Community Action Partnership 2018...2016 ACS Total Population, 2000 Census Population Change from...

Community Action Partnership

2018 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Counties Include: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai,

Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone in Idaho and Asotin County, Washington.

Community Action Partnership – Needs Assessment 2018

Table of Contents

1. Community Action Partnership Mission & Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3. Focus Group Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

4. Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

5. Definitions & Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6. Key Findings: Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7. Key Findings: Income & Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

8. Key Findings: Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

9. Key Findings: Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

10. Key Findings: Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

11. Key Findings: Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

12. Theory of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

13. Appendix A: Participant Survey Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

14. Appendix B: Focus Group Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39


Our Mission: Community Action Partnership is a catalyst for building relationships that inspire and equip people to end poverty in our community.

Our Vision: Community Action Partnership envisions our community working together to end poverty. We envision a community where all people...

• are equipped to achieve their potential; • have sufficient resources, relationships and meaning in their lives to thrive; • are valued and able to meet their own needs by utilizing their talents, potential and

passions.

COMMUNITY ACTION PROMISE Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.


Acknowledgements

Your Voice Matters!

A big Thank You to the 214 under-resourced community members from eleven counties who completed 16 pages of questions sharing the most pressing needs in the community based on their experiences! Thank you to our community partners for engaging in thought-provoking conversations that brought forward the most pressing needs in their community, identifying which programs are currently available to meet those needs, and what is still needed. Thank You to the entire Community Services department for conducting focus groups, distributing surveys, and completing data entry of those surveys into our survey database. Thank You to Natasha Carcas, Jamie Kearney, and Tina Oneyear for organizing the data from the participant surveys into a usable format. Thank you to Kristin Schmidt for researching the issue areas and digging deeper into the data to understand the needs. Thank you to CAP’s, Executive Director, Lisa Stoddard, for her vision, expertise and leadership. CAP staff members who conducted community-based focus groups with CAP’s Community Engagement Director and many members of the CAP Board of Directors:

Location Staff

Benewah County Cindy Mottern

Bonner County Shirley Paulison

Boundary County Liz Bigsby

Idaho County Heather McFrederick

Kootenai County Kim Spencer

Latah County Jenifer Womack Clearwater County Tami Plank

Lewis County Luann Howard

Nez Perce & Asotin County Natasha Carcas, Jamie Kearney, Jesse Quintana, Kristin Schmidt

Shoshone County Michael Basile

CAP Board of Directors Michael Banks, Casey Holcomb-Hawkes, Brad Holifield, Brent Lyles, Barbara Miller


Partners participating in focus groups from an 11-county area included, but are not limited to:

Alert Property Management ALICE Task Force Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse Area Agency on Aging – CAP – North Central Idaho Area Agency on Aging – North Idaho Banner Bank – St. Marie’s Benewah County Bonner County HR Task Force Bonner Homeless Transitions Boundary County Hospital CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocate CCFF – Community Coalition for Families -Boundary County Coeur d’Alene First Presbyterian Church Coeur d’Alene Tribe Child Care Resource Center City of Bonners Ferry Clearwater County Economic Development Clearwater County Social Services Community Action Partnership Board of Directors Community Thrift Dept. of Health and Welfare Dept. of Labor – Sandpoint Emergency Feeding Org. Family Promise First Baptist Church Free Methodist Church Hayden Lake Rotary Head Start

Holy Trinity Hope House ICARE Child Development Program Idaho Dept. of Corrections JSD 171 – Orofino Elementary School Kootenai Electric Cooperative Kids Klub Kiwanis KROC Center KYRA Youth Sports Lewis Clark Early Childhood Program Lewis County Emergency Planning Lions Club Mt. States Early Head Start Mt. West Bank Moscow Food Bank Nez Perce Tribe North Idaho College North Idaho College – Head Start Panhandle Health Presbyterian Church Real Life Church Sandpoint Community Resource Center Shoshone County Crisis and Response Center Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce Sojourners Alliance Spokane Veterans Center St. Marie’s School District St. Vincent DePaul Trinity Group Home Twin County United Way Valley Medical Center Wells Fargo YWCA

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

- Franklin D. Roosevelt


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY FINDINGS

The 2018 Community Action Partnership Community Needs Assessment, or CNA, was conducted by the

Community Services Department between May and August of 2018. As a recipient of Community Services

Block Grant funding (for both Idaho and Washington programs) this assessment is not only required but

also identified as a best practice in understanding the most impactful way to meet the needs of those who

lack the resources to thrive. Direct feedback from people and households with low incomes in our service

area was collected through a comprehensive 16 page, 52 - question survey. (Appendix A) The survey was

open the month of July 2018 and distributed in each of our 10 offices located across our service area. In

addition, the data and demographics for Asotin County, Washington often mirror those of Nez Perce

County, Idaho more closely than the rest of the State of Washington. When appropriate, Asotin County

data and demographics are referenced separately. More often, they are included as part and parcel of

the rest of CAP’s service area in Idaho.

In July and August of 2018, a cross-section of community members, service providers and policy makers attended focus groups where questions were posed to identify the challenges facing under-resourced children and families in our service area. Discussions were robust and provided insight and validity to the work Community Action has dedicated time and funding towards. As a result of this process, (surveys and focus groups) the following six needs were clearly identified as the most crucial in CAP’s service area, ranked in order of importance:

1. Affordable Housing/Housing Assistance 2. Income/Employment 3. Food Assistance 4. Transportation 5. Health Care Services (especially Mental Health services) 6. Education

Overwhelmingly, housing and living wage employment received the greatest specificity and focus regarding the types of assistance required and even greater attention during focus group discussions. To ensure that the work done by CAP is meeting the needs of the people in our communities as fully as possible, a cycle of assessment, planning, implementation, analysis of results and evaluation to improve outcomes is conducted. This Community Needs Assessment report for 2018 is the first step in CAP’s cycle of managing for results. The information gleaned through surveys of current program participants, community focus groups, and insights from CAP’s staff and Board members will guide the next steps in our ongoing process of planning, implementing, analyzing results and evaluating for improvement. As this needs assessment informs CAP’s work, it can hopefully serve as a tool for developing a shared understanding of the issues of poverty, creating a shared vision for how to address those issues, and guiding a coordinated and improved response to the needs it identifies.


DEFINITIONS

Throughout this report, some of the needs assessment data will include “households in poverty” which

commonly refers to households whose income is at 100% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. Income at

100% of the federal poverty level in 2018 is $12,140 annual gross income ($1011 monthly) for a single

person. For a family of four, income at 100% of the federal poverty line is $25,100 annual gross income

($2019 monthly). CAP income eligibility requirements typically fall between 125% of Federal Poverty level

for individuals served under Community Services Block Grant guidelines and 200% of Federal Poverty Level

for some individuals receiving weatherization services. Because CAP chooses to define poverty as a lack

of resources, “under-resourced community members” is the phrase used most often in this report to

describe individuals living in poverty.

SERVICE AREA

Location: Serving 11 counties total, Community Action Partnership’s service area is the ten northern most counties in Idaho and Asotin county in WA.

Boundary County, ID

Bonner County, ID

Kootenai County, ID

Benewah County, ID

Shoshone County, ID

Latah County, ID

Clearwater County, ID

Nez Perce County, ID

Lewis County, ID

Idaho County, ID

Asotin County, WA


DEMOGRAPHIC DATA Population Profile: Population change within the report area from 2000-2016 is shown below. During the fourteen-year period, total population estimates for the report area grew by 17.28 percent, increasing from 299,417 persons in 2000 to 351,171 persons in 2016. According to the American Community Survey through the US Census Bureau (2012-2016) the 5-year population estimates for the report area, the female population comprised 50.37% of the report area, while the male population represented 49.63%.

Report Area Total Population, 2016 ACS

Total Population, 2000 Census

Population Change from 2000-2016 Census/ACS

Percent Change from 2000-2016 Census/ACS

Report Location 351,171 299,417 51,754 17.28%

Benewah County 9,068 9,171 -103 -1.12%

Bonner County 41,389 36,835 4,554 12.36%

Boundary County 11,141 9,871 1,270 12.87%

Clearwater County 8,528 8,930 -402 -4.5%

Idaho County 16,251 15,511 740 4.77%

Kootenai County 147,716 108,685 39,031 35.91%

Latah County 38,593 34,935 3,658 10.47%

Lewis County 3,826 3,747 79 2.11%

Nez Perce County 39,995 37,410 2,585 6.91%

Shoshone County 12,551 13,771 -1,220 -8.86%

Asotin County 22,113 20,551 1,562 7.6%

Idaho 1,635,483 1,293,953 341,530 26.39%

Washington 7,073,146 5,894,121 1,179,025 20%

United States 318,558,162 281,421,906 37,136,256 13.2%

Note: This indicator is compared to the highest state average. Data Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. US Census Bureau, Decennial Census. 2012-16. Source geography: CountyShow more details

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/

http://www.census.gov/

https://cap.engagementnetwork.org/assessment-tool/?REPORT=%7B%22indicator%22%3A%5B0%2C1%2C2%2C4%2C5%2C7%2C8%2C9%2C10%2C11%2C12%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%5D%2C%22name%22%3A%22Community%20Action%20Partnership%20Report%22%2C%22contentId%22%3A%22%23cdt-report-content%22%2C%22output%22%3A%7B%22countylist%22%3Atrue%2C%22map%22%3Atrue%2C%22breakout%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22location%22%3A%7B%22key%22%3A%22county%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22county%22%2C%22show_county%22%3Atrue%2C%22id%22%3A%5B%2216009%22%2C%2216017%22%2C%2216021%22%2C%2216035%22%2C%2216049%22%2C%2216055%22%2C%2216057%22%2C%2216069%22%2C%2216079%22%2C%2216061%22%2C%2253003%22%5D%2C%22name%22%3A%5B%22Benewah%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Bonner%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Boundary%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Clearwater%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Idaho%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Kootenai%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Latah%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Nez%20Perce%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Shoshone%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Lewis%20County%2C%20ID%22%2C%22Asotin%20County%2C%20WA%22%5D%7D%7D


ECONOMIC DATA Note: This indicator is compared to the lowest state average. Data Source: US Census Bureau, Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates. 2016. Source geography: County

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html


Population by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender MALE


Population by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender FEMALE


POPULATION IN POVERTY BY RACE The population in Figure 4 indicates that there is a range of variances within each race for individuals living in poverty. People of races other than white in our service area are generally more likely to be living in poverty. Figure 4. POPULATION IN POVERTY BY GENDER The population in Figure 5 indicates that no matter the location, there is a higher rate of women living in poverty than men.

Figure 5.

Community member survey results:


A total of 214 surveys were completed and returned from under-resourced individuals who are currently receiving services provided by one of CAP’s 10 offices. (Please note that the small percentage of respondents from Lewis county is due to the fact that the office in Kamiah is located on the Lewis and Idaho county border.) The survey indicates that the majority of the individuals completing it were between the ages of 24-44 years or 55-69 years – which was a close second. The charts listing household composition and race/ethnicity indicate primarily a single person household and a majority of the individuals being Caucasian or white.


KEY FINDINGS from participant surveys and focus groups 1. Housing

Affordable housing continues to be one of the top needs identified by program participant and focus group respondents in CAP’s service area. Specific needs identified are the need for more affordable rental housing units, the need for housing options for special populations (offenders, poor credit), and the need for transitional housing for single adults. Not only is there a need for more affordable housing, but for available housing in general. In many of the rural communities in CAP’s service area, available housing was as difficult to find as affordable housing. There is also a HUGE need for move-in cost assistance for security deposits and application fees. On average, over 39% of survey respondents reported they are unable to find affordable housing to purchase, while 32% reported they are unable to find affordable housing to rent. A benchmark for affordable housing is 30% of income. Families who pay more than 30% of their income for housing are considered “cost burdened” and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical bills. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment anywhere in the U.S. (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). “Housing wage” – the hourly wage a household with a single full-time worker must earn in order to afford the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom unit at 30% of their household income. In CAP’s service area the “housing wages” by county are listed below: Boundary $13.85

Bonner $15.10

Kootenai $16.31

Shoshone $13.44

Benewah $13.42

Latah $14.06

Nez Perce/Asotin $14.94

Clearwater $14.13

Idaho $13.40

Lewis $1.340


The Prosperity Now Scorecard for Idaho reports that 45.9% of Idaho renters are “housing cost burdened.” While 25.1% of Idaho homeowners are “housing cost-burdened” and 51% of mortgage loans issued in Idaho are in foreclosure. (Source: Prosperity Now Scorecard

scorecard.prosperitynow.org) As indicated in the first question below, which is data from the participant survey, the choice between covering basic needs and paying for rent is a difficult decision and one that many of CAP’s under-resourced community members have had to make. Due to long waitlists for Section 8 housing vouchers and not enough federal rental assistance funding, the support is not meeting the need. In fact, most Idaho renters in need receive no assistance at all. For every assisted household in Idaho, nearly three times more low-income households are homeless or pay more than half their income for rent and do not receive any federal rental assistance due to limited funding. When housing costs consume more than half of household income, low-income families are at greater risk of becoming homeless. (Source: Center on Budget Policy and Priorities,

March 2017)

Housing specific survey results from participants:

Have any of the following housing situations happened to you in the last 12 months?

Answer Choices Responses

Shared housing with another household to prevent being homeless 36.43% 51

Had to choose between paying rent OR paying for other basic needs 72.86% 102

Have had to move multiple times 34.29% 48

Was homeless for a week or less 21.43% 30

Was homeless for a more than a week 29.29% 41

Was evicted from my home 10.71% 15

Stayed in shelter or transitional housing (including motel vouchers)? 13.57% 19

Other housing problems? (please describe) 27.86% 39

Answered 140

Skipped 74

Do you receive financial help with your rent or house payment from a government or agency program? Answer Choices Responses Yes 17.07% 35 No 80.98% 166 Don't Know 1.95% 4

Answered 205

Skipped 9


Which best describes the place where you are living this week? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Answer Choices Responses Rental Housing 51.42% 109 Live in a home that I/we own 31.60% 67 Sharing a home with another household 8.96% 19 Transitional or emergency shelter 1.89% 4 Employer provided housing 0.47% 1 I am homeless - Please skip to Q7 5.66% 12

Answered 212 Skipped 2

2. Income/Employment

The level of income defines whether a person or household is considered to be living in poverty, and employment is broadly viewed as the primary means of obtaining and increasing income. As of August 2018, Idaho’s unemployment rate was 2.9%, while nationally the unemployment rate was 3.9%. In CAP’s service area, two distinct labor markets exist. One, the northern Idaho Panhandle, is comprised of Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah Counties. The other, the North Central Idaho region, is comprised of Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis and Idaho Counties. And, although located in separate states, with just a river dividing Asotin County, Washington and Nez Perce County, their economies are closely tied enough to really be considered one and the same. For the northern Idaho Panhandle, the unemployment rate for July 2018 was 3.8%. For the North Central region (including Asotin County), the unemployment rate was 3.1%, putting both regions in CAP’s service area above the statewide unemployment rate of 2.9% for the same timeframe. (Source: Idaho Department of Labor) In the area of employment in CAP’s rural communities, three challenges emerged from the focus groups. The first was that there are very few or not enough professional jobs/careers that encouraged skilled community members to return or stay in their hometown after college aka: brain drain. The second was that even if someone decided to stay in the area, wages were not comparable enough to retain the skilled workers. The third issue was access to reliable internet service which pushed out employers that relied heavily on consistent technology. Often those employers provided many good paying jobs with varying levels of education required, allowing for many levels of skill to be eligible for positions.

In addition to skilled workers needing higher wages, professional development opportunities and

professional networks, those skilled workers also wanted strong educational opportunities for

their children. As employment is directly tied to income, a number of other forces contribute to

the needs associated with income in CAP’s service area. In 2016, the per capita income in the

nation (calculated by dividing the total income of all people 15 years old and over in a geographic

area) was $49,246. In the State of Idaho in 2016, per capita income was $39,470. But in CAP’s

service area, the per capita income was $38,193 in both the northern Idaho Panhandle and in the

North Central region. (Source: Idaho Department of Labor)

So, while many Idaho residents are working, incomes continue to remain too low to cover basic

needs. 27% of jobs in Idaho are low wage jobs and 7.2% of Idaho workers are underemployed.


(Source: Prosperity Now) Idaho ranked 49th – from highest to lowest – out of the 50 states in

wages which means that CAP customers are working in jobs that pay much below the average.

CAP survey respondents were asked to select which one best describes their current type of

primary income. This graph

tells us that nearly 53% of our

respondents are working or

self-employed but also 64%

of our respondents receive

Social Security, SSI or SSDI as

a primary source of income.

Typically, individuals

receiving Social Security

benefits are elderly and/or

disabled and are often

unable to meet their basic

needs with the income they

receive from these benefits.

3. Nutrition

The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as the lack of “consistent, dependable access to enough food for active healthy living.” According to a 2018 report issued by The Idaho Foodbank, 221,800 people in Idaho are food insecure. Of those food insecure people in Idaho, 72,840 are children. The health effects of hunger and food insecurity in children are associated with more psychosocial problems; more frequent colds, ear infections, anemia, asthma, and headaches; impaired cognitive functions; and poorer academic achievement. (Source: WA State Department of Health: Food Insecurity and Hunger) This report is supported by the results of CAP’s survey of participants. Of the 214 individuals completing participant/client surveys, 33% of respondents indicated that they had gone hungry because they were not able to get enough food, 67% indicated that they had skipped or cut back on the size of their meals because there wasn’t enough money for food, and 87% indicated that they used food assistance services such as food stamps, food banks or other programs that helped with food or food costs.

In the last 12 months, have you or anyone in your home gone hungry because you were not able to get enough food?

Answer Choices

Yes 32.69% 68

No 67.31% 140

Answered 208

Skipped 6

Responses

In the last 12 months, have you or

Here is a list of common sources of household income. Which of these has been a source of income for anyone in your home during the last 12 months? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Answer Choices

Wages or income from a job 43.63% 89

Self-employed or family business 9.31% 19

VA Benefits 2.94% 6

Social Security (Retirement) 19.61% 40

SSI 22.06% 45

SSDI 22.55% 46

Worker's Comp 1.47% 3

TANF 3.92% 8

Unemployment Insurance 1.96% 4

Child Support 6.37% 13

Pension 1.96% 4

Investment Income 0.00% 0

Other (please specify) 8.33% 17

Answered 204

Skipped 10

Responses


CAP survey respondents:

4. Transportation

Transportation in CAP’s mostly rural service area is an issue that cannot be solved by looking at many urban solutions. Even where public transit is available (in larger communities like Lewiston and Coeur d’Alene), there are significant barriers to people using it if they must be at a specific place at a specific time and public transit is limited or not available during evenings and weekend, impacting those with late or weekend work shifts. Lack of available, and/or affordable transportation options is often a barrier to obtaining and maintaining a job, attending an education or training program, access to healthy food, and access to health and other services. Because of the high cost of transportation, it is often unreliable (no money for gas, needed car repairs, etc.) or shared with others (reliant on the schedules and resources of others). In 2015, the average price for a gallon of regular fuel in Idaho exceeded the national average by nearly $.29, currently in 2018 the Idaho price per gallon exceeds it by $.39. (Source: AAA Daily Fuel Gauge

Report)

Nearly 48% of respondents to our survey indicated a car works best for them for transportation because no other service is available, or routes and/or times of available service don’t work for their schedules. 70% of respondents reported transportation problems such as no transportation or services where participant needed to go had no bus stops close to

Yes No

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

In the last 12 months, have you or anyone in your home…Skipped or cut

back on the size of your meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

Responses

If the bus or public transit does not work for your household, why not? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Answer Choices

Prefer to use a car 47.31% 88

No service where I am going 37.63% 70

No bus stop close to home 39.25% 73

Bus times or days do not work for me 15.59% 29

Can't afford cost of bus fare 11.83% 22

A physical or mental disability 13.98% 26

Other (please specify) 9.68% 18

Answered 186

Skipped 28

Responses


home. The chart above details the transportation issues shared by those responding to CAP’s survey.

5. Health Care

Community partner focus groups provided the deepest insight into this issue, sharing about the gaps in mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and the lack of dental and medical providers in our region who will take under-resourced patients, many of whom have Medicaid as a form of payment. Focus group participants shared that in many of the rural communities there was no available crisis support for mental health or substance abuse issues other than calling 911. There seem to be several factors, not simply limited availability of primary care physicians, contributing to why people who needed care didn’t receive care:

• 45% said medical care cost too much.

• 62% stated dental care cost too much.

• 41% stated that prescriptions cost too much

• 40% reported that a lack of medical insurance was a barrier.

• 50% respondents reported lack of dental insurance was a barrier.

• 65% of surveyed said there were too many other things their household needed so resources couldn’t be spent on health care.

• 32% of respondents would place other expenses as a priority over dental care

Of the 214 under-resourced community members surveyed, 25% had no insurance, 40% had State assisted medical or Medicaid, 38 % receive Medicare, 20% reported other forms of insurance, and 5% are self-insured. Even if an individual has coverage, it does not mean that it is easy or relatively convenient to access those providers. Many health care providers, especially dental offices, have stopped providing services for individuals receiving Medicaid, leaving one provider to serve a lot

Yes No

42.00%

44.00%

46.00%

48.00%

50.00%

52.00%

54.00%

56.00%

Was there a time during the past 12 months when anyone in your household needed medical, dental, mental health

care, prescription medication, or drug/alcohol treatment but did not get

it?

Responses


of people, which results in appointment scheduling that inhibits the use of the provider. Because of the limited number of providers, specialists are often difficult to locate, and significant distances need to be traveled to see that professional. So, if an under-resourced community

member does not have gas or a car, accessing those services is next to impossible. (Data Source:

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. US Census Bureau, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates. 2016.

Source geography) While the majority of under-resourced individuals do receive some form of health coverage, an under-resourced adult who is not covered by an employer and is not eligible for state funded health care, typically does not have the means to go to the doctor. Even with offices that provide sliding-scale or various payment options, uninsured adults that do not have the ability to pay any amount for a visit to a health care professional forces them to go without health care services for even emergencies, let alone preventive care.

6. Education

Less than half (43.7%) of Idaho students go directly from high school to higher education and only 40.1% of Idahoans 18-24 years old are enrolled in higher education, despite the fact that 90.3% graduate from high school (Source: National Information Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis) Idahoans who obtain an Associate’s degree increase their annual income by $6,368. An important conversation tied to employment and employee retention happened in many of the communities during the focus groups. Community members and employers alike were meriting the benefits of professional development opportunities for individuals working in jobs that typically didn’t offer that as a benefit. Unfortunately, many offices who may have the ability to teach soft-skills classes simply do not have the capacity to provide such a service at this time.

While 18% of those community members who took the survey have received an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree almost as many have less than a High School diploma. A common requirement for most employers is a High School diploma or equivalent, therefore, many employers will not even consider an individual who does not meet the minimum requirement. In many of our rural communities, the opportunity for adults to receive their GED is unavailable unless they were willing to travel, which in itself was a previously identified barrier for outlying communities.

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Answer Choices Responses Don't know 0.96% 2 Less than high school diploma 15.31% 32 High School graduate 22.49% 47 GED or High School Equivalency 13.88% 29 Vocational or trade school 7.66% 16 Some College (or still in college) 20.57% 43 Two-year degree 10.05% 21 Four-year degree or more 8.13% 17 Other (please specify) 0.96% 2 Answered 209 Skipped 5

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/

http://www.census.gov/did/www/sahie/


Less than half (43.7%) of Idaho students go directly from high school to higher education and only 40.1% of Idahoans 18-24 years old are enrolled in higher education, despite the fact that 90.3% graduate from high school (Source: National Information Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis) On average, Idahoans who obtain an Associate’s degree increase their annual income by $6,368 and Idahoans who obtain a Bachelor’s degree increase their annual income by $16,500. Of Idaho’s top 20 “Hot Jobs” projected by 2024 all but two will require a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

Community Action Partnership’s Theory of Change Idaho is an active participant in an innovative effort with Oregon and Washington to identify key indicators which demonstrate the impact of Community Action at the local, state and regional level. These indicators measure how our members stabilize and equip low-income individuals to exit poverty. These indicators are currently being tested and we're learning how to effectively leverage the data we collect in order to improve our communication and to target resources more efficiently. Operating under this Theory of Change, CAP seeks to provide services, develop projects and create initiatives that help under-resourced community members insure that they are basic needs secure and that they are employable, have sufficient resources and are resilient in the face of the difficult task of exiting poverty. All of CAP’s work is strengthened in communities where others share our vision, are engaged in our mission and are working together to ensure that resources fully support everyone in the community. Below is a graphic which represents how Community Action's activities at the local level have an impact on individuals, families and the entire community.

Fall Out Costs: 1. For every year of school finished beyond high school, wages increase by 10-20%. 2. Idahoans who end their education with high school can expect to earn half of what

those with a 4-year degree earn. 3. States with higher educational attainment statistics tend to have higher per capita

incomes.


APPENDIX A – Participant Survey 2018

2018 Community Needs Survey Community Action Partnership needs your VOICE! Please help us by completing this 46-question survey (which may take only 15-20 minutes) and you will be entered in our drawing for a VISA gift card up to $100. The goal of this survey is to help us give you the resources you need. *Please answer both the front and back of each page. Thank you in advance for your time and support! __________________________________________________________________________________________ HOUSING Please circle yes or no. Q1. Have any of the following housing situations happened to you in the last 12 months?

Shared housing with another household to prevent being homeless Yes No Had to choose between paying rent OR paying for other basic needs Yes No Have had to move multiple times Yes No Was homeless for a week or less Yes No Was homeless for a more than a week Yes No Was evicted from my home Yes No Stayed in shelter or transitional housing (including motel vouchers) Yes No Other housing problems? (please describe) Yes No ____________________________________

Q2. Which best describes the place where you are living this week? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Rental housing

Live in home that I/we own

Sharing a home with another household

Transitional or emergency shelter

Employer-provided housing

I am homeless PLEASE SKIP TO Q7

Q3. What is your monthly payment for housing?

Don’t know

If in OWNER housing Mortgage payment per MONTH $________ per MONTH

If in RENTAL housing Rent payment per MONTH $________ per MONTH

Q4. Do you receive financial help with your rent or house payment from a government or agency program?

Yes

No

_ Don’t know Q5. Do any of these housing problems apply to you? Please circle yes or no.

I am at risk of foreclosure on home that I own Yes No


I am at risk of eviction from home that I rent Yes No I cannot find affordable housing to buy Yes No I cannot find affordable housing to rent Yes No I cannot afford to make needed repairs to my home Yes No Mental illness makes it hard to find a place to rent Yes No Bad credit makes it hard to find a place to rent Yes No Criminal background makes it hard to rent a home Yes No Lost housing after family’s wage earner was deported Yes No Any other housing problems? (please describe) Yes No ______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Q6. Which of the following five statements best represents your opinion about the condition of your residence?

(CHECK ONLY ONE)

Don’t know

In good shape, needs no repairs

Needs minor repairs

Safe, but needs major repairs

Unsafe / poor condition

Needs disability access improvements, (wheelchair ramps, wider doorways, etc.) Q7. Do you hope to buy a home someday?

Yes

No

Don’t know Q8. Do any of the following prevent you from buying a home? __ Don’t know

Cannot afford the monthly payments Yes No Cannot afford a down payment Yes No Do not have good credit Yes No Will not be in this area very long Yes No The home buying process is too complicated Yes No Other reason? (please describe) Yes No _____________________________________________ INFORMATION AND LITERACY

Q9. Here is a list of skills that some people are interested in improving. Please indicate if you, or other adults in

your household, want help to improve any of these skills. (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.)

Reading

Writing

Math

Job search skills

Learning English

Driver’s training

Get your GED (or high school equivalency)

Learn or improve computer skills

Financial and budgeting skills


Citizenship education

Other skills you would like to learn __________________________________________ Q10. How do you communicate and/or get information at your home? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

□ Internet □ Land-line telephone □ Cell phone □ Public Access TV Channels □ Newspaper

FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE Q11. Which of these situations apply to you or anyone in your home this last 12 months? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Bills turned over to collection agency

House foreclosure

Have fines or legal fees that are hard to pay

Have built up too much credit card debt

Have debt from medical/dental bills

Don’t know how to file taxes

Received credit or budget counseling

Declared personal bankruptcy

Can’t save for unexpected expenses

Can’t save for retirement or child’s education

None of these apply Q12. Do you have a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union?

Yes

No

Don’t know Q13. Have you ever claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?

Yes

No

Don’t know Q14. About how often did each of the following things happen to you during the last 12 months?

1-Did not happen 2-Happened once 3-Happened a few times 4-Happened frequently

Fell behind in paying rent or mortgage 1 2 3 4 Pressured to pay bills by stores, creditors, or bill collectors 1 2 3 4 Car, household appliances, or furniture repossessed 1 2 3 4 Pawned or sold-off valuables to make ends meet 1 2 3 4 Used a payday loan service 1 2 3 4 Borrowed money from friends or family 1 2 3 4 Had utilities (water, heat, or electricity) shut off 1 2 3 4 Had gambling losses 1 2 3 4 Paid utility or other bills through grocery store 1 2 3 4


Q15. Has anyone in your home needed legal assistance for any of these issues…? Please circle Yes or No

Family law Yes No Housing issues Yes No Consumer debt Yes No Employment or job issues Yes No Public benefits (including denial appeals) Yes No Immigration issues Yes No Wills, trusts or estates Yes No Removing adult or juvenile criminal records Yes No Domestic violence (including protection orders) Yes No Other legal needs? (please describe) Yes No___________________________________________

Q15A. If yes to any of the above, did you get the help you needed?

No

Yes (Please tell us where you got help in the space below) _________________________________________________


FOOD AND NUTRITION *Please circle yes or no Q16. In the last 12 months, have you or anyone in your home… Q16A. Gone hungry because you were not able to get enough food?

Yes No

Q16B. Skipped or cut back on the size of your meals because there wasn't enough money for food? Yes No

Q16C. Used any food assistance services such as food stamps, food banks, or any other program that

helps with food or food costs? Yes No

Q16D. If you got help with food, which of the following has your household used in the last 12

months? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Did not get help with food

Food Banks

Food Stamps

Food voucher from DSHS or other agency

WIC

Churches

Food grown in my garden or a community garden

Hot meal programs or Reverie BBQ

Senior or WIC Farmer’s Market vouchers

Senior Center Meals

Meals on Wheels

Free or Reduced price breakfast or lunch at school

Community Action Mobile Food Express

Other (please describe) ________________________________________ Q17. Where do you usually get most of your family’s food? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Grocery stores

Natural food store/Farmers Markets

Ethnic markets (Russian, Mexican, etc.)

Restaurants and fast food places

Convenience stores/gas stations

Food banks

Other? (please describe) ________________________________________


TRANSPORTATION Q18. In the last 12 months, which of the following transportation problems has your household experienced?

(CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

No transportation problems

No access to a car

No car insurance

No drivers license or license suspended

Unable to afford gas

Unable to afford car repairs

Other problem? (please describe) ____________________________________________ Q19. If the bus or public transit does not work for your household, why not? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Prefer to use car

No service where I am going

No bus stop close to home

Bus times or days do not work for me

Can’t afford cost of bus fare

A physical or mental disability

Other reason? (please describe) _____________________________________________ HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE Q20. Would you say that in general your health is…? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Excellent

Very good

Good

Fair

Poor


Q21. Was there a time during the past 12 months when anyone in your household needed medical, dental, mental health care, prescription medication, or drug/alcohol treatment but did not get it?

Yes __ No FOR NO, PLEASE SKIP TO Q23 Q22. If YES to Q21, for each type of care, what are the main reasons they did not get the care or medication you

or your family needed? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

K. Other reasons (please describe): ____________________________________________________ Q23. What kind of health insurance do you have? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

_ Don’t know □ None □ State Assisted Medical or Medicaid □ Medicare □ Self-insurance (I pay for coverage myself) □ Health insurance group plan through employer, union or association □ Military plan □ Other plan? (please describe) _________________________________________________

Q24. When you are sick or need medical care, where do you usually go? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

□ The hospital emergency room □ An urgent care clinic □ A doctor’s office □ CHAS, Heritage Health (Dierne Community Health) □ VA Clinic □ Volunteer Clinics-Snake River Clinic, Bonner Partners in Care, etc. □ A Tribal Health clinic □ Other place (please describe) _________________________________________________

Medical Dental Mental Prescriptions Drug/Alcohol Treatment

A. Costs too much

B. No insurance

C. Too many days to get an appointment

D. No way to get to appointment

E. Nervous or afraid about the experience

F. Didn’t know where to go for help

G. Could not get child care

H. Too many other things I need to purchase


Q25. When you need dental care, where do you usually go? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) □ The hospital emergency room □ A dentist’s office □ A Tribal Health clinic □ Volunteer Clinics-Snake River Clinic, Bonner Partners in Care, etc. □ CHAS, Heritage Health (Dierne Community Health) □ Other place (please describe) ____________________________________________________

Q26. If you or someone in your household needed mental health care, where would you go?

(CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) □ Does not apply to my household □ The hospital emergency room □ Don’t know what resources are available □ Community Mental Health Center □ A walk-in clinic □ A doctor’s office □ A Tribal Health clinic □ Volunteer Clinics-Snake River Clinic, Bonner Partners in Care, etc. □ CHAS, Heritage Health (Dierne Community Health) □ VA Clinic □ Pastor or priest □ Other place? (please describe) ____________________________________________________

Q27. If you or someone in your household needed alcohol/drug treatment, where would you go?

(CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) □ Does not apply to my household □ I do not know where to go □ The hospital emergency room □ Alcohol/drug treatment agency □ An urgent care clinic □ A doctor’s office □ VA Clinic □ Private counselor □ A Tribal health clinic □ Other place? (please describe) ______________________________________________________


Q28. Where do you live now? County ___________________________

Please check your age range:

Below 18

18-23

24-44

45-54

55-69

70+ Q29. Which best describes your household? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Single parent female

Single parent male

Two-parent household

Single person

Two adults NO children

Multi-family household

Grandparent(s) and grandchildren

Other (please describe) _________________________________________________ Q30. Including yourself, how many people live in your household?

__________ PERSONS (PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF IN THIS NUMBER) Q31. PLEASE GO TO Q34 IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN LESS THAN 18 YEARS OLD IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.

Here is a list of problems some parents experience with their children. Please check those problems you have had with your child(ren)? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.)

Skipping or dropped out of school

Trouble with law enforcement

Emotional or behavior problems

Learning disability

My child is bullied at school

Worried about overweight or underweight

No adult supervision after school for my child at home

Have had no problems

Other (please describe) ____________________________________ Q32. How long have you lived in your community? (IF LESS THAN ONE YEAR, WRITE “<1”)

__________ YEARS Q33. I helped my neighbors and community in the past 12 months in the following ways:


Served on a committee or other leadership role at my church

Helped at my child’s school, Head Start, or other community group

Exchanged favors with my friends or neighbors (car repair, childcare, errands, etc)

Voted in local elections

Other (please describe) ___________________________________________ Q34. Do you experience any of the following problems with an elderly family member or parent?



A parent or other family member has difficulty caring for themselves while living at home alone

Need resources to help with caring for an elderly family member in my home

Have an elderly family member in a nursing home, assisted living, or adult family home

Have issues with care of an elderly family member in a long-term care facility

Does not apply to me

Other issue with an elderly family member (please describe) _______________________________ Q35. What best describes your race and ethnicity? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

African American or Black

Asian

Caucasian or White

Hispanic or Latino

Native American or Alaskan Native

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander

Other (Specify) __________________________________

Q36. What is the highest level of education you have completed? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Don’t know

Less than high school diploma

High school graduate

GED or high school equivalency

Vocational or trade school

Some college (or still in college)

Two-year degree

Four-year degree or more

Other (please describe) ______________________________________ EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME *This last section is about employment and income. Your answers are completely confidential. Q37. Here is a list of common sources of household income. Which of these has been a source of income for

anyone in your home during the last 12 months? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Wages or income from a job

Self-employed or family business

VA benefits

Social Security (Retirement)

SSI - Supplemental Social Income

Social Security Disability Insurance

Workers’ compensation (L & I)

TANF (Welfare assistance)

Unemployment insurance

Child Support

Pension

Investment income

Other (please describe) _______________________________________ Q38. Including yourself, how many persons in these age groups that live in your household worked for pay at any

time in the last 12 months? Persons under 16 years old __________


Persons 16 – 18 years old __________ Persons 19-64 __________ Persons 65 and up _________

Q39. In the last 12 months, what was your average estimated total MONTHLY household income from all sources?

Dollars per MONTH $___________ _ Don’t know Q40. Has getting or keeping a good job been hard for you or anyone in your home in the last 12 months?

Yes

No

Don’t know Q41. If Yes, what’s been hard about getting or keeping a good job?


Not enough jobs available

Recent layoff or hours cut

Not the right job skills or experience

Don’t know how to search for a job effectively

Tools, clothing, or equipment for the job

Transportation

Childcare

Credit issues

Immigration status

Available work is only seasonal

A criminal record

Regular place to sleep at night

Telephone

Language barriers

Physical or mental disability

Age

Other (please describe) ______________________________ Q42. If Childcare was/is an issue for you, what problems did/do you have? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Infant care not available/hard to find

Evening care not available/hard to find

Weekend care not available/hard to find

Part-time care not available/hard to find

Couldn’t find affordable care

Couldn’t find special needs childcare

Childcare choices were not good enough

My child was expelled from childcare due to behavior problems

Other (please describe) ____________________________________ Q43. How much time does it usually take you to get to work? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Doesn’t apply / unemployed

Within walking distance


Must travel less than 20 minutes to get to work

Must travel more than 20 minutes but less than 1 hour

Must travel over one hour

Other (Please describe) ___________________________________________ Q44. Have you worked as a volunteer anywhere in the last 12 months?

_ Yes

_ No Q44A. If yes, where did you volunteer? ____________________________________________________ Q44B. How many hours per week did you volunteer? ___________

Your answers to the next questions will help us find out which of the services listed below are the most important and hardest to get. Q45. On a scale of 1 to 5, please rate how important this service is to your household now?

Use 1 for “not important” and 5 for “extremely important” PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH SERVICE

Not Important Extremely Important

Housing help (help finding a way to afford rent or mortgage) 1 2 3 4 5

Childcare 1 2 3 4 5

Basic Education/English (ESL)/GED 1 2 3 4 5

Legal help 1 2 3 4 5

Food (help getting enough food) 1 2 3 4 5

Nutritious food (help getting enough fruits and vegetables) 1 2 3 4 5

Help with how to buy and cook good meals 1 2 3 4 5

Transportation that meets my needs 1 2 3 4 5

Affordable medical care 1 2 3 4 5

Affordable dental care 1 2 3 4 5

Living wage jobs 1 2 3 4 5

Help with heating & electric bills 1 2 3 4 5

Mental health services or family counseling 1 2 3 4 5

Domestic violence shelter and/or counseling services 1 2 3 4 5

Drug/alcohol treatment & counseling 1 2 3 4 5

Help with basic financial health (such as budgeting

& money management, fixing credit, how to save money, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5

Volunteer opportunities to build skills and/or give back to my community

1 2 3 4 5


Q46. On a scale of 1 to 5, how easy is it for your household to find and get these services?

Use 1 for “very hard to get” and 5 for “very easy to get”. *PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH SERVICE

Housing help (help finding way to afford rent or mortgage) 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Childcare 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Basic Education/English (ESL)/GED 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Legal help 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Food (help getting enough food) 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Nutritious food (help getting enough

fruits and vegetables) 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Help with how to buy and cook good

meals 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Transportation that meets my needs 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Affordable medical care 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Affordable dental care 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Living wage jobs 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Help with heating & electric bills 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Mental health services or family counseling 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Domestic violence shelter and/or counseling services 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Drug/alcohol treatment & counseling 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Help with basic financial health (such as budgeting &

money management, fixing credit, how to save money, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Volunteer opportunities to build skills and/or give back to my community 1 2 3 4 5 OR _ Don’t know

Q.47. We would appreciate your answering the following question.

What would it take for every member of our community to have their basic needs met? Thank you for your participation. Your answers are very helpful and your time spent filling this out means so much

to our agency and our community.

If you have any questions, please contact:


Kristin Schmidt [email protected] or 208.798.4174 Community Action Partnership, Community Engagement Director

Your survey is confidential. The below entry form will be cut off from your survey.

----------------------------------------------- ENTRY FORM----------------------------------------------------- As thanks for your help, we would like to enter you in a drawing for VISA gift cards of up to $100. To be eligible for

this drawing, you must write your first name, phone number and/or address on this page so that we can enter you in the drawing and so that we know how to contact you.

You must complete the entire survey and this survey form to be eligible for the drawing. The drawing will take place

on July 31st.

Your first name _______________________________________________________________________

Your phone number ___________________________________________________________________ OR

Your mailing address (we need a contact phone number or mailing address to tell you if you win)

Street address or PO Box _______________________________________________________________

City _________________________________________________________________________________

State _________________________________________ Zip code _______________________________

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

mailto:[email protected]


APPENDIX B – FOCUS GROUP REPORTS Ten Focus Groups were conducted across CAP’s service area to discuss the needs in that county. Focus Groups groups were attended by nonprofit community partners, partners from education, businesses, government officials, CAP employees and Board Members. Each group discussed services that exist in their communities and identified gaps in their community that need to be filled to resolve the issues.

Discussion notes and pictures: St. Maries Focus Group: July 24th

Bonners Ferry Focus Group: July 30th

Kellogg Focus Group: July 23rd

Orofino Focus Group: July 26th


Invitation sample to Focus Group participants

Dear Friend of Community Action Partnership, I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying your summer so far! Every three years, Community Action Partnership (CAP) conducts a Community Needs Assessment. The intent of this assessment is to gather important feedback and data about the most pressing needs in your community. As part of the Community Needs Assessment CAP Board Members and staff have teamed up to host focus groups in your community this month and you are invited to attend. Once that information has been gathered, CAP staff are committed to making good use of the data by using it to guide work, advocate for needed services beyond capacity, and to better understand how to provide relevant and meaningful services to our community members in need. We believe that you will provide an important voice in support of under-resourced individuals, and your time and energy would be greatly appreciated!

Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Friday, July 20th

11:30 – 1:00 Drinks and light snacks provided. Community Action Partnership

124 New 6th Street, Lewiston, ID 83501

RSVP: Kristin 208.798.4174 or [email protected] Thank you for your time and consideration. Best, Kristin Schmidt Community Engagement Director Community Action Partnership N & NC Idaho and Asotin Co, WA

mailto:[email protected]


Benewah Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Meeting

July 24, 2018 Federal Building Conference Room

1. What are the top 3 challenges facing the community as a whole?

• Affordable Housing – lack of housing & quality of housing available

• Skilled workers & living wage jobs – need workers with skill set to enter the workforce

• Transportation – lack of transportation available in the area and no way for people to access training

opportunities

• Substance abuse

• Mental Health providers/care

2. What are the top 3 challenges facing under resourced members of the community?

• Dental providers

• Lack of Mental Health providers

• Incarcerated individuals need meds & job opportunities (second chance employers)

• Homeless population is increasing – many are couch surfing

• Employee reliability/reputation – poor job history with local employers makes it hard for them to

find work

• Drug testing – inability to pass drug tests for employment

• Lack of quality, affordable child care especially for shift work

• Financial cliff – support services disappear too fast

3. Who are the people/organizations in the community who are about these issues or are currently working

on them?

• Churches/Ministerial Assn.

• Timber Plus (Economic Development Group) – looking at the lack of affordable housing

• IDOL

• City of St Maries – have incentives for employees that take additional job training

• Head Start – offering additional hours of service/gas vouchers/other additional support for enrolled

families

• Friends of Head Start – can help with special needs for enrolled families

• Heritage Health

• AA/Alanon

• A few local employers are hiring people with felony convictions

4. What are the gaps in services/resources needed to address these challenges?

• See responses from #3

5. What are the untapped community resources that might help address these challenges?

• CDA Tribe has training opportunities that are available to non-tribal members


• Classes held (i.e. Essential Skills) – need to get feedback from employers/employees that

participated in these classes to see if they saw a difference/benefit to classes taken

• Need for more classes (learning/training opportunities including GED)

• Financial Cliff – Focus services for ALICE

6. Who are the leaders/key players in the community? How can we get them engaged in addressing these

issues?

• See previous discussions

7. Are community members ready to address these issues by being open to new approaches and ideas?

• Need to revive local partnership meetings – decrease in agencies & resources has made it difficult for local

agencies, organizations, service providers & the community to interact and keep up on what programs are

available

• Need to change the mindset of the population being served – help them be more willing to participate in training

opportunities & become more self-sufficient (less dependent on social services)

• Workplace Excellence Program – good opportunity for youth & adults

Bonner

Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Meeting Bonner County

Minutes – July 31, 2018

Top Challenges Facing Under Resourced Community Members?

• Availability of affordable housing

• Housing for homeless men and women (transitional)

• Mental Health Services

• Substance Abuse Treatment – In patient funding is limited

• Community members receiving resources, but not sustaining

• Case management

• The population that we serve is harder to serve

• Accessibility to low income housing

• Long wait for emergency services

• Help with addressing perpetual problems

• Emergency financial assistance

• Immediate funding

• Lack of internet

Top Three Challenges

• Housing

• Lack of living wage jobs – too many jobs are in the service industry and demographics are changing. Age range of 25 – 55 decreasing and 55+ is increasing

• Lack of internet – seen as a utility (necessary).

Service and Resources Now in Place


• Bonner County Housing Authority – Help with buying affordable homes. Turning Trestle Creek into affordable rentals. Home buying classes.

• Navigation Services at DHW

• Angels Over Sandpoint

• Salvation Army money

• Churches for gas vouchers

• Bonner Partners in Care Clinic

• Kaniksu Health – Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Veterans Clinic and Sandpoint Pediatric

• Magnolia House (Housing for women in drug court)

Untapped Community Resources

• Faith Based Community

• Elected Officials, state and city level

• Business Community

• Service Organizations, (Rotary, etc.)

• Realtors Association

• Press

• Think about what is the impact of poverty to these organizations

How to Engage

• SPIN – Service Providers Information Network

• Intimate smaller group settings

Boundary Questions and Notes:

1. What are they top three challenges facing the community as a whole?

Dave Sims, Mayor- said he felt that low wages and jobs with limited benefits were factors. Lauren K., Hospital Marketing- agreed that lack of benefits were contributing factors. Aimee Christopherson, Hope House- felt seasonal jobs and limited Day Care providers attributed to challenges.

2. What are the top three challenges facing under resourced members of the community?

Sims replied older folks and the Levies for funding. Brad Holifield, Board Member- stated the only shelters available are located in Spokane and the doors are shut for felony convictions. Aimee listed that our addiction issues in the county and transitioning from jail finds doors closed for housing and jobs. Also that there are no transitional housing/ shelters here. Sherri Hinson- Community Member says teens do not want to enter the workforce.

3. Who are the people/organizations in the community who are about these issues or are currently working

on them?

General response that CAP, CCFF, Housing Committee along with North Idaho Action Fund and Region 1 Behavioral Health, Hope House, Ministerial Association, Rotary Club are among a few of the local resources.

4. What are the gaps in services/ resources?

Pastor Hinson states that we are just putting band-aids on the problems and that we always have repeat users of the resources offered.


Craig Anderson- Library Manager and Retired School Teacher of 30 years from Boundary County offers that there is just not enough in the budgets to sustain the need. Gini Woodward- CCFF Secretary-Housing Committee… States rapid growth of needs with no income increase. Liz Bigsby-CAP we are seeing a consistent need for help with housing costs- This was agreed upon by all.

Aimee says some are HUD qualified but no housing available. GROUP DISCUSSION ANSWERED QUESTIONS 5, 6, AND 7.

5. What are the untapped resources that might help address these challenges?

6. Who are the leaders/key players in the community? How can we get them engaged in addressing

these issues?

7. Are community members ready to address these issues by being open to new approaches and ideas?

Dept. of Labor, Library, CAP Programs, and NIC are resources that are available to help folks but lack of participation has been prevalent. Folks just aren’t willing. Fear is a root of non- participation. There is no source of self- determination. There is a comfortability with receiving free stuff so there’s no effort being made to try. It was discussed that there had been a large gap since affordable or Low-Income housing had been established. And at least 5 years since multifamily subsidized housing was really looked at and found it was not an economically sound project. We have space and property it’s just a willing investor. The group did question where they would see a future housing project placed and did not come up with an answer. Our meeting was concluded with an agreement that we liked the fact that we started a conversation but that we needed to continue to have this conversation to address community issues and needs. END.

Clearwater Community Needs Assessment July 25, 2018 1. What are the top 3 challenges facing under-resourced members of the community?

• Affordable Housing

• Mortgage

• Medical need

• Employment

• Living wage

• Lack of jobs

2. What are the top 3 challenges facing the community as a whole?

• Affordable Child care

• Financial Cliff

• Affordable housing

• Addiction

• Ability to meet job requirements


• Volunteers

.3. Untapped resources

• Public Library

• Adult Learning Service

• Tutoring

• Free GED classes

• VFW

Idaho County Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Meeting Notes from July 27, 2018 1. Affordable Housing – Rent is high, have difficulty buying a home & Low income housing is always full w/a waiting list. Transportation – Needed for local & out of the area travel for Dr. appts, groceries & activities for Disabled, vulnerable population. Difficulty paying for gas to get there. Safe Shelter – Transitional Housing – neither in our area Drug & Alcohol Programs Emergencies – RX’s, Emergency Room visits, Medicaid, gaps Medical Care – Dept of Health & Welfare, Indigent fund Mental Health – Few health providers, usually community members are sent to Lewiston for assistance. Foodbank – Limited to once a month Jobs – Pay is low, need living wage. Needs skills sets like Welding 2. Top 3 Challenges facing community as a whole Declining age of working population Need Professional jobs – not a lot in our area Make more income in other states Few Summer jobs Levy in the School Lack of Leadership – State & Local 3. Services/Resources Foodbank Library CAP YWCA – Classes, Daycare, Equine Hope Center – classes Dept of Labor – Resume’s Churches Idaho County – Welfare/Veteran’s Services Senior Citizens Center Dept of Health & Welfare – 211 – TY Methodist Church – Household items 4. Untapped Resources Retired Community Members – Professionals Developer How to communicate – Vet Center Coast – Transportation – volunteer drivers – will pay mileage Mark Perry – Real Life – Christian Men’s Group 5. Leaders/Key Players


Chamber of Commerce City Police/County Sheriff City Council State Reps County Commissioners Schools Business People (IFG, Business Owners) Ted Lindsley 6. Community Members address issues New approaches? Mentally re-occurring story (members that move here – want to change the area)

Kootenai County Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Meeting

Coeur d Alene August 1, 2018

AAA offered that they’d like to see more funding for the homeless population. Panhandle Health is working on 5-year health plan for the community. Cindy from Family Promise said that she likes that the community is open minded and willing to listen. Kids with special needs need more support in school system. Wells Fargo rep said that she believes we need more access to affordable, trustworthy daycare. Sam from Panhandle Health/ALICE: Looking into better daycare options. She does child care at PH. Another person offered that it’s good for like-minded groups to come together for betterment of the community. Look at Giraffe Laugh (mentioned in meeting). Paige from Kootenai Electric – lots of concerns about the elderly. Trinity Group Homes – 70% in group homes employed, the others not employable. Those folks on SSI/SSDI. They also have a mini-food bank. People shouldn’t be food insecure in our country. Stigmas related to mental health and poverty. NIC, Workforce Training Center (Teri). Qualified worker retraining program. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. They serve the ALICE group. They offer occupational training. Joe – Hayden Lake Rotary Club. They take on community service projects that benefit the community. Focus on community, youth, and families. April – SA Kroc. Values collaboration, heart to serve. Would like to see more integration of the church. Biggest passion is to do healing art with people and mentoring young people. She’d love to work with agencies to do that. Michelle, NIC. Works with youth/mental health issues. Focus on suicide. QPR trained, question/persuade/refer. Involved with school district. Heart for college students, higher education, jobs above poverty level. NIC has huge scholarship pool. Lots of foundation money to help qualified people go to school. Homeless connect program at the Help Center. Would love more funding for the underserved population for housing. Director NIC Head Start – She said that she sees families working hard to ready family for school, work toward self-sufficiency. Craig – ALICE Task Force chair. Standing in for Rebecca from CDAide. Also a pastor downtown. Bob Fish – On missions committee at First Presbyterian Church. Sits on school district board. Lots of volunteers on his street where he lives. Values volunteerism. Was a Rotarian most of his life. Top things facing communities:


• Affordable/available childcare.

• Food insecurity.

• Affordable/available housing.

• Affordable legal services – legal aid available via AAA.

• Living wage jobs.

• Health/mental care. Six-month wait to be assessed for youth. Children are in school and are in

trauma.

• Transportation – public and/or reliable transportation. No bus transportation on Sunday.

• Workplace training – lots of people want to get to classes but have no transportation.

• Care for elders/children/respite care (AAA mentioned).

• Domestic violence.

Borah School – 75 ‘backpack children’. Food sent home every Friday for the family. Kootenai Medical/NIC have daycares for employees. Top three challenges facing community as a whole:

• 57% people of community don’t have enough money to get by.

• More than 50% of schools have free/reduced lunches.

• Testing/more education for teachers.

• Plan to get out of lower education standards (48th in the US).

• How do we get wealthy to care about their neighbor? How does it impact the whole? Who are

groups of people we can talk to about investing in community?

• How do we tell the story of our neighbors who are living in poverty?

• Voter turnout. Public policy changes can come about with voter turnout. More election information

and easier ballot availability.

• Lots of community on fixed incomes.

• Largest growth in previous four years is elders. Respite care needed/care for elders who live

alone/care for disabled who live alone.

• Elders – how to empower that population. Cultural message is that they don’t have a lot to

contribute. How do we encourage them to be involved in our community, that their wisdom is good

for everyone?

• The idea of tiny homes was shut down pretty quickly by the communities where an investor wanted

to build. ‘Not in my backyard’ mentality.

What services are available in the community, or what agencies are involved with them?

• Build relationships with private and public communities.

• Kroc and United Way are talking a lot about building private/public aspect. Must be supported by

donors as well.

• Childcare task force through ALICE. Business/Chamber/KROC/United Way coming together for

building public/private involvement.

• Exposing children to early education so they are better prepared for school (Panhandle Health

childcare resource center, Sam – they are funded through IDHW).

• April/Kroc – systemic issues. We need policy changes via private/non-profit.

• Bank On.

• Lots of energy when non-profits come together to share resources.

• Revitalization of Borah neighborhood. Look up WITH Coalition.


• Look up CATCH Program out of Boise. Community members are mmediately housed and served with

wrap-around services.

• St Vinnie’s has lots of housing assistance options. Possible help with first/last rent, case

management, etc. They also have program where they can pay up to 2 years of rent. They have

criteria that have to be met for these programs so they do an assessment. That assessment helps to

place people first with the greatest need. Biggest issue is rental availability. They only able to pay

only fair market value so the rent is guaranteed, but it’s often less than what the landlord can

actually make on the rental.

• Region I has a board who problem solves on housing. This is through Behavioral Health.

Leaders/key players in community/how to engage:

• Employment office.

• Probation and Parole.

• United Way.

• STCU (provides financial literacy), also banks who are working with Bank On.

• Dollars and funds are available through every bank (it’s part of what they do – according to

Mountain West rep, these dollars must be spent).

• Veteran’s services.

• Mayor.

• Public service people/elected officials.

• KMC

• Goodwill (Hope Works) is a program where staff/volunteers walk up to homeless folks, offer work,

etc.

• Colleges/universities.

• Crisis intervention teams. Suicide intervention.

• School district liaisons who deal with homeless.

• Faith based individuals/churches.

• The public sector and business sector want to help. Sometimes people just have to have the invite

or direction.

Latah County Community Action Partnership Focus Group-Latah County

August 2, 2018 1) What are the top 3 challenges facing under-resourced members of the community?

• Affordable Housing because of background issues, bad credit, substandard housing

• Emergency Needs that arise due to a medical condition, etc that causes someone to lose work hours

• Low wages-people living paycheck to paycheck

• Mental Health Access-more housing for mental health

• Access to Nutritious Foods

• Transportation-to and from Pullman for work, etc

• Communication for Collaboration between agencies

2) What are the top 3 challenges facing the community as a whole?

• Mental Health

• Elder Care


• Voter Turnout

• Substandard Housing

3) What services/resources are currently available to address these challenges?

Who are the people/organizations in the community who are currently about these issues or ar currently working on them?

• Hope Center, Presbyterian Church, Real Life Ministries, SMART Transit, Salvation Army, Express

Personnel, Backyard Harvest, Farmer’s Market, Latah Recovery Center, CHAS, Family Promise of the

Palouse, Interfaith Association, St. Vincent De Paul, Sojourner’s Alliance, Moscow Food Bank, ATVP

4) What are the untapped community resources that might help address these challenges?

• Churches, CAP food pantry, grants-relationships with businesses, community foundation, Walmart,

students

5) Have you seen success in meeting these challenges in the past (either here or somewhere else)? What did

this look like?

• Syringa Mobile Home Park Closure-community came together to assist residents in relocating

• Poverty on the Palouse-discussed needs of community and brought CHAS and Family Promise to our

area

• Poverty Simulations-made people aware of conditions of living in poverty

6) Who are the leaders/key players in the community? How can we get them engaged in addressing these

issues?

• Businesses-build relationships with them

7) Are community members ready to address the issues by being open to new approaches and ideas?

• Poverty on the Palouse Forum is a start

• Some community members are resistant to change

Lewis

1. Top 3 Challenges facing the community as a whole?

• Employment – not enough jobs

• Drugs are a big issue

• Casino – poor people spending their money

• Kids who are motivated move away

• Not enough career- based jobs

• Emergency Housing


2. Top 3 challenges facing under-resourced members of the community?

• People get stuck here – no transportation – drop off place – no $ for bus tickets

• Kamiah has low tax base – not a lot of operating funds

• Educational priorities are not great in Idaho, but bad in Kamiah. Educational level is low. Hard to pass a levy to support school.

3. What are the gaps in services/resources needed to address challenges

• Most of the needs are community based. Not looking to the future improvements. We don’t have the facilities and electronic resources for manufacturing businesses.

4. What are the untapped resources?

• We do have some unique businesses maybe need some hiking trails.

• The hurt that has occurred due to historical wounds.

• Tribe id second largest employer in this area.

Nez Perce/Asotin

Community Needs Assessment Focus Group July 20, 2018

1. Top 3 challenges facing the community as a whole?

• Affordable housing

• Medical/Dental care – not enough providers

• High deductibles

• Mental Health services

• Substance Abuse services

• Education: training opportunities

• Low minimum wage for entry level positions.

• Transportation- getting vehicles serviced

• Limited public transportation

• Financial cliff

• Affordable child care

2. Top 3 challenges facing under-resourced individuals in our community?

• Diversity

• Educating the community

• Mental health – ability to access help

• Assistance for family members

• Homelessness

• Transportation

3. What are the untapped resources?

• Retirement population

• In general, a greater understanding of the resources currently in place

• Americorp, LCSC programs

4. How to maximize relationships?

• Partnerships with other service agencies.

• Maximize resources, combine resources


• Start early – Lewiston High School

• Showing cause and effect – we don’t always see the cause, but always deal with the effects.

• Changing the way we collect data, not just services, but the outcomes

• Infrastructure – who are you trying to reach and how

• Staying aware of the changing environment

• Identify if people are ready to face/look at what we are needing, make a change?

• Providing education with our community – tell your story

Shoshone County

Community Partners in Attendance: Judy Blalack SV Fuller Center for Housing, Juli Zook Chamber of Commerce, Carlene Holbert Navigator H&W, Clint Kunze Idaho Servant Adventures, Mallory Phillips Chamber of Commerce, Scott Miller Shoshone County Crisis and Resource Center, Barbara Miller Silver Valley Community Resource Center, Brenda Hammond Mountain States Early Head Start, Kristin Moody Mountain States Early Head, Jessica Cagle CASA, Brenda Hamilton NIC Silver Valley Campus, Kristin Schmidt Community Action Partnership, Michael Basile Community Action Partnership It was agreed by all that poverty touches us all and that sometimes we are not sure where to refer a community member when they need help that we are not able to offer. The following summarizes what the group felt were needs within the community and possible solutions for some of those needs.

What are the top challenges for under resourced community members? • Affordable housing

• Mental health accessibility

• Substance abuse counseling

• Access to training for parenting education

• Employment opportunities with a living wage

• Volunteers to support programs (Hard to mentor when they don’t stay)

• Education on how to obtain a GED (It seems the under resourced don’t value education)

• Expanded public transportation outside of the valley

• Access to healthcare not available in the valley

What are the top challenges facing the community? • Financial resources

• Affordable daycare providers / After school programs

• Not enough affordable housing

• Being able to do housing repairs if you own

• Substance abuse issues (There are no foster homes or families)

• Mental health issues

• Lack of jobs due to poor or slow internet issues

What resources or services are available to address these challenges • Real Life Ministries backpack program (Faith based), CASA also has a backpack program

• Shoshone Medical Center children’s health fair

• Kiwana’s hats and coats program

• Dare to Imagine boys and girls (Faith based)

• H&W Mental Health program for adults

• Alliance mental Health dealing with substance abuse

• 211 referral services

• North Idaho College free GED classes

• Department of Labor WIOA program has CDL tests

Community Action Partnership 2018...2016 ACS Total Population, 2000 Census Population Change from...

Documents

Transcript of Community Action Partnership 2018...2016 ACS Total Population, 2000 Census Population Change from...