Why do we collect data?
- Better Decision-Making: Data helps us understand the problems that may exist.
- Identifying Needs: Data helps identify the risk factors (like poverty or peer pressure) and protective factors (like community support) that influence behaviors.
- Using Resources: Data shows where to focus efforts and use resources where they are most needed.
- Tracking Progress: By collecting data before, during, and after a project, coalitions can see if their efforts are working and adjust if needed.
- Building Support: Data helps determine needs and funding.
- Spotting Trends: Data helps us to recognize patterns over time, such as increases or decreases in certain issues, to adjust their approach.
- Advocating for Change: Data provides evidence to push for policy changes that will improve the community.
- Finding Partners: Data helps us find other groups or people who share similar goals and can work together.
- Anonymous Surveys: Questionnaires to ask people about their behaviors and opinions on certain issues.
- Focus Groups: Small group discussions to get deeper insights into people’s views and experiences.
- Interviews: One-on-one talks with key people, like community leaders, to gather detailed information.
- Public Data: Information from government reports, like crime rates or health statistics.
- Community Assessments: Reviews of the community’s needs and resources to identify focus areas.
What types of data collection methods do we use?
Tri-Ethnic Community Readiness Assessment
In summer/fall 2024, the Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition (C-GAC) Data Workgroup planned, conducted, analyzed, and reported on a series of ten key stakeholder interviews for the purposes of this Community Readiness Assessment.
| Dimension | Average Score | Readiness Stage |
| Knowledge of Efforts | 3.8 | Vague Awareness |
| Leadership | 3.2 | Vague Awareness |
| Community Climate | 2.8 | Denial / Resistance |
| Knowledge of Issue | 2.6 | Denial / Resistance |
| Resources | 3.0 | Vague Awareness |
| Overall Score | 3.0 | Vague Awareness |
C-GAC selected interviewees from ten different community sectors:
- Civic/Volunteer Groups
- Faith-Based Organization
- Law Enforcement
- Local Government
- School
- Social Service Agencies
- Youth
- Youth Serving Organization
Individuals primary service areas include:
- Catskill
- Coxsackie
- Greene County
- Greenville
Individuals were selected based on a combination of sector, primary work location, position/title, and time living/working in Greene County. Additionally, individuals were prioritized if they serve diverse and/or vulnerable populations.
Assessment Results
| Interviewee | ||||||||||||
| Dimension | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Average | Stage |
| Knowledge of Efforts | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 3.8 | Vague Awareness |
| Leadership | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3.2 | Vague Awareness |
| Community Climate | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5.2 | 4 | 2.8 | Denial / Resistance |
| Knowledge of Issue | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2.6 | Denial / Resistance |
| Resources | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3.0 | Vague Awareness |
| Overall Community Readiness Score | 3.0 | Vague Awareness | ||||||||||
Conclusion
The community readiness interview process was completed by the Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition (C-GAC) in spring/fall 2024. Ten individuals from various community sectors were selected for inclusion in the interview process. Volunteers and staff from CGAC were trained in the interview process by Catalyst Research, the coalition’s data coordinator. Interviews were conducted in October 2024.
The interview process revealed several strengths and areas for improvement for Greene County in terms of its efforts to reduce opioid misuse. The county is home to many individuals and agencies dedicated to reducing the harm posed by opioid misuse. These individuals and agencies have contributed to expanded efforts to provide information, provide support, enhance skills, change access, and implement policies to address opioid misuse.
On the other hand, there are many areas for improvement in Greene County’s efforts to address opioid misuse. Key among these are lack of awareness of the issue, lack of awareness of resources in the community to address the issue, sparse data available on the issue, and barriers to garnering widespread support for population-level change efforts (e.g., stigma, refusal to accept opioid misuse as an issue in the community, etc.).
