Form Follow-Up Phone In Follow-Up Phone In Follow-Up Phone Interview Guide

OMB No. xxxx-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/20xx

SAMHSA DTAC State/Territory Needs Assessment Study:

Follow-Up Phone Interview Guide

Interview Information

Date:

Time:

Interviewee Name, State/Territory, Title:

Interviewer:

Note-Taker:

Introduction

• Introduce self as [NAME], a member of the SAMHSA DTAC Survey Team, and [SCRIBE’S NAME], a colleague on the SAMHSA DTAC Survey Team.

• SAMHSA DTAC refers to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC).

• Thank you participating in our study. Your opinions are very important to SAMHSA. This interview will take up to an hour to complete.

• Overview of Needs Assessment Study:

  • The goal of the study is to gather information on the current needs of states, territories, federally recognized tribes, local organizations, and agencies as they integrate DBH into all-hazards disaster planning and response.

  • The study has so far included an initial administration in 2011–2012, a recent survey of state and territory coordinators and local providers, and the current qualitative followup interviews. This interview is part of a qualitative follow up to the recent online Needs Assessment Survey.

  • Data we collect will be shared with SAMHSA and used to improve the training and technical assistance provided by SAMHSA DTAC, which may include tailoring resources to specific needs, providing resources in the most useful formats, and creating new resources to fill any gaps.

    • Emphasize that participation is voluntary and that privacy and confidentiality will be maintained:

• Your participation in this session is voluntary.

• If you would prefer to end the interview at any time, you are free to do so.

• We treat the information you share as confidential. That means we will protect your confidentiality to the extent allowable by law. We will not reveal the names of study participants and no information will be publicly reported that can identify you.

• Your name will not be linked to your answers or to any comments you make during the discussion. Only cleared SAMHSA DTAC research team members will have access to the study data, and only aggregate-level findings will be reported.

  • We typically audio record these interviews, in order to make sure that we don’t miss any of your important feedback. I will only use the recording as a backup check as I read through the call notes to ensure that we’ve captured everything. Is it okay with you if I start recording the call now? [IF YES, BEGIN RECORDING CALL; IF NO, SAY YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AND WILL NOT RECORD THE PHONE INTERVIEW].

Warm Up

I’d like to start with a few general questions before getting into those related to your DBH needs.

1. Tell me a little bit about your job and how it relates to disaster behavioral health.

Probes:

• What is your job title?

• Do you work in behavioral health, or mostly in either substance abuse or mental health?

• What is your experience in DBH preparation? Response?

2. What is your familiarity with SAMHSA DTAC?

Probes:

• To what degree have you interacted with SAMHSA DTAC in the past?

• Please describe your understanding of what SAMHSA DTAC does (the services it offers).

• Interviewer: If necessary, provide overview of SAMHSA DTAC: SAMHSA provides disaster technical assistance, training, and consultation to help disaster behavioral health professionals plan for and respond effectively to mental health and substance abuse needs following a disaster. SAMHSA supports all-hazards disaster behavioral health preparedness, response, and recovery through informed, targeted technical assistance to reduce the effects disasters can bring to communities, families, and individuals.

General Needs

3. What are your two biggest challenges right now in this role?

Probes:

• What is your greatest need related to DBH planning right now?

• Thinking back to the most recent disaster in your state or territory, what was your greatest DBH response need at that time? How did you meet that need? Would this need still exist if another disaster were to occur in the near future?

4. What support would you like SAMHSA DTAC to provide to you as far as training and technical assistance that would assist you in overcoming these challenges?

Probes:

• Related to DBH preparation and planning?

• Related to DBH response?

• [INSERT PROBES SPECIFIC TO SURVEY FINDINGS]

Specific Needs Identified in Survey

I now have a few questions regarding needs that were identified in the most recent survey that we’d like to hear a little bit more detail about.

5. [INSERT TOP NEED IDENTIFIED IN SURVEYS] was identified in the survey as an area of need. Can you tell me a little bit more about this?

Probes:

• [PROBES WILL BE DESIGNED BASED ON NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN SURVEY]

6. [INSERT TOP NEED IDENTIFIED IN SURVEYS] was also a theme among survey responses. [INSERT QUESTION RELATED TO NEED HERE]

Probes:

• [PROBES WILL BE DESIGNED BASED ON NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN SURVEY]

7. Are there any specific populations that are difficult to reach or challenging to work with (Interviewer probe if needed: rural areas, tribal communities, for example)? How do you think SAMHSA DTAC can help you with preparation and communication with these populations?

8. The results in our most recent survey showed that collaboration between various groups is also often a challenge. In what ways do you collaborate with other government and non-government organizations in preparing for and responding to disaster behavioral health needs?

Probes:

• How would you rate the communication between local providers and state (territory)-level government in your state (territory)? In what ways is it working well? And in what ways is it not working so well?

• How about communication with local government and other authorities? What’s working well and not so well?

• How about your communication with federal-level government?

• Based upon your experience, to what extent do you feel that DBH is included in disaster preparedness? Is it included in drills and other preparedness plans and exercises?

Wrap Up

9. In general, how do you think SAMHSA DTAC could increase awareness of its services among you and your colleagues?

10. Anything else you would like to share with us with regards to your challenges and needs related to being a [local DBH provider]/[DBH/MH/SA coordinator], or ideas for how SAMHSA DTAC can help?

Thank you again for taking the time to discuss your DBH needs with SAMHSA!

SAMHSA DTAC Needs Assessment – Follow-Up Phone Interview Guide 4