Smoking is much more common in individuals with mental illness and yet smoking cessation programs designed to serve this population are uncommon. The goal would be to complete a needs assessment of both the number and types of smoking cessation programs for this population.
Examples of methods to be used in this needs assessment:
Focus groups
Interviews with key stakeholders
Surveys—telephonic, paper-and-pencil, web-based
Literature review—published standards, applicable guidelines, model programs
Background review—program manuals, website, policies and procedures, curricula
Data analysis—clinical outcomes, success or completion rates, competency measures, financial outcomes, comparison to benchmarks
Program evaluation requires creativity, curiosity, focus, and objectivity. Writing skills are helpful, as evaluation findings and recommendations are generally summarized in a written report; other communication methods such as formal oral presentations or focus groups may also be used.