1999-2000 Comprehensive Community Assessment

Issue Area Factual Data

 

Issue:

“Self-Sufficiency”

 

 

1.      Poverty and income challenges for single parents 

 

·         Of all female single parent households, 29.9% live in poverty. But of all poverty families, 60% are single parent females. [1]

 

2.      Income distributions of poor and near-poor:

 

Poverty Level

Vand. 1990 Persons

Cumulative

Below 100%

20,016

20,016

100%-150%

14,013

34,029

150%-200%[2]

15,239

49,268

 

 

3.      People seeking community financial supports:  

 

·         In 1990, 48.5% of all low-income households used some form of public assistance (SSI, AFDC, Disability, Trustees) during the year, 51.5% did not. [3] As of December 1999, there were 3,133 persons receiving TANF (Welfare) benefits, representing 15.6% of all low-income people;

·         Approximately 5,800 households access the Emergency Food Pantry system each year[4];

·         Approximately 2,000 people seek financial assistance information each year through the First Call for Help.

 

4.      Mental health problems among the poor:

 

·         Higher income and status help reduce stress and anxiety and related mental disorders, but depression is common in all groups. [5]

 

5.      Percent of population with work disability:

 

Ages 16-41 with a work disability

8.5%

Ages 65+ with a work disability

14.4%

 

 

6.      Family dysfunction:

 

 

7.      Need for higher education:

 

·         U.S. Graduation Rates:[8]

 

 

1960

1998

High School Graduates

41%

83%

College Graduates

8%

24%

 

 

 

U.S. 1998

Data

Less than High School

High School Graduates

Less than Bachelor Degree

College

Graduate

Annual Unemployment Rate

 

 

8.5%

 

 

4.8%

 

 

3.6%

 

 

1.8%

        

 

 

8.      Attitudes regarding welfare and working mothers: [11]

 

Percent Agreeing

Below 200% of Poverty

Above 200% of Poverty

Welfare makes people work less than if there weren’t a welfare system

 

 

73.5%

 

 

81.1%

A working mother can establish just as warm and secure a relationship with her children

 

 

75.0%

 

 

79.4%

When children are young, mothers should not work outside the home

 

 

53.3%

 

 

46.7%

 



[1] US Census Bureau, Abstract of Federal Statistics, 1999

[2] Approximates current median income ($33,067), U.S. Census Estimates for Median Household   Income for Indiana 1995.

[3] US Census Bureau, Lookup, 1990

[4] First Call for Help, 2000

[5] Social Problems, Coleman & Cressey,1999

 

[6] U.S. Census, 1990

[7] New York Times, 11/28/99

[8] Statistical Abstract of US, 1999

[9] Ibid

[10] Labor Statistics, Monthly Labor Review, 1997

[11] National Survey of America’s Families, 1997

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