A more complete picture can be obtained by augmenting community needs assessment information with an inventory of community resources that support families and children. A brief overview of each of these components follows. Creating a community planning team is essential both when gaining information on community needs and assets, and prioritizing future actions toward better service delivery models. The community planning team guides the information gathering process, summarizes the data, and makes recommendations. The planning team should be composed of health, social service, and school professionals, along with public and private decision makers.
Resident representation is also necessary.
Residents, particularly family members, participating in the process increase the likelihood that the true goals and priorities of the community are accurately represented. Many believe that residents should represent at least 50 percent of the planning team. Resident participation is often limited by community responses. For example, many key decision makers want to hear resident concerns, but frighten residents away from the process by clearly articulating a need to keep firm control over the process. Consequently, residents do not perceive that they have a well-defined role on the planning team.