your risk and needs assessment has to include enough information so that you can imagine possible solutions. The initial assessment is a starting point and is updated once your community’s needs are reassessed.

Role of the MRC in the Local Community as a First Step

Before getting started, it is important to research existing emergency operation plans in your jurisdiction to see which response role might be appropriate for your MRC unit and where the MRC can help to fill gaps.

As a prospective unit, unit coordinator, or sponsoring agency, identify the role that the MRC will play in the local community. Identify how the MRC fits in to the existing local infrastructure to guarantee that there is a role for your MRC to play. In addition to helping evade turf battles, knowing where your MRC fits will help with volunteer recruitment, retention, and training.

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Last Updated on 8/15/2006