The Cambridge Public Health Department contracted ICH to conduct a needs assessment and support strategic planning for its Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success (SPF-PFS) 2015 program. The program was funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and aimed to reduce and prevent prescription drug misuse among high school-age youth in Cambridge. For the needs assessment, ICH analyzed Teen Health Survey data, conducted key stakeholder interviews, and facilitated two focus groups with Cambridge youth. ICH presented assessment findings to the SPF-PFS program workgroup and facilitated discussions to define problem statements, identify and prioritize intervening variables, and select interventions. ICH’s support enabled the workgroup to develop a data-informed program strategy that aligned with funder requirements and targeted the highest areas of need in the Cambridge community.
