‘Community value assessment’ can be defined as assessment of the value a community organization delivers in return for an investment of community resources. Community value assessment is especially important during times of fiscal austerity when every community organization must justify its existence to funders. A 2011 study published by the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health provides one of the best models we have seen for estimating the costs and benefits of mental health services for children and adults. Although this report is obviously based in Michigan, the framework could be adopted for use at the state and local level in Virginia. Click here to view and download the report.
