1999-2000 Comprehensive
Community Assessment
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