This chapter helps the reader to understand what a needs assessment is and be acquainted with a framework within which to conduct a needs assessment. and to be familiar with the core concepts of a needs assessment. It helps the reader to be familiar with strategies that encompass a needs assessment. Needs assessments can be carried out by a wide cast of people. Social workers and public health workers, as well as city planners, can carry out needs assessments, as can government organizations. Local citizens or groups of people can also be responsible for carrying out a needs assessment. The chapter provides an overview of strategies to develop a needs assessment. When used in combination with a health behavior framework, a needs assessment can help one determine the needs of a community and attempt to build community support for this resource or policy change through media advocacy and coalition building.

This chapter briefly discusses the history of the Caregiver Support Act and its specific components and explains how the Caregiver Support Act provides resources to older adults and people with disabilities. It provides an overview of the current status of family members serving as caregivers, with special attention to grandparents raising grandchildren. It then discusses a current profile of relative caregivers raising children in the United States; reasons for the increase in relative caregiving; and issues facing grandparents raising grandchildren. It also provides some background into the literature and promotes an awareness of issues that grandparents face as primary caregivers. A literature review examines some of the current issues and services needed. The chapter discusses resources and services designed to meet the needs of grandparents raising grandchildren, and reviews programmatic responses through the national resources. Finally, the chapter outlines some best practice interventions for review in the text.

This chapter helps the reader to understand the history of the legislation related to substance use and misuse. It provides specific components of the Controlled Substances Act. The chapter discusses how legislation related to substance use and misuse provides resources to older adults and people with disabilities. Since substance use/misuse is often perceived as “blaming the victim”, models of care and rehabilitation are often not taken into serious consideration. Prevention, screening, detection, and intervention strategies to meet the needs of baby boomers as they age will be another challenge. Evidence suggests that substance use has been on the rise for the population in general among people living in the community. The chapter reviews programs and services and issues. The chapter concludes by laying out some challenges for the future in the area of substance use and abuse among older adults and people with disabilities.