Program Development and Service Delivery

Program Development and Service Delivery

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Academic Institution

Program Development and Service Delivery

When developing a program and service delivery, there are many important things to consider. In this paper, I will briefly address how client needs influence the design of a mental health program for low-income persons; identify models, methods and principles of program development and service deliver; describe how the applications of principles, models and needs assessment results drive program modifications; and, describe how finance, administration, and accountability influence mental health service access and quality.

How Client Needs Influence the Design of a Mental Health Program

In an identified low-income population, such as homeless, the needs of the population typically influence the design of a mental health program. According to Erford, if a needs assessment is correctly designed and utilized effectively, “translating the into goals and learning objectives is easy” (2014, Chapter 15). In other words, if the clients’ needs are considered from the beginning, and measured appropriately, the task of developing goals for the client will be a simpler process. For example, if an assessment of homeless clients reveals a programmatic need for growing academic and career-based goals, a mental health program can be implemented that addresses clients needs to learn appropriate social skills that might enable them to return to school or career-ready classes.

Another example of how clients needs would influence the design of a mental health program, is if an assessment reveals than many of the clients’ possess a low-level of organizational skills, which hinder their abilities to improve their mental health and life, it would be important to include in the program design goals and objectives that would help the clients better their organizational skills. By identifying the needs of clients through effective needs assessment, and determining “when...