Local agencies sponsor survey

Using a combination of government and private sector nonprofit funding, a coalition of local health, education and social service organizations has plans to conduct a study of social service needs in the Valley.

Mat-Su Agency Partnership (MSAP), a local coalition with members such as Valley Hospital and the United Way of Mat-Su, has contracted with McDowell Group Inc., a consulting firm to conduct a community needs assessment of the Mat-Su Borough, according to an MSAP press release.

This assessment has several components, including a household survey and a business survey. The McDowell Group will be contacting Valley homes and businesses during the next few weeks asking residents and professionals to complete a telephone survey. The surveys are part of an ongoing effort to obtain accurate information for use in future planning, according to MSAP. Responses are confidential and will be reported as group totals only.

McDowell Group will also solicit longer interviews with "key informants" in the community. Sammye Pokryfki, executive director of United Way of Mat-Su, said key informants are people attuned to social services, some by virtue of their profession.

"They might interview someone from law enforcement, someone from social services and someone from government," Pokryfki said. Although health care is a part of the survey, the survey looks at other community issues as well, according to Pokryfki -- including such issues as how to get gainful employment, transportation, recreational facilities, cultural activities and education and volunteerism.

The needs assessment will be conducted using a United Way survey that was pilot tested in 15 communities around the nation, according to Pokryfki, who said the pilot testing was done in communities of varying sizes.

MSAP is an unincorporated nonprofit originally designed so that various Valley agencies could get together to identify needs, share resources and eliminate duplication of services.

MSAP is asking Valley residents to take a few minutes to complete the survey if they are contacted by McDowell Group. The MSAP press release said that it's important to gather responses even from people who don't use community services that are currently available in the Mat-Su Borough. The press release also included the words "please" and "thank you in advance."

Prokryfki said earlier this week that McDowell Group had complete 373 out of 500 residential surveys already.

"The household survey is ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of this month," Prokryfki said. McDowell Group plans to survey 60 to 75 businesses during the month of June.

Financial support for the project has been provided by the city of Palmer, city of Wasilla, Mat-Su Borough, State of Alaska Division of Public Health, Rasmuson Foundation, Phillips Alaska Inc., Valley Healthy Communities Program, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and members of the Mat-Su Agency Partnership. United Way of Mat-Su serves as process manager.

For additional information, contact Pokryfki at 373-5821.