Needs Assessment SummaryReport_11-12

7/30/2019 Needs Assessment SummaryReport_11-12

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WilderResearch

Community Needs Assessment:Ramsey and Washington counties

Summary of key findings from a surveyof low-income residents and Community Action participants

Executive summary

Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties (www.caprw.org) is a private, locally

run nonprofit dedicated to bringing together resources to reduce poverty. Community action agencies are

required to complete a community needs assessment every three years as a part of their federal funding. This

summary report provides they key findings from the assessment that was conducted by Wilder Research on

behalf of Community Action in summer 2012. See the map of survey respondents (Figure 1).

Nearly 750,000 people live in Ramsey and Washington counties, of whom

14 percent are in poverty. Poverty rates in the service area vary greatly by

race and age group.

In Ramsey County, one in four children and one in three residents ofcolor lives in poverty, including: 43 percent of American Indian, 40

percent of black/African American, 31 percent of Asian, and 27 percent

of Hispanic/Latino residents.

One-fifth of low-income residents and Community Action participantswere not born in the U.S. Respondents born outside the U.S. tend to

live in households with more children, partnered parents, and lowerincomes compared with households with U.S. born respondents.

Employment is the most common source of income for low-incomehouseholds (63%). Fewer than 1 in 10 low-income residents receives

MFIP or General Assistance (welfare). This belies the traditional

perception of low-income residents as relying heavily on public assistance.

By far, getting and maintaining employment is the most frequently cited

need for poor people in Ramsey and Washington counties. One in four

people indicated that this is the one thing that would help the most to meet

the needs of people living in their household.

Only 17 percent of Community Action participants, 20 percent of low-income Washington County residents, and 38 percent of low-income

Ramsey County residents said they are employed full-time.

Nearly half (48%) of low-income residents and two-thirds (64%) ofCommunity Action participants disagreed that good jobs are available

in their community.

African Americans and White households were more likely to focus ongetting a job while Asian and Hispanic households were more focused

on getting better paying jobs.

I became unemployed at the

age of 60 and found, even

with a college degree, it was

impossible to find gainful

employment with the job

market at its recent low.

(white, 60-year old male)

I guess the biggest problemis the debt that we owe. We

have a huge energy bill that

we have not paid. Money

issues is whats killing us.

(white, 69-year old male)

[When asked about the

impact of the recession on

their household] It just got

worse -- everything

multiplied; paying bills, thecost has gone up, food, gas,

technology cost has gone up

-- having access to the

Internet keeps going up, car

repairs are out of this world.

(white, 63-year old female)
http://www.caprw.org/http://www.caprw.org/http://www.caprw.org/http://www.caprw.org/


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Housing and general financial assistance were each

mentioned by 13 percent of respondents as being the

one thing that would help the most to meet their

households needs.

The most common housing-related problems were

funding home repairs (59%) and making utility

payments (54%).

Community Action participants had even higher ratesof need in housing-related areas, with 64 percent

saying funding home repairs was a need and 75

percent citing help with utility payments as a need.

Community Action participants were also muchmore aware of the need for making their home more

energy efficient (42%) versus the general population

of low-income residents.

Financial assistance remains an issue for low-income

households. Four out of five low-income residents said

making ends meet is at least a slight problem.

Community Action participants were more likely tosay making ends meet was a serious problem (45%)

as were single parents (39%).

Starting a savings plan was the most commonlyselected finance-related service need among low-

income residents (29% requested this).

Community Action participants also reported arelatively high level of need (42%) for help repairing

credit, compared with 27 percent in the general

low-income population.

The most commonly cited health care-related problem was

getting dental care, a problem for 43 percent of low-

income households. About one-quarter (26%) of low-

income residents of Ramsey and Washington counties said

getting help taking care of an elderly or disabled person is

at least a slight problem in their household.

About half of all low-income households who are notalready participants know about Community Action.

Low-income residents in Washington County (37%)were significantly less likely to have heard about the

agency than those in Ramsey County (51%).

Respondents in the 35-64 age group were morelikely to have heard of Community Action (55%)

than the younger (18-34, 34%) and older (65+,

32%) respondents.

The highest rates of participant satisfaction were reported

for energy conservation (83%) and energy assistance

(77%). Head Start and Community Engagement

participants had only slightly lower rates of satisfaction at

69 percent and 65 percent, respectively. Participantsatisfaction for all programs was lowest among non-

English speaking households, especially Hmong (55%)

and Somali (56%) participants.

Conclusion and recommendations

Employment and jobs that earn livable wagescontinue to be critical issues in the reduction of

poverty. The work proposed by Opportunity St.

Paul for 2013 is one way Community Action can

serve without duplicating other resources(neighborhood-based work).

Starting a savings plan was the most commonlyselected finance-related service need among low-

income residents in Ramsey and Washington

counties. Savings plans are important to the belief

that asset creation is one of the most effective methods

of becoming self-sufficient for low-income people.

The most common housing related problems citedby low-income residents were funding repairs to

their homes (59%) and making utility payments

(54%), leading to the conclusion that the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

funds continue to be needed by this population.

Only one-quarter of Washington County low-income residents are currently receiving food

support, compared with half of Ramsey County

low-income residents. This is an opportunity for

Community Action to reach out to additional low-

income residents with food support help, particularly

in Washington County. This would also help

address the lower recognition of Community Action

services in Washington County.

Outreach to the younger adult population (18-35)and senior population (65+) about Community

Action could prove useful in helping additional

households gain services.

Ongoing focus on translation and aid for non-Englishspeakers would likely increase satisfaction with

Community Action services.


3/24

1. Location of survey respondents


4/24

Characteristics of low-income residents

Nearly 750,000 people live in Ramsey and

Washington counties, of whom 14 percent are in

poverty. About one out of four residents is a child age

17 and younger, and about 1 out of 10 is an older

adult age 65 and older. The poverty rate is much

higher among children than among working age

adults or older adults (Figure 2).

2. Poverty rates and number in poverty by age

Source:U.S. Census Bureau: 2010 American Community Survey.

Poverty rates in the service area vary greatly by

race. In both Ramsey and Washington counties,

poverty rates are lowest among white residents and

highest among black/African American and American

Indian residents (Figure 3). In Ramsey County, one

in three residents of color lives in poverty.

The most common sources of cash income among

low-income residents were:

Employment (63%) Social Security (31%) Supplemental Security Income (28%)About 1 in 10 low-income residents receives income

from the Minnesota Family Investment Program(MFIP) or General Assistance (GA), and only 1

percent of households receive unemployment benefits.

The Food Support participation rate among families

with children in Washington County (7% of children

receiving Food Support as of the 2010 American

Community Survey) is significantly lower than the

child participation rate in Ramsey County (31%),.

Participation rates among low-income residents also

illustrate this opportunity, as only one-quarter of

Washington County low-income residents receivedFood Support, compared to half of Ramsey County

low-income residents (Figure 4), indicating an

opportunity for outreach to improve uptake of

available services in Washington County.

3. Poverty rates and number in poverty by race

Source:U.S. Census Bureau: 2008-2010 American Community Survey.

Note:Ramsey County American Indian poverty rate of 43 percent not shown separately, grouped into Multiracial/Other.

40%

43%

31%

27%

9%

25%

15%

9%

10%

4%

14%

Black or African American

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Hispanic or Latino

White or Caucasian

Multi-racial/Other

Ramsey County

Washington County

21,4331,152

1,271N/A

17,7041,052

9,606

784

36,4679,602

4,029706

17%

26%

11%

7%

11%

4%

All people

Children (age 0-17)

Seniors (age 65+)

Ramsey County Washington County

87,60315,525

30,5166,683

6,631

1,068


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4. Household income sources

Four-fifths (80%) of low-income residents were

born in the U.S., including 77 percent in Ramsey

County and 89 percent in Washington County. The

same proportion of respondents said they primarily

speak English at home, with Washington County low-

income residents more likely to speak English at home

(94%) than those in Ramsey County (77%).

Respondents born outside the U.S. tended to live in

households with more children, partnered parents,

and lower incomes than households with U.S.-born

respondents. Three-fifths of Head Start participants

were born outside the U.S. (60%) and speak a

language other than English at home (57%).

In Ramsey County, most low-income residents were

single and never married (45%) or separated, divorced,

or widowed (18%). In contrast, over half (55%) of

Washington County low-income residents were

married or living with a partner, and only 17 percent

were single and never married.

About three-fifths (59%) of low-income residents

reported having children living with them, with a

mean of 2.5 children in each household. Households

with home languages other than English had more

children (3) on average than English-speaking

households (2). Ramsey County low-income residents

were more likely than those in Washington County to

have any children (60% compared to 49%) and to have

four or more children (28% compared to 9%), while

Washington County low-income residents were more

likely to have only one child (Figure 5).

5. Common family types in Ramsey and Washington count ies

All single-headed

households (60%),

including

All two-adult

households (40%),

including

Singlewith nochildren(35%)

Singlewith 1-2children(21%)

Partneredwith 1-2children(15%)

Partneredwith 3-4children(15%)

Just over half of parents (56%) were married or

living with a partner, while the rest were single,

divorced, separated, or widowed. Families with one

or two children were more likely to have single

parents, while families with three or more children

more commonly had two parents in the household.

Most partnered respondents (84%) said their spouse

or partner shares the household responsibilities,

especially in homes with children (90%).

65%

49%

28%

27%

16%

14%

11%

10%

54%

26%

43%

33%

26%

11%

4%

7%

40%

54%

35%

23%

10%

15%

10%

3%

Employment(wages and

salaries)

Food Support(SNAP, EBT,Food Stamps)

Social Security

SSI/SSDI

Pension orretirement

Child support oralimony

MFIP

GeneralAssistance

Ramsey Countylow-income residents

Washington Countylow-income residents

Community Actionparticipants


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Greatest needs of low-income households

When asked what one thing would be most helpful

for meeting the needs of those in their household

(Figure 6), the most frequently cited need involved

some type of assistance with improving their

current employment status, such as job search

assistance, better or better-paying jobs, more

benefits, training, and general employment

assistance. The cited employment needs took on many

different forms across racial, age, and gender

categories. A 38-year-old white female stated:

My husband was laid off and withouta job for almost 3 years. We hadfinally reached a point where wewere financially stable and now weseem to be back at square one.

Employment-related concerns not only occurred

across the age spectrum, but also across the education

spectrum. For example, as one 35-year-old African

American female explained:

Its very difficult for me to findemployment. I have a MBA inBusiness and its still tough.

Contrastingly, another participant respondent

highlighted the struggle of trying to get a better

education while providing for her family:

I have to go to school to try and bettermy education in order to get a wellpaying job which is hard for mewith three children in the house andbeing a single parent.

Overall, not only the high frequency of the cited need

for employment-related services, but also the variety

of stories and backgrounds of those citing employment

needs highlight the importance and desire of those at

least 200% below the poverty line in Washington &Ramsey counties to obtain fruitful employment.

The second most frequently cited need was

housing support/assistance. This need was

expressed in the form of assistance with buying a

home of their own, preventing foreclosure on their

current home, finding affordable housing, as well as

with affording their current rent. One middle-aged

6. What is the one thing would help the most to meet the

needs of t he people living in your household?

Note:Other responses included health insurance (3%), child care

expense (2%), streamlining resource availability (2%), broader

economy-wide changes (2%), medical care (2%), credit help/debt

reduction (2%), more cash benefits (2%), dental care (1%), help to be

healthier (1%), legal help (1%), and help with student loans and

financing education (1%).

Latino male expressed the vulnerability associated

with unaffordable housing when he said:Rent takes a huge chunk budget-wise. I amvery, very fortunate to have a close friendand confidant who is literally paying my$670/month rent expense, and occasionallymy parents in Puerto Rico will pay my rentif my close friend cannot help me. If itwasnt for my close friend, I dont knowwhere I would live - the streets maybe.

The need for affordable housing is particularly

important for those with children who otherwisewould be homeless without the necessary assistance.

General financial and income support was another

commonly reported need. This primarily was

expressed in the inability to afford basic necessities

with increasing costs of living, as well as increasing

levels of debt in order to pay for these progressively

more expensive necessities.

25%

13%

13%

8%

7%

7%

5%

5%

5%

Improving employment status

Housing

General financial assistance

Transportation

Food

Energy assistance/utilities

Education

Assistance meeting basic needs

None/Nothing


7/24

This cycle of higher costs of living and accumulated

debt can be devastating for already vulnerable low-

income families and individuals.

The next three frequently cited needstransportation,

food, and energy assistanceall show the difficulty

with affording basic necessities. Furthermore, issues

related to transportation were often cited as preventing

one from being able to find and maintain gainful

employment. Those asking for more food support/

assistance frequently pointed out that they not only lack

the necessary quantity of food, but also the quality of

food, which is particularly worrisome for the childrens

diets. Many cited the cut in public food assistance as a

cause for this increased need. For example:

They are cutting people down to $16

a month on the EBT cards--that is aslap of face People are stealingfood from each other in our house.

These frequently cited needs for assistance with basic

necessities such as food, heat, housing, and employment

are likely to impact their childrens wellbeing and

educational attainment, which was also a commonly

identified need in these households. Respondents

worry about their childrens educational outcomes, as

well as their ability to afford college for those with

kin who would like to be able to attend college in thenear future.

Impacts of the poor economy

When asked how life has changed for their

household due to the poor economy in the last few

years, respondents most frequently mentioned tighter

budgets and more difficulty making ends meet

(Figure 7). Said one 31-year-old widowed father of

one (and following comments from several

respondents):

I cannot go to the grocery store andbuy 2 weeks worth of food for $50. Itbarely lasts a week. Scraping by.

7. Impacts of the poor economy

Ive had to cut back on things I enjoy,like buying a cup of coffee, and I amhelping my daughter support her kidsIdont drive as far as I used to because ofthe gas prices. My world is a lot smallerbecause I cant afford to go anywhere. Iwill never be able to afford to retire. Ihad savings but the stock market tookcare of that after 9/11. I will have towork until I drop. (67-year-old divorcedwoman)

I dont have any money to get out to geta job -- no gas, lot of times the carsbreaks down -- my money goes intofixing the car, and I can only buy a fewgroceries. (single 33-year-old man)

The company I was working for closedtheir doors and its tough to find a jobnow and I have a college degree andtwenty years of experience. (46-year-oldpartnered father of one)

Job availability. I have lost two jobsbecause of selling and downsizing. Mywife also lost her job from making $18 ahr. to $8/hr. and lost her healthinsurance (69-year-old married male)

I had to sell my home and move into a

rental. That was hard. I had to give upmy car, in part because of the economy,and in part because of my health. (63-year-old divorced woman)

52%

34%

10%

7%

2%

20%

Financial impact: tight budgets

Employment impact:lost a job, can't find a job

Health impact: physicaland mental health

Housing impact

Other

No impact


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Employment status and employment-

related needs

The June 2012 unemployment rates in Ramsey (6.3%)

and Washington (5.7%) counties were similar to the

statewide rate (5.8%), and these rates reflect a slight

improvement over the 2011 averages. About three-quarters of adults (age 16-64) in the service area

were working between 2008 and 2011, including 72

percent of Ramsey County residents and 77 percent

of Washington County residents.

Among low-income residents, however, employment

rates are much lower. Only 51 percent of low-

income residents and 38 percent of Community

Action participants said they were employed at

the time of the survey (Figure 8).

8. Employment status of low-income residents

Note:Full-time employment is defined as currently working 35 or

more hours per week. Part-time employment is defined as currently

working less than 35 hours per weekEmployment rates were lowest among:

Respondents who primarily speak Karen athome (20%)

Respondents with no children in the household(26%)

Washington County residents (32%) Asian respondents (37%) White respondents (38%)

Single respondents with children were the most

likely group to be employed (57%). Of respondents

who were partnered, about two-thirds said their

spouse or partner was employed.

Nearly half (48%) of low-income residents and

two-thirds (64%) of Community Action

participants disagreed that good jobs are

available in their community for the people in their

household who work (Figure 9). Those most likely to

disagree with this statement include:

Hispanic and Latino respondents (67%)

Respondent households with incomes below 100percent of the poverty line (65%)

Middle-aged respondents (age 35-64) (65%) Respondents who are single with three or more

children (62%)

9. Good jobs are available in your community for the people

in your home that work.

Many respondents reported that their employment

earnings were inadequate to support their families

(Figure 10). Asked how much they agreed ordisagreed with the statement, Your job pays

enough to meet your familys needs, three-fifths

(60%) of low-income residents and three-quarters

(76%) of Community Action participants

disagreed. Hispanic/Latino respondents (83%) and

single respondents with 3 or more children (79%) were

most likely to disagree, while respondents who speak

Karen at home were least likely to disagree (40%).

10. Your job pays enough to meet your family's needs.

38%

20%

17%

16%

12%

20%

46%

68%

62%

Ramsey County(low-income)

Washington County(low-income)


Employed full-time

Employed part-time

Not employed

8

8

31

44

16

48

35

32

13

21

44




Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

2

5

49

53

31

32

33

32

17

8

33




Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree


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Education status and education-related needs

Three-quarters of residents (76%) reported

having at least a high school diploma or GED,

but only one in ten reported completing a

bachelors degree or higher (Figure 11).

Community Action Participants were more likely

(56%) than service area residents overall (44%) to

have completed at least some college.

11. Education status

Respondents with a home language other than

English were significantly less likely thanrespondents in English-speaking households to

have a high school diploma.

When asked if speaking English is a problem for any

members of their household, more than half (52%)

of Karen speakers said that speaking English is a

serious problem for at least one person in their

household. Hmong (36%) and Spanish (34%)

speakers also reported high rates of problems with

communicating in English.

When asked about their education-related needs,

more than half (52%) of low-income residents said

they need help to learn new skills to get a job or

for job promotion, with the greatest need in

Ramsey County (55%) (Figure 12). Respondents

most likely to need job training were those whose home

language is Spanish (68%) or Somali (66%), 18- to

34-year-old respondents (63%), and parents (61%).

12. Do you, or anyone in your household, need help with

Two-fifths of low-income residents said they or

other adults in their household need help with getting

more education (Figure 12). Similar to the need for

job training, rates of need were highest among

young adults, parents, Somali and Spanish speakers,

and those with incomes below the poverty line.

One in four low-income residents said they needhelp with getting information about starting their

own business. Parents with three or more children

expressed especially high need for small business

education (44%), as did Somali and Spanish

speakers (48% and 46%, respectively). Among

Community Action participants, Community

Engagement participants were especially interested

in learning about starting their own business (40%).

Finally, when asked if they need information about

behavior and social skills in the workplace, rates ofneed were significantly higher among respondents

who speak languages other than English at home,

Head Start participants, and partnered parents with

three or more children.

26% 18% 21%

31%35% 22%

32% 39%48%

10% 7% 5%

1% 1% 3%

RamseyCounty

low-incomeresidents

WashingtonCounty

low-incomeresidents

CommunityAction

participants

Graduate school

Bachelor's degree

Some college orAA degree

HS diploma or GED

Less than highschool

55%

42%

27%

14%

36%

30%

21%

13%

45%

42%

25%

19%

Training or learningnew skills to get a

job or for job promotion

Getting more education

for the adults in yourhousehold?

Getting informationabout starting your

own business?

Learning aboutbehavior andsocial skills in

the workplace?

Ramsey County (low-income)

Washington County (low-income)

Community Action participants


10/24

Housing status and housing-related needs

Three-fifths (61%) of low-income residents in Ramsey County and almost half (46%) of

low-income residents in Washington County rent their homes, compared to overall county-wide

rates of 39 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Half (52%) of low-income residents reported living in

an apartment, condominium, or townhouse, and most others (44%) live in single-family homes.

13. Housing problems

The most common housing-related problems cited by low-income residents were funding

repairs to their homes (with 59% saying it is at least a slight problem) and making utility

payments (54%) (Figure 13). Community Action participants reported these problems at

particularly high rates (64% reported that making repairs is at least a slight problem and 75% cite

utility payments as at least a slight problem), and also reported difficulty paying their mortgage or

rent (61%). Relatively few residents reported problems with having enough space in their homes

(32%) or getting safe housing (20%).

When asked about their needs for a list of housing-related services, low-income residents most

frequently said they need assistance with home energy efficiency (30%), modifying their home to

help disabled or elderly residents (24%), and other home repairs or household chores (21%)

(Figure 14).

20%

12%

24%

21%

32%

15%

31%

22%

28%

8%

17%

15%

16%

16%

9%

17%

17%

23%

21%

12%

9%

30%

10%

8%

6%

7%

7%

7%

6%

13%

20%

20%

9%

27%

13%

20%

17%

4%

6%

4%

7%

10%

11%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Ramsey County low-income residents

Washington County low-income residents


Paying yourmortgage orrent

Having enoughmoney to fixyour home

Having enoughspace in yourhome








2%

5%




Getting safehousing



Making your utilitypayments

Slight problem Moderate problem Serious problem


11/24

14. Housing-related service needs

Low-income residents also noted a need for assistance with the home-buying process, with

more than one-quarter saying they need help getting a loan to buy a house (29%) and

learning how to buy a house (26%) (Figure 14). Many others said they need help learning about

residents and landlords rights and responsibilities (18%) and getting their landlord to make

needed repairs (18%), especially in Washington County (29% and 26%, respectively). Preventing

home foreclosure is also a greater housing need in Washington County (25 percent, compared to

18 percent in the service area overall).

20%

30%

42%

30%

28%

42%

24%

19%

15%

12%

7%

10%

17%

25%

17%

27%

24%

27%

29%

26%

27%

16%

29%

24%

17%

26%

13%



Community Action clients






























Community Actio nparticipants






















Home repairsor householdchores

Making homemore energyefficient

Modifying homefor disabled/elderlyresidents

Dealing with acriminal recordthat limits access

to housing oremployment

Preventinghome foreclosureor eviction

Learninghow tobuy ahouse

Getting aloan to buy

a house

Learning aboutresidents' &landlords' rights &responsibilities

Getting landlordto make neededrepairs


12/24

Household money management

Most low-income households (54%) reported an annual income below $20,000, especially:

Somali-speaking households (80%) Childless households (79%)

Single-parent households with 3 or more children (73%) Community Action participants (73%)

Four out of five low-income residents in Ramsey and Washington counties said it is at least

a slight problem for their household to make ends meet (Figure 15). Community Action

participants (45%), and single parents (39%) were most likely to say making ends meet is a serious

problem, but one-third (33%) of respondents without children also called this a serious problem.

Paying debts was also cited as a serious problem for many, including one-quarter of Ramsey County

low-income residents and one-third of Community Action participants. More than one-third of

Community Action participants also noted that getting credit is a serious problem for them. Paying

debts and getting credit were at least a slight problem for about three-fifths of low-income residents.

15. Household financial problems

Starting a savings plan was the most commonly selected finance-related service need among

low-income residents in Ramsey and Washington counties, selected by 29 percent of

residents. Community Action participants also reported a relatively high level of need (42%) for

help repairing credit, while about one-quarter (27%) of low-income residents reported this need.

Two-fifths (21%) also reported a need for help with budgeting and money management, including

one-third of Washington County residents.

29%

19%

21%

24%

9%

19%20%

12%

24%

27%

22%

27%

29%

23%

23%

14%

19%

20%16%

9%

17%

10%

19%

22%

27%

37%

45%

21%

18%

36%6%

13%

20%

25%

16%

33%

1

2

3

4

5

67

8

9

10

11

12




Having enoughmoney to makeends meet

Getting credit

Paying yourmortgage orrent







Ramsey County low-income residentsPaying yourdebts





13/24

Health status and health-related needs

Most low-income residents of Ramsey and

Washington counties reported having health insurance

for all members of their households, but 30 percent

said at least one member of their household is

currently without health insurance and 8 percent

said their entire household is without health

insurance (Figure 16). Less than half of employed

respondents (46%) or respondents employed partners

(43%) get health insurance through their employers.

16. How many of the people in your household are insured?

The lack of insurance coverage is worst among

households that primarily speak Spanish at home, with

only 26 percent reporting insurance coverage for all

members of their household and 15 percent saying

their entire household is without health insurance.

Still, the majority of low-income residents of Ramsey

and Washington counties said that getting health care,

dental care, and mental health care was not a problem

for their household(Figure 17). The most commonly

cited health care-related problem was getting dental

care, a problem for 43 percent of low-income

households.

Getting health care is also a problem for many,

noted by 41 percent of low-income households and

a serious problem for 13 percent.

Washington County low-income residents reported

health and dental care as serious problems at higher

rates, including 25 percent calling access to dental care

a serious problem and 20 percent reporting a serious

problem in accessing health care. Serious problems in

accessing dental care were also quite common among

Hispanic/Latino respondents (33%), while single parents

with three or more children were most likely to report

problems in accessing health care (20%).

Most low-income residents of Ramsey and Washington

counties describe their health as average or better than

average compared to others their age, though about one-

quarter (23%) of low-income residents described their

health as below average (Figure 18). Groups most likely to

describe their health as below average included:

Community Action participants (35%) Respondents with no children (35%) White/Caucasian respondents (34%) Respondents over age 35 (31%)

18. Compared to other people your age, how would you rate

your health?

17. Health care prob lems

19%

5%

13%

18%

10%

14%

10%

18%

9%

13%

11%

11%

12%

15%

8%

11%

20%

17%

12%

25%

22%

8%

8%

5%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Slight problem

Moderate problem

Serious problem

Getting

healthcare

Gettingdentalcare

Gettingmentalhealthcare




Ramse Count low-income residents






3%

4%

4%

72%

81%

68%

18%

4%

25%

10%

15%

7%


Washington County(low-income)

Ramsey County(low-income)

All Some, but not all None

28%

35%

33%

36%

40%

44%

35%

25%

23%




Better than average About average Below average


14/24

Transportation

The average household in the Twin Cities metro area spent $8,800 on transportation in 2011,

about 6 percent higher than the national average.

Most low-income residents of Ramsey and Washington counties said that owning a car thatworks well is not a problem for their household (59%), but 1 in 10 low-income residents

called this a serious problem for at least one member of their household (Figure 19).

19. Transportation problems

Affording insurance and gas for their car was more commonly cited as a problem, but was most

commonly reported as a slight (26%) or moderate (19%) problem. Community Action

participants reported serious problems with affording gas and car insurance at three times

the rate (31%) of low-income residents overall (10%). Other groups that were more likely than

average to report serious problems paying for gas and insurance for their car were:

Single parents with 3+ children (38%) Black/African American respondents (36%) Hispanic/Latino respondents (35%) Respondents with incomes below the poverty line (33%)

Low-income residents were more likely to need help with getting repairs on their car (32%) than

to need help getting a car (25%) (Figure 20). Consistent with their problems affording gas and

insurance, the same groups listed above were most likely to report a need for assistance with

getting car repairs, with levels of need ranging from 50 to 66 percent. The same groups also

reported higher levels of need for help with getting a car, as did single parents with 1-2 children.

20. Transportation service needs


23%

14%

23%

27%

16%

21%

8%

11%

21%

17%

27%

27%

11%

9%

17%

10%

9%

31%

1

2

3

4

5

6

Owning a carthat works

Having enough

money to buygas and carinsurance







26%

18%

30%

33%

28%

39%

1

2

3

4

5

6

Getting a car

Getting repairson your car








15/24

Child care and out-of-school time activities

The most common problem related to child care and parenting was getting access to

activities for children, which was at least a slight problem for almost half (47%) of low-

income residents in Ramsey and Washington counties and a serious problem for almost one-

third (30%) of single parents with three or more children (Figure 21).

21. Problems related to child care and parenting

More than 1 in 3 (37% of) low-income households with children reported at least a slight

problem paying for child care and 1 in 4 (27%) had at least a slight problem finding child

care during their hours of employment. One in five (21%) reported a problem finding highquality child care. The following groups were especially likely to report these problems:

Community Action participants (especially those in the Head Start program) Parents of three or more children Asian respondents Hispanic/Latino respondents

25%

15%

22%

16%

9%

14%

14%

22%

11%

8%

8%

8%

18%

11%

8%

8%

17%

17%

14%

7%

13%

11%

8%

13%

12%

12%

8%

8%

6%

5%

17%

14%

8%

20%

6%

6%

7%

17%

12%

7%

7%

14%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18




4%

1%, 1%, 5%
















Getting accessto activities foryour children

Havingenough moneyto pay forchild care

Getting helpwhen you haveparentingproblems

Getting help raisinga grandchild oranother relative's

child

Finding childcare duringyour hours ofemployment

Finding highquality childcare

4%, 1%

3%

4%, 4%

5%, 2%, 4%



16/24

More than 1 in 4 (28% of) low-income residents also reported a problem finding help when they

have parenting problems. Many others, especially in Ramsey County, reported problems with

getting help raising a grandchild or another relatives child (26%) and finding high quality child care.

Two in 5 low-income residents reported that at least one of their children attends a program for

special needs or special education and nearly as many (38%) send their children to a program thathelps kids get ready for school (Figure 22). Participation rates in these programs were significantly

lower for Community Action participants, particularly those whose children are not enrolled in

Head Start. Community Action participants were more likely than other residents to enroll their

children in a child care center, while other residents were more likely to send their children to

daycare in someones home.

22. Enrollment in child care and out-of-school time programs

42%

26%

23%

38%

37%

24%

24%

23%

12%

6%

3%

16%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12




A program forspecial needs orspecial education

A program thathelps kids getready for school

Daycare insomeone's home







Ramsey County low-income residentsA child care center




17/24

Care of elderly and disabled residents

The share of the population over the age of 65 has

grown by over 60 percent in Washington County

since 1990, and is projected to double from todays

11 percent to 21 percent by 2030. Projections show a

continued growth in Ramsey County as well, from

12 percent today to 19 percent in 2030. Ramsey and

Washington counties are also home to more than

16,000 disabled residents whose incomes are below

the poverty level (U.S. Census). The importance of

service availability to meet these residents needs

cannot be overestimated.

About one-quarter (26%) of low-income residents of

Ramsey and Washington counties said getting help

taking care of an elderly or disabled person is at least

a slight problem in their household. Groups mostlikely to report this issue as a serious problem include:

Respondents of color (8-13 percent, compared to3 percent of white respondents)

Respondents whose primary language at home isnot English (10-16 percent, compared to 4

percent of those who speak English at home)

Parents of three or more children (11-13 percent,compared to 4-6 percent of those with two or

fewer children)

Residents greatest reported service need related to

caring for elderly and disabled residents is

transportation for them, needed by 14 percent of

residents. About 1 in 10 residents also reported a

need for personal care assistance (13%) and finding

a place for elderly family members to live (10%)

(Figure 23). These needs tended to be greatest

among the groups described above, and particularly

among single parents of three or more children and

respondents who speak Hmong or Somali at home.

When respondents over the age of 65 were asked

what one thing would help the most to meet their

needs, the most common responses were general

financial assistance (15%) and housing (15%). For

example, a 66-year-old single woman said:

If the government would changetheir standardsto qualify forthings like food stamps. And the co-pays are too high for me, because Iam not poor enough and I have topay all the co-pays. I dont havethat in my budget.

23. Service needs related to care of elderly and disabled residents

10%

7%

9%

13%

18%

16%

14%

10%

12%

1

2

3

4

5

6

78

9










Finding a placefor elderly familymembers to live

Transportationfor seniors anddisabled adults

Personal careassistance sothat you orsomeone elsecan stay at home


18/24

Community, crime, and safety

Most low-income residents in Ramsey and

Washington counties said that they are

treated with respect in their community

(93%) and they have someone they can talkto when things go wrong (89%) (Figure 24).

On the other hand, more than one-quarter

(27%) disagree that their neighborhood is safe,

and almost one-quarter (23%) reported at least

one experience of discrimination or prejudice in

their community.

There were few differences among respondent

groups in the level of respect and availability

of people to talk to when things go wrong.

Some groups were more likely than others,however, to have experienced discrimination,

including:

Asian respondents (50%), especially thosewho primarily speak Hmong at home

(58%)

Hispanic/Latino respondents (51%) Community Action participants (39%),

and Head Start participants (47%) in

particular

Residents of Washington County (38%)

24. Neighborhood and community

Residents of Washington County (82%),

respondents over 65 (88%), and respondents who

speak Somali at home (92%) were most likely to

agree that their neighborhood is safe. Head Start

participants (67%) and Hispanic/Latino

respondents (59%) were least likely to agree thattheir neighborhood is safe.

A criminal background presents a barrier to

getting housing and/or employment for 11

percent of low-income residents. The

challenge of a criminal record is especially

prevalent among single parents of three or

more children, of whom 19 percent said

getting housing and/or employment with a

criminal record is a serious problem for at

least one member of their household.

Thirteen percent of low-income residents

reported at least a slight problem with alcohol

or drug problems, including 6 percent who

said it is a serious problem. Fifteen percent of

residents reported a need for help with legal

issues for someone in their household. This

need was most common among single parents

of 3 or more children (31%) and respondents

who speak Spanish at home (35%).

28%

30%

25%

41%

54%

30%

13%

40%

22%

15%

13%

64%

68%

64%

47%

38%

52%

57%

43%

54%

15%

23%

26%

5%, 3%

2%

5%, 5%

7%, 5%

5%, 2%

14%

22%

17%

14%

60%

45%

36%

4%

7%

1%

10%

19%

17%

25%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree













6%

You are treatedwith respect bythe people inyour community

You have someoneyou can talk towhen things gowrong

Yourneighborhoodis a safe place

You haveexperienceddiscrimination orprejudice towardyou in yourcommunity


19/24

Access to the Internet and other tools for communication and information

Two-thirds (65%) of low-income residents reported having Internet access in their homes,

and nearly three-quarters said they or someone in their household has Internet access at the public

library (Figure 25). About one-third of residents can access the Internet through a school (39%),

place of work (34%), or someplace else (31%). Community Action participants reported lower-than-average access to each Internet source.

25. Sources o f Internet access

The most commonly reported communication tool among low-income residents was a cell phone,

which was available in 78 percent of households (including 44 percent with access to smart phones

with Internet access). Seven in 10 residents also have at least one landline phone number in their

household and more than two-thirds (68%) have at least one device in their home (other than a

smart phone) on which they can access the Internet (Figure 26).

Elderly respondents (age 65+) and respondents who primarily speak Karen at home were least

likely to have a cell phone, smart phone, or other device in their home to access the Internet. Young

respondents (age 18-34) and single parents were least likely to have a landline in their home.

66%

59%

57%

41%

28%

29%

73%

73%

56%

35%

30%

20%

29%

39%

14%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15




Home

Child'sschool

Publiclibrary







Ramsey County low-income residentsPlace ofwork






Someplaceelse


20/24

26. Communication tools

Residents top source of information about services is their community, with about one-third

(31%) of low-income residents getting service information from family and friends. Other

common information sources were the Internet (21%) and social/community workers (17%).

Community Action participants were more connected to each of these information sources than

other residents (Figure 27).

27. Sources of information about services

69%

80%

63%

80%

67%

78%

46%

31%

38%

68%

68%

65%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12




Has atleast onelandline

Hascellphone

Has smartphone withInternetaccess

Has deviceother thansmartphone

to accessInternetin home










32%

27%

72%

21%

25%

33%

8%

11%

29%

11%

2%

40%

16%

23%

35%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15








Washington County low-income residentsCommunity Action participants







Family andfriends(word of mouth)

TheInternet

Telephone help-lines (United Way

2-1-1, SeniorLinkAge Line, etc.)

Communityorganizations (fliers,informationalsessions, etc.)

A social workeror othercommunityworker


21/24

Knowledge of and satisfaction with

Community Action services

Low-income residents of Washington and Ramsey

counties who were not active participants of

Community Actions services were asked about their

level and type of knowledge about CommunityAction and its available services. About half of the

community residents in the two counties had

heard about Community Action (Figure 28).

28. Resident awareness of Community Action

Low-income residents in Washington County

(37%) were significantly less likely to have heard

about Community Action than those in Ramsey

County (51%). Furthermore, those in Ramsey

County (62%) who had heard about Community

Action services were more likely to have received

the services at some point than those in WashingtonCounty (54%) (Figure 29). This may imply the need

for more focused outreach efforts in Washington

County.

29. Resident receipt of services from Community Action

The 35-64 age group was significantly more likely to

have heard of Community Action (55%) than the

younger (34%) and older (32%) groups. Yet, the

percentage of those who had not only heard about

Community Action but also used the services was

about equal across the age groups. Thus it may be

important to focus outreach efforts to both younger

and older respondents in light of their approximately

equal likelihood to utilize the Community Action

services as their 35-64 year-old counterparts.

Households with incomes below the poverty line

were most likely to have heard about Community

Action, indicative of successful low-income

outreach efforts.

30. Resident awareness of Community Action programs

88%

87%

83%

33%

78%

27%

23%

56%

11%

13%

17%

34%

20%

59%

47%

39%

1%

0%

0%

33%

2%

14%

30%

6%

Financialliteracy training

You Be TheChange

leadershipprogram

Low interest carloans

Food support

Project Success

Head Start

Energyassistance

Energyconservation

Not aware of this program

Aware, but not currently receiving services

Already signed up or currently receiving services

49% 51%

37%

51% 49%

63%

All low-incomeresidents

RamseyCounty low-

incomeresidents

WashingtonCounty low-

incomeresidents

Yes

No

61% 62%54%

39% 38%46%

All low-incomeresidents

RamseyCounty low-

incomeresidents

WashingtonCounty low-

incomeresidents

Yes

No


22/24

When asked about their knowledge of specific

Community Action programs/services, residents

were unaware of the existence of most available

programs/services (Figure 30). The three exceptions

are the food support program, Head Start, and the

energy assistance program. In addition, when asked

what they know about Community Action in an

open-ended format, residents listed these three

services (food support, Head Start, and energy

assistance) among the top five most common

responses (Figure 31).

31. What low-income residents know about

Community Action (open-ended)

Of respondents who were aware of Community

Action services and programs, most were not using

them. The consistently low levels of awareness

and participation indicate an opportunity for

more thorough or targeted outreach efforts for

Community Action services and programs.

For those already participating as participants of

Community Action services, more than three-quarters

(77%) reported satisfaction for all types of available

services (Figure 32). The highest rates of participant

satisfaction were reported for the energy

conservation (83%) and energy assistance (77%)

programs, with lower rates of satisfaction with head

start (69%) and community engagement (65%)

programs.

Participant satisfaction was lowest among:

Households that primarily speak languages otherthan English at home, especially Hmong- (55%)

and Somali-speaking households (56%)

Single parents of three or more children (66%)

Community Action participants with no children

generally reported higher levels of program/service

satisfaction (77%) than participants with children,

especially those with at least three children (66-70%).

Participants with incomes below the poverty line were

least satisfied with the Community Action services theyreceived.

32. Satisfaction with Community Action services

77%

65%

77%83%

69%

19%26%

19%13%

28%

4%9%

4% 3% 3%

All CommunityAction

participants

CommunityEngagement

EnergyAssistance

EnergyConservation

Head Start

Satisfied to very satisfied(8 to 10 on a 10-point scale)

Moderately dissatisfied tomoderately satisfied(4 to 7 on a 10-point scale)

Very dissatisfied to dissatisfied(1 to 3 on a 10-point scale)

52%

21%

18%

15%

11%

8%

5%

5%

4%

4%

4%

14%

Energy assistance/utility services

Other experiencewith Community Action

Personally receivesservices

Energy conservation/home energy efficiency

Food shelf/food stamps

Low-income people

Housing/rent

Head start/child care

Mental health/disability

Health care services/medical assistance

Services

Other


23/24

Study methods

This community needs assessment includes a

representative survey with three groups: low-income

residents of Ramsey and Washington counties,

participants in one or more of Community Actions

four key program areas, and participants who speak

languages other than English (including Hmong,

Karen, Somali, and Spanish). See Figure 33 for

information on the number of respondents and

response rates, and see the map on page 3 for the

geographic distribution of respondents.

33. Survey respondents

Responserate

Number ofcompleted

surveys

Community survey overall 36% 201

Ramsey County 37% 104

Washington County 34% 97

Participant survey overall 25% 837

Community Engagement participants 26% 115

Energy Assistance participants 29% 132

Energy Conservation participants 38% 184

Head Start participants 22% 100

Hmong-speaking participants 20% 95

Karen-speaking participants 42% 31

Somali-speaking participants 13% 61

Spanish-speaking participants 26% 119

For the community survey, we used a phone survey

including residential landlines attached to addresses

in Ramsey and Washington counties and cell phone

numbers in the 651 area code. All sampled phone

numbers were contacted and screened for an adult

resident/owner of the phone and for low household

income (200% or less of the poverty line). Eligible

households were invited to participate over the phone.

For the participant survey, we randomly selected

respondents from a list of all Community Action

participants to represent each of the specific program

areas and non-English language oversample groups.

Sampled participants received a postcard invitation to

complete a web survey followed by a survey packet.

Community Action staff and Wilder Research staff

also completed follow-up phone calls to invite

sampled participants to complete their survey on paper

and return it to Wilder or to complete the survey on-

the-spot over the phone.

The survey included questions about basic needs in a

wide range of areas in which Community Action

provides direct services, community leadership, and/or

advocacy (see Appendix). The survey instrument was

translated for phone or paper self-administration into

Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish.

Community survey data were adjusted using post-

stratification weighting based on race/ethnicity,

gender, and education level data from the 2010

Census. Weighting is used to ensure the survey data

are representative of the population. These data are

representative of all low-income households in Ramsey

and Washington counties with a +/- 3.6 percent margin

of error. Community Action participant survey data

were weighted to ensure that the overall population of

participants is represented despite stratified samplingfrom four program areas. See the map that shows the

location of survey respondents within the service area.

In addition to the survey data gathered for this study,

Community Action and Wilder Research also gathered

and compiled information from the U.S. Census

Bureau, Minnesota Compass, and other sources.


24/24

For more information

This summary presents highlights of the Community Needs Assessment

conducted by Wilder Research for the Community Action Partnership of

Ramsey and Washington Counties. For more information, contact Nicole

MartinRogers at Wilder Research, 651-280-2682.

Authors: Nicole MartinRogers, Cael Warren, and Ryan Steele

NOVEMBER 2012

WilderResearchInformation. Insight. Impact.

451 Lexington Parkway North

S
http://www.wilderresearch.org/http://www.wilderresearch.org/

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