Scoring Process

When all the interviews were completed, they were scored by Pamela Jumper Thurman, Ph.D. and Barbara Plested, Ph.D., both members of the Community Readiness development team. The scoring process uses the models’ anchored rating scales, one for each dimension. These rating scales are based on the following 9 stages

Community Readiness Stages
The following nine stages correspond to the 9 anchored statements on the rating scales.

1. No Awareness. The issue is not generally recognized by the community or the leaders as problem. “It’s just the way things are.” Community climate may unknowingly encourage the behavior although the behavior may be expected of one group and not another (i.e., by gender, race, social class, age, etc.).

2. Denial. There is usually some recognition by at least some members of the community that the behavior itself is or can be a problem, but there is little or no recognition that this might be a local problem. If there is some idea that it is a local problem, there is a feeling that nothing needs to be done about this locally. “It’s not our problem.” “We can’t do anything about it.” Community climate tends to match the attitudes of leaders and may be passive or guarded.

3. Vague awareness. There is a general feeling among some in the community that there is a local problem and that something ought to be done about it, but there is no immediate motivation to do anything. There may be stories or anecdotes about a problem, but ideas about why the problem occurs and who has the problem tend to be stereotyped and/or vague. No identifiable leadership exists or leadership lacks energy or motivation for dealing with this problem. Community climate does not serve to motivate leaders.

4. Preplanning. There is clear recognition on the part of at least some that there is a local problem and that something should be done about it. There are identifiable leaders, and there may even be a committee, but efforts are not focused or detailed. There is discussion but no real planning of actions to address the problem. Community climate is beginning to acknowledge the necessity of dealing with the problem.

5. Preparation. Planning is going on and focuses on practical details. There is general information about local problems and about the pros and cons of efforts, (actions or policies), but it may not be based on formally collected data. Leadership is active and energetic. Decisions are being made about what will be done and who will do it. Resources (people, money, time, space, etc.) are being actively sought or has been committed. Community climate offers modest support of the efforts.

6. Initiation. Enough information is available to justify efforts (activities, actions or policies). An activity or action has been started and is underway, but it is still viewed as a new effort. Staff are in training or have just finished training. There may be great enthusiasm among the leaders because limitations and problems have not yet been experienced. Improved attitude in community climate is reflected by modest involvement of community members in the efforts.

7. Stabilization. One or two efforts or activities are running, supported by administrators or community decision-makers. Programs, activities or policies are viewed as stable. Staff are usually trained and experienced. There is little perceived need for change or expansion. Limitations may be known, but there is no in-depth evaluation of effectiveness nor is there a sense that any recognized limitations suggest a need for change. There may or may not be some form of routine tracking of prevalence. Community climate generally supports what is occurring.

8. Confirmation/Expansion. There are standard efforts, (activities and policies) in place and authorities or community decision-makers support expanding or improving efforts. Community members appear comfortable in utilizing efforts. Original efforts have been evaluated, modified and new efforts are being planned or tried in order to reach more people, those more at risk, or different demographic groups. Resources for new efforts are being sought or committed. Data are regularly obtained on extent of local problems and efforts are made to assess risk factors and causes of the problem. Due to increased knowledge and desire for improved progress, community climate may challenge specific efforts, but is fundamentally supportive.

9. Professionalization. Detailed and sophisticated knowledge of prevalence, risk factors and causes of the problem exists. Some efforts may be aimed at general populations while others are targeted at specific risk factors and/or high-risk groups. Highly trained staff are running programs or activities, leaders are supportive, and community involvement is high. Effective evaluation is used to test and modify programs, policies or activities. However, community members should continue to hold efforts accountable for meeting community needs, although, fundamentally they are supportive.

Once the scorers have the correct stage scores for each interview dimension, the five interview dimension scores are added and divided to obtain the average for each dimension. These scores become the final six dimension scores. From these scores the organization can develop the appropriate strategies needed to address the issue. There are strategies that have been tested in communities for every level of readiness and each community can modify the strategies for their culture and resources.

The following is a list of strategies for each dimension. These strategies have been used in communities to improve their level of readiness and can be adapted to any type of issue in a community.

1. No Awareness
Goal: To Raise Awareness of the Issue
- One on one visits with community leaders and members
- Visit existing and established small groups to inform them of the issue
- Make one on one phone calls to friends and potential supporters

2. Denial
Goal: Raise Awareness that the Problem or Issue Exists in this Community
- Continue one on one visits and encourage those you’ve talked with to assist
- Discuss descriptive local incidents related to the issue
- Approach and engage local educational/health outreach programs to assist in the effort with flyers, posters, or brochures
- Begin to point out media articles that describe local critical incidents
- Prepare and submit articles for church bulletins, local newsletters, club newsletters, etc.
- Present information to local related community groups

3. Vague Awareness
Goal: Raise Awareness that the Community Can Do Something
- Present information at community events and unrelated community groups
- Post flyers, posters, and billboards
- Begin to initiate your own events (pot lucks, potlatches, etc.) to present information on the issue
- Conduct informal local surveys/interviews with community people by phone or door to door
- Publish newspaper editorials and articles with general information but relate information to local situation

4. Preplanning
Goal: Raise Awareness with Concrete Ideas to Combat Condition
- Introduce information about the issue through presentations and media
- Visit and invest community leaders in the cause
- Review existing efforts in community (curriculum, programs, activities, etc.) to determine who benefits and what the degree of success has been
- Conduct local focus groups to discuss issues and develop strategies
- Increase media exposure through radio and television announcements

5. Preparation
Goal: Gathering Existing Information with which to Plan Strategies
- Conduct school drug and alcohol surveys
- Conduct community surveys
- Sponsor a community picnic to kick off the effort
- Present in-depth local statistics
- Determine and publicize the costs of the problem to the community
- Conduct public forums to develop strategies
- Utilize key leaders and influential people to speak to groups and participate in local radio and television shows

6. Initiation
Goal: Provide Community Specific Information
- Conduct in-service training for professionals and para-professionals
- Plan publicity efforts associated with start-up of program or activity
- Attend meetings to provide updates on progress of the effort
- Conduct consumer interviews to identify service gaps and improve existing services
- Begin library or internet search for resources and/or funding

7. Stabilization
Goal: Stabilize Efforts/Program
- Plan community events to maintain support for the issue
- Conduct training for community professionals
- Conduct training for community members
- Introduce program evaluation through training and newspaper articles
- Conduct quarterly meetings to review progress, modify strategies
- Hold special recognition events for local supporters or volunteers
- Prepare and submit newspaper articles detailing progress and future plans
- Begin networking between service providers, community systems

8. Confirmation/Expansion
Goal: Expand and Enhance Services
- Formalize the networking with Qualified Service Agreements
- Prepare a Community Risk Assessment Profile
- Publish a localized Program Services Directory
- Maintain a comprehensive database
- Develop a local speaker’s bureau
- Begin to initiate policy change through support of local city officials
- Conduct media outreach on specific data trends related to the issue

9. Professionalization
Goal: Maintain Momentum and Continue Growth
- Engage local business community and solicit financial support from them
- Diversify funding resources
- Continue more advanced training of professionals and paraprofessionals
- Continue re-assessment of issue and progress made
- Utilize external evaluation and use feedback for program modification
- Track outcome data for use with future grant requests
- Continue progress reports for benefit of community leaders and local sponsorship