Needs Assessment Guidelines


In November of 2007, guidelines were developed to inform and direct regional needs assessments processes in each Health Canada region. These guidelines indentify criteria, assumptions, and activities to ensure that consistent and reliable processes occur within and across Health Canada Regions. Some of the key principles of the Needs Assessment Guidelines (PDF) include, but are not limited to:

  • First Nations representative organizations, in partnership with Health Canada Regions, will drive the needs assessment and renewal processes within each region;
  • Needs assessments will recognize both traditional and mainstream approaches as evidence;
  • Needs assessments will consider the needs and resources available for the following groups/lenses: gender, youth, pregnant women, and mental health (co-occuring disorders);
  • Needs assessments will emphasize existing arrangements or best/promising practices that are being delivered within NNADAP; and
  • The needs assessments will inform recommendations to maximize the impact of current and projected investments into the NNADAP system.