Strategic Action Plan Checklist 

 Data Collected to Inform SAP

 Community Readiness Model (CRM) assessment scores completed.

 Two to three lowest scoring CRM dimensions identified. These influence choice

of goals.

 Community System Analysis (CSA) started, with local systems and services

identified. CSA keeps growing, evolving.

 Needs assessment completed (e.g. inventory of strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats).

 SAP Team, or Advisory Group/Board is Assembled

 SAP Key Elements Discussed and Decided/Determined

 Vision statement--mandatory. Mission statement--optional

 Goals:

o Year 1 goals are determined by SAMHSA and can be extended to Year 2 if

more time is needed.

o Years 2-5 goals are determined by grantee and influenced by lowest CRM

dimension scores. You want to raise the scores!

o Goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

 Objectives are SMART. Objectives support a goal. You may need multiple

objectives for each goal.

 Activities are briefly described and support each objective.

 Outcomes (predicted, measured results) are determined for goals, objectives,

and activities.

 People are assigned to activities and managing objectives and goals.

 Timeline (due date) is attached to goals, objectives, and activities.

Other considerations 

 SAP is culture-based, trauma-informed, and strengths-based.

 SAP has three to five goals per year and is a working document.

EXAMPLE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ON FOLLOWING PAGE.
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Examples for 2-Denial/No Awareness

Goal: By date , provide a platform (program and location) for youth-led community 

action to raise awareness of and need for resources to address suicide (or substance 

misuse) through _#_ community events. Outcome: Children and youth have a stable, 

program location and staff to support strength-based and culturally relevant life skills

development that provide protective factors in their lives.

• Objective: Youth are guided by mentor/counselors and through discussion 

with their peers on suicide (or substance misuse), to plan positive youth 

engagement activities in the tribe--for all members. ACTIVITIES: Promote 

program to youth. Find location for program. Hire staff. Design age appropriate 

youth leadership program activities. Run and monitor program. Outcome: 

Youth develop healthy relationships with their peers, skills to plan and run 

community projects, and enduring relationships with tribal members.

• Objective: Youth develop a plan to gather information to help the tribe address 

suicide (or substance misuse) through survey, interviews, poster campaign, etc.

ACTIVITIES: Determine data to gather and where to find it. Use data to 

develop survey, posters, and messaging to different groups. Determine what 

success looks like if the awareness campaign works. Execute plan and monitor 

impact. Outcome: Youth learn to discern what information will be helpful and 

unhelpful for the awareness campaign. Youth gain firsthand knowledge of local 

data that is important to the tribe. Youth acquire project planning, public 

speaking, writing, and time management skills. Youth are empowered as they 

engage in activities where they see the impact of their efforts.

• Objective: Youth work with program staff to reach out to all relevant systems 

and services to seek assistance and support for the suicide (or substance misuse

awareness campaign. ACTIVITIES: Work with youth to develop awareness 

campaign and schedule as well as practice one-on-one meetings. Identify 

relevant systems and services. Schedule one-on-one/group meetings. Debrief 

and record findings. Create list of supporting services and systems in the CSA 

(these are potential partners!) Outcome: Resources from tribal courts, law 

enforcement, behavioral health, and schools come together in support of this 

goal. Youth build relationships with tribal system leaders. Youth gain 

knowledge of how systems and services engage with members.

• Objective: Youth report on results of their efforts to raise awareness, including 

any data collected, to tribal leadership. ACTIVITIES: Schedule event. Promote 
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event through posters and other outreach efforts. Ask partners to support. 

Outcome: Youth gain public speaking and writing skills.

Goal: By date , raise awareness of the issue among tribal council (TC) and all 

members through a variety of __#__ events and __#___one-on-one visits. Outcome: 

Community and leadership have been introduced to the Native Connections effort 

and have greater awareness of the issue as measured by attendance, feedback form 

and notes captured of conversation.

• Objective: Approach TC to ask for their support for raising awareness efforts 

and ask for their input on how they would influence perception, and/or ask for 

them to introduce a public awareness event. ACTIVITIES: Get on TC agenda. 

Develop and practice message and "ask." Follow up with next steps. Outcome:

Greater awareness and, possibly, support is gained among _#__ TC members 

and _#_ members.

• Objective: Share CRM scores, one-on-one, with tribal council and in a public 

event with members. ACTIVITIES: Schedule event or join existing event or 

meeting. Develop interactive presentation on CRM and Native Connections. 

Develop feedback form to gather input. Ask for volunteers and partners.

Outcome: CRM data is shared and used to educate and inform __#__ 

individuals. Audience gains insight on where this effort will lead and future 

work to be done. Volunteers may be gained.

• Objective: Ask tribal members one-on-one through a survey or focus group for 

their input on how they would influence perception among their peers.

ACTIVITIES: Schedule focus group(s). Secure location(s). Schedule one-on-one 

meetings. Develop survey. Develop and distribute flyer/invitation. Develop 

focus group questions. Determine a facilitator. Determine note taker and 

someone to summarize data collected. Review focus group notes/surveys and 

analyze. Use to inform or adjust SAP. Celebrate and share information in an 

article to be published. Outcome: Members are informed and feel included, and 

possibly empowered, to influence the success or impact of the awareness 

campaign.

• Objective: Implement at least two ideas gleaned from tribal council or 

members. ACTIVITIES: Review ideas. Determine which ideas t o select. 

Consider resources needed to make idea happen. Decide on ideas. Share 

decision broadly. Outcome: Great ideas are gleaned and conversations lead to 
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future possibilities such as helpful policies or resources. People see that they 

have a voice, and those who provided the ideas feel empowered and 

influential.