Community Assessment Table of Contents

Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early 2016 Head Start

Executive Summary……………………………………………………. Pages 8 - 12

State of the Grantee ……………………………………………………. Page 13

Program Philosophy ……………………………………………………. Page 14

Governing Structure ……………………………………………………. Page 15

Methodology & Sources ……………………………………………….. Page 16

Service Area Data/Geography …………………………………………. Pages 17 & 18

Population & Demographic Data ………………………………………. Pages 19 – 25

Social & Economic Status ……………………………………………… Pages 26 – 31

Economic Features and Trends …………………………………………. Page 32 - 34

Housing …………………………………………………………………. Pages 35 – 40

Education ……………………………………………………………….. Pages 41 & 42

Waiting List …………………………………………………………….. Page 43

Disabilities ……………………………………………………………… Pages 44 & 45

Health & Wellness ……………………………………………………… Pages 46 - 53

Food Insecurity/Food Deserts …………………………………………... Pages 54 & 55

Child Welfare …………………………………………………………… Pages 56 – 58

Child Care ………………………………………………………………. Page 59

Geographic Location of Head Start Eligible Children & Families ……... Page 60

Characteristics of Head Start Children & Families ………………………Page 61 Community Assessment March 2016 2

Head Start Teacher Qualifications ……………………………………… Page 62

Strengths/Needs of Eligible Families & Children ……………………… Pages 63 – 66

Community Partner/Key Informant Survey Information……………….. Pages 67 & 68

Strengths of Northwest Tennessee Head Start/EHS Communities …….. Page 69

Resources, Collaborative/Formal Agreements & Partnerships ………... Pages 69 & 70

Future Trends ………………………………………………………….. Page 71

Identification of Issues and Recommendations ……………………….. Pages 72 - 75

Census Tract Information ……………………………………………… Pages 76 – 88

Resources ……………………………………………………………… Page 89 - 90

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Table of Contents (Tables)

Table 1: Population Change ………………………………………………. Page 19

Table 2: Population by Gender …………………………………………….Page 21

Table 3: Population by Race ……………………………………………… Page 23

Table 4: Language …………………………………………………………Page 25

Table 5: Poverty ……………………………………………………………Page 26

Table 6: Poverty Rate Change ……………………………………………..Page 28

Table 7: Households in Poverty by Family Type ………………………… Page 29

Table 8: TANF ……………………………………………...... Page 31

Table 9: Employment/Unemployment …………………………………… Page 33

Table 10: Median & Per Capita Income Levels …………………………. Page 34

Table 11: Owner Occupied Homes ……………………………………… Page 36

Table 12: Housing Units without Plumbing ………………………………Page 38

Table 13: Fair Market Rent ……………………………………………….Page 39

Table 14: Percent Attaining Educational Levels ………………………….Page 42

Table 15: Disability Categories …………………………………………...Page 43

Table 16: Head Start Children with Disabilities ………………………… Page 44

Table 17: Early Head Start Children with Disabilities …...... Page 45

Table 18: Uninsured Persons……………………………………………...Page 47

Table 19: Teen Pregnancy Rate…………………………………………...Page 48

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Table 20: Households receiving SNAP ………………………………….. Page 50

Table 21: WIC ………………………………………………………….....Page 51

Table 22: Free Lunch …………………………………………………..... Page 53

Table 23: Food Insecurity Rate ………………………………………….. Page 54

Table 24: Food Deserts ………………………………………………….. Page 55

Table 25: Reported Child Abuse Cases …………………...... Page 56

Table 26: Children in State Custody ……………………...... Page 56

Table 27: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome………………...... Page 58

Table 28: Regulated Childcare Spaces …………………………………...Page 59

Table 29: Children 0-4 in Poverty by County ……………………………Page 60

Table 30: Most important issues facing families’ survey…………………Page 63

Table 31: Health insurance survey………………………...... Page 64

Table 32: Employment status survey……………………...... Page 65

Table 33: Banking status survey....………………………...... Page 66

Table 34: Key needs and concerns of community survey...... Page 67

Table 35: Number one issue affecting education survey…………………Page 68

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Table of Contents (Charts)

Chart 1: Population Change ……………………………………………… Page 20

Chart 2: Population by Age …………………………………………….... Page 22

Chart 3: Population by Race ……………………………………………... Page 24

Chart 4: Poverty Rate ……………………………………………………. Page 27

Chart 5: Children (0-4) Poverty Rate Change …………………………… Page 27

Chart 6: Households in Poverty by Family Type ………………………... Page 30

Chart 7: Unemployment Rate …………………………………………….Page 32

Chart 8: Median & Per Capita Income ……………………………………Page 34

Chart 9: Owner Occupied Homes …………………………………………Page 35

Chart 10: Housing Units without Plumbing ……………………………….Page 37

Chart 11: Educational Attainment …………………………………………Page 41

Chart 12: Uninsured Population Percentage ……………………………….Page 46

Chart 13: Percentage of Students on Free/Reduced Lunch ………………..Page 52

Chart 14: Head Start Eligibility ……………………………………………Page 61

Chart 15: Early Head Start Eligibility ……………………………………..Page 61

Chart 16a & 16b: H/S Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher.………Page 62

Chart 17: Most Important Issues Facing Families Survey…………………Page 63

Chart 18: Health Insurance Status Survey ………………………………...Page 64

Chart 19: Employment Status Survey ……………………………………..Page 65 Community Assessment March 2016 6

Chart 20: Banking Status Survey ………………………………………….Page 66

Chart 21: Issues in Education Survey ……………………………………..Page 68

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Executive Summary

Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start currently has funding for 1,160 Head Start children and 156 Early Head Start Children for a total of 1,316 children. With 9,470 children less than 5 years of age living in poverty based on the 2012 American Community Survey, the

Head Start and Early Head Start program combined is only serving 13.9% of the eligible children in the Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start service area.

The methodology to develop the Community Assessment includes data collection from a variety of sources; surveys completed by currently served parents and community partners; HS/EHS program data; various external data sources such as the American Community Survey, Kids

Count 2015 and many others listed under the sources in the methodology section.

The following leading trends and significant indicators, identified throughout the Community

Assessment, have implications for the program in terms of planning including design, geographic location, approach, and services needed.

1) Poverty- In the Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start service area,

32% of children under age five are living in poverty—while the rate soars to 52.1%

in Lake County, 44.8% in Lauderdale County and 41.6% in Crockett County. This

means over half the children in Lake County and close to half the children in Lauderdale

and Crockett Counties also are living in poverty. It is estimated that almost 1 in 3

children live in poverty across the Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start

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service area. There is also a huge need for more early childhood education slots for

children birth to age 3 due to the large number of children living in poverty and the lack

of available spaces for children 0 to 3 in income eligible programs and the inability of

parents to pay for childcare.

2) Diversity- Northwest Tennessee continues to grow in the area of diverse populations.

The number of individuals identifying as Hispanic in origin has grown annually with the

most significant gain being in Crockett County. As a result, the number of families with

limited English proficiency continues to grow. Based on the above, there is an increased

demand for bilingual services, especially for schools, medical providers and social

service agencies. Despite this need, high quality bilingual employees are often difficult

to find and in high demand by area employers making it difficult to obtain quality

bilingual staff.

3) Economy- The economy continues to be a concern for those living in the Northwest

Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start service area. Median household incomes are

much lower than the state rate and United States median income rates. Additionally, the

Head Start Head Start/Early Head Start population continues to have difficulty acquiring

a living wage position that would reduce their reliance on additional services. The

average median household income of the service area is $38,794 compared to the state

median household income of $44,140 and the United States median household income of

$60,119. The unemployment rate in our area continues to be a major issue as well with

the rate for the service area being 6.0% compared to a state rate of 4.9% and a national

rate of 4.9%. Only two of our thirteen counties have unemployment rates below the state

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and national average. Additionally, social service providers continue to struggle with

funding, while faced with increased and complex needs of families.

4) Age and Educational Level- Like many communities, Northwest Tennessee Head

Start/Early Head Start is facing a significant challenge with the low number of qualified

individuals to fill positions as they become available in the next several years. Almost 18

percent (17.92%) of area residents over the age of 25 do not have a high school diploma

or high school equivalency diploma. Less than 39% of adults 25 and older in the

Northwest Tennessee Head Start/EHS service area have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.

Many on-going opportunities for parents to participate in continuing education and job-

related training are in place and more are being planned to help address this need.

5) Health- Concerning health rates regarding teen pregnancies, limited prenatal care and

low birth weights have not decreased over the years, rather they have remained relatively

steady or have had increases. The teen pregnancy rate continues to be above the state rate

in four of the thirteen counties served. Special emphasis has been placed on recruiting

pregnant teens and teen parents to support them in their efforts to remain in school and

graduate. One of our counties, Lake County, has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the

state at 59.7 per 1,000 births.

6) Family Needs- Significant family needs- including affordable housing, living wage

employment, transportation, basic education and job skill training, drug and alcohol

intervention, abuse prevention and intervention are on the rise and more complex each

year. These items are addressed in our focus based on identified needs section of the

community assessment.

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7) Age 4 income eligible children- State funded Pre-K programs have continued to impact

enrollment for four-year old children. To diminish this impact continued efforts are

being made to collaborate with school systems, increase the number of 3 year old

classrooms and increase recruitment efforts.

8) Child Abuse- The rate of reported child abuse cases in the area is higher than that of the

state with many counties significantly over the state rate. Benton County has the highest

rate of reported cases in the area at 6.8% which is much higher than the state reported rate

of 4.5%.

Despite these concerning needs, the Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start area has a number of strengths summarized below with a more thorough list of strengths and resources given within the Community Assessment.

• Friendly people willing to help someone in need.

• Small-town or community atmospheres that promotes conservative family values and

supports children and youths.

• Relatively low crime rates.

• Countrysides of natural beauty comprised of farm land, open fields, woods, small towns,

rivers, lakes and creeks.

• Colleges, universities and technology centers that cater to adult learners.

• A large medical community in Jackson that provides health care services comparable to

those in Nashville and Memphis.

• School systems that range from average to excellent.

• School for the Deaf in Jackson that can be compared to a similar facility in Knoxville.

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• Groups, organizations and systems of professionals and concerned citizens who work

together to increase the number and quality of services to children and families.

• Churches and faith-based organizations that offer emergency or crisis assistance to

families.

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State of the Grantee

Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start’s mission is: Helping people, changing lives in our community through education, partnerships and delivery of quality services in Northwest

Tennessee. The vision is: Hand in hand, working together we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other to make a difference in communities. Northwest Tennessee Head

Start/Early Head Start has a rich history in the community of placing children and families first.

Enrollment in Northwest Tennessee Head Start has risen throughout its inception to 1,316 children/pregnant moms currently being served with a budget of $9,552,163 for Head Start and

$2,448,252 for Early Head Start. Currently over 300 people are employed in Northwest

Tennessee Head Start and Early Head Start across the program.

BROAD, BOLD goals and SMART objectives are currently being developed through a thorough analysis of the community assessment and self assessment. These goals and objectives will be an accumulation of planning with management, policy council and the board and will be presented to all staff and families when compiled.

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Program Philosophy

Our program philosophy is simple, “Invest now, benefit later.” We believe that high quality early childhood care, education and family services pays off in a myriad of benefits to children, their families and society as a whole. Children learn best when fully involved and self-directed in their learning. This child-centered philosophy supports our belief that children are unique individuals who learn at different rates and in different ways. It is our responsibility to allow each child the opportunity to grow and develop to his/her fullest potential in the most nurturing environment possible. In addition, we believe parents are an integral part of the child’s learning process. Both teachers and parents work together to plan and facilitate the educational goals for the child. Our ultimate goal is to bring about a greater degree of social competence in children of low-income families. Social competence means the child’s everyday effectiveness in dealing with both the present environment and later responsibilities in school and in life. It takes into account the interrelatedness of cognitive and intellectual development, physical and mental health and nutritional needs.

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Governing Structure

Our agency is a grantee for both an Early Head Start and Head Start program. Therefore, both Early Head Start and Head Start have representation on the Policy Council, which is determined at the local level. Each program also has parent committees at the local program level.

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Methodology and Sources

A Community Assessment is not only a requirement for federal funding; it is an essential part of good program planning. This assessment was developed using a teamwork approach, bringing together program staff and community stakeholders. Information was provided for the assessment through internal and external means. Internal documents, such as previous program Community Assessments, PIR (Program Information Report), ChildPlus data, Community and Parent Surveys as well as many other external data sources listed below under sources. The Community Assessment provides important information toward developing quality care programs, targeting those children and families most in need of services, consistent with the goals of Early Head Start and Head Start.

State Ranking: Rates and Averages

In many instances statistics and data used in the assessment included state rankings. State ranking varied according to the data. For example, a ranking of 1 could be the best and 95 the worst. A ranking of 1 could also be the highest or worst and 95 the lowest and best. State rankings and how they were determined by the data source are listed under tables that include rankings. State rates and state averages are listed in many tables. This information was obtained from data sources for the table. Tables also include area rates and area averages.

Sources

Data sources are listed on each page that includes tables or charts. Information was gathered from a wide selection of sources that includes the U.S Census Bureau, American Community Survey, State and QuickFacts Population Estimates, The Tennessee Advisory Commission of Intergovernmental Relation Reports, Tennessee Department of Health, Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start PIR reports, Head Start State Collaboration Office, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Department of Human Services, Tennessee Department of Education, Kids Count, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Information and data sources and calculations for tables are on file for review.

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Service Area Data Geography:

Map of Northwest TN Head Start & Early Head Start

Service Area

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Geographic Boundaries and Distinguishing Characteristics of Service Area

! The established service area for Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start encompasses thirteen counties in Northwest, Southwest and West Tennessee. Eleven of the counties are classified as rural, another as urban and one as rural/urban. ! These counties stretch from the Tennessee River on the east to the Mississippi River on the west and are bordered by the states of Kentucky on the north, Mississippi on the south, Missouri and Arkansas on the west. Nine of the counties, Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion and Weakley lie in the Northwest Tennessee Development District while Madison County is in the Southwest District. Fayette, Lauderdale and Tipton counties are located in the Delta District of lower west Tennessee. ! In general the needs of low income families and the resources to address these needs are similar across the thirteen county areas. Three Human Resource Agencies and a Community Action Agency are the primary providers of services for low-income, elderly, and disabled residents. These services range from assistance with utility bills, rent, food, clothing, transportation and adult feeding programs. Faith-based groups and civic and benevolent organizations offer a limited amount of assistance to families. Child broker payments and other services are available through local Department of Human Services. ! The area contains 6,414 square miles with an average of 72.9 persons per square mile as compared to a state average of 153.9 persons per square mile. There is a total of 4,103,688 acres in the area. Of this number 54.17 percent or 2,223,133 acres are dedicated to farming. There are 9,368 working farms in the area which grow crops of soy beans, corn and cotton. ! Small towns, often with picturesque names are scattered throughout the thirteen counties. Jackson, the county seat of Madison County, is the area’s only metropolitan area. The population of county seats range from a high of 65,211 in Madison County to a low of 2,461 in Crockett County. ! Ten rivers, four large lakes and numerous clear-water creeks run through the scenic wooded counties. The predominantly rural environment has a wealth of natural resources that provide year around opportunities for both local residents and tourists to engage in outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, boating, and camping. Towns throughout the area are “Friday Night Lights” football, basketball, summertime baseball and soccer communities that actively support competitive youth sports. ! The land area ranges from 163.429 square miles in Lake County to 704.545 square miles in Fayette County.

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Population and Demographic Data

Population Profile: Population Change Population change within the 13 county report area from 2000-2012 is shown in Table 1 and Chart 1. During the twelve-year period, total population estimates for the report area grew by 6.12%, increasing from 451,404 persons in 2000 to 479,031 persons in 2012. The greatest growth occurred in Fayette County, Tennessee, which experienced a 33.2% increase in population, whereas Carroll County, Tennessee, experienced a -3.36% change.

Table 1: Population Change Geographic Area Census 2000 ACS 2008-2012 Population Population Change % Change Population Benton County, 16,537 16,420 -117 -0.71 Tennessee Carroll County, Tennessee 29,475 28,486 -989 -3.36

Crockett County, 14,532 14,567 35 0.24 Tennessee Dyer County, Tennessee 37,279 38,234 955 2.56

Fayette County, 28,806 38,370 9,564 33.20 Tennessee Gibson County, 48,152 49,594 1,442 2.99 Tennessee Henry County, Tennessee 31,115 32,271 1,156 3.72

Lake County, Tennessee 7,954 7,780 -174 -2.19

Lauderdale County, 27,101 27,772 671 2.48 Tennessee Madison County, 91,837 97,976 6,139 6.68 Tennessee Obion County, Tennessee 32,450 31,721 -729 -2.25

Tipton County, Tennessee 51,271 61,038 9,767 19.05

Weakley County, 34,895 34,802 -93 -0.27 Tennessee Report Area 451,404 479,031 27,627 6.12 Tennessee 5,689,283 6,353,226 663,943 11.67 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, Census 2010. Release Date: February 2011 and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012. Community Assessment March 2016 19

Chart 1: Population Change

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, Census 2010. Release Date: February 2011 and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

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Population Profile: Age and Gender Demographics

Population by gender within the 13 county report area is shown in Table 2. According to ACS 2008-2012 5 year population estimates for the report area, the female population comprised 51.38% of the report area, while the male population represented 48.62%. Population by age is shown in Chart 2.

Table 2: Population by Gender, 2008 – 2012 Geographic Area 0 to 4 5 to 17 18 to 64 Over 64 M F M F M F M F Benton County, Tennessee 459 389 1,260 1,221 4,868 4,894 1,429 1,801 Carroll County, Tennessee 898 804 2,347 2,208 8,377 8,748 1,950 2,942 Crockett County, 447 486 1,391 1,223 4,236 4,376 861 1,427 Tennessee Dyer County, Tennessee 1,315 1,150 3,704 3,366 11,310 11,910 2,116 3,249 Fayette County, Tennessee 1,301 1,180 3,353 3,063 11,675 11,951 2,546 3,152 Gibson County, Tennessee 1,611 1,646 4,573 4,501 13,925 15,071 3,123 4,850 Henry County, Tennessee 941 926 2,721 2,443 9,183 9,694 2,620 3,542 Lake County, Tennessee 171 162 512 439 3,746 1,673 419 604 Lauderdale County, 914 940 2,525 2,380 9,613 7,969 1,370 1,964 Tennessee Madison County, 3,349 3,256 8,733 8,187 29,044 32,436 4,900 7,498 Tennessee Obion County, Tennessee 919 860 2,845 2,637 9,341 9,776 2,114 3,081 Tipton County, Tennessee 2,070 2,035 6,409 5,992 18,461 19,229 2,889 3,811 Weakley County, 1,002 885 2,632 2,425 11,195 11,419 2,024 2,981 Tennessee Report Area 15,397 14,719 43,005 40,085 144,974 149,146 28,361 40,902 Tennessee 207,430 198,603 557,256 530,547 1,962,978 2,034,993 340,435 491,515 United States 10,291,124 9,846,760 27,554,024 26,287,952 96,618,000 97,869,408 15,754,421 23,115,796

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

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Chart 2: Population by Age

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012. Community Assessment March 2016 22

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics Population by race and gender within the 13 county report area is shown in Table 3. According to the American Community Survey 5 year averages, white population comprised 77% of the report area, black population represented 20.67%, and other races combined were 0.87%. Persons identifying themselves as mixed race made up 1.46% of the population.

Table 3: Population By Race, 2008 - 2012 Geographic White Black American Indian Asian Native Hawaiian Mixed Race Area M F M F M F M F M F M F Benton 7,741 8,014 279 134 24 22 30 23 0 0 41 103 County, Tennessee Carroll 11,931 12,914 1,428 1,480 21 47 13 8 0 2 299 219 County, Tennessee Crockett 5,666 6,131 1,015 980 0 9 19 7 0 0 48 132 County, Tennessee Dyer County, 15,081 16,145 2,612 2,993 12 0 26 83 8 0 563 271 Tennessee Fayette 13,291 13,151 5,147 5,717 10 32 117 130 2 0 197 154 County, Tennessee Gibson 18,782 20,233 4,215 5,071 74 68 35 75 14 0 279 440 County, Tennessee Henry County, 13,946 14,973 1,321 1,287 0 35 22 9 0 0 358 282 Tennessee Lake County, 3,204 2,195 1,487 565 17 13 6 7 0 0 76 98 Tennessee Lauderdale 8,881 8,477 5,263 4,525 35 76 45 34 9 0 200 98 County, Tennessee Madison 28,639 30,488 16,268 19,252 92 90 547 528 32 29 699 653 County, Tennessee Obion County, 13,414 14,318 1,690 1,656 22 26 15 41 0 0 128 258 Tennessee Tipton County, 23,725 24,044 5,348 5,762 135 106 115 291 74 208 440 505 Tennessee Weakley 15,119 15,748 1,329 1,498 89 21 307 157 0 10 186 199 County, Tennessee Report Area 179,420 186,831 47,402 50,920 531 545 1,297 1,393 139 249 3,514 3,412 Tennessee 2,441,138 2,541,839 501,097 559,397 8,375 7,616 43,361 49,439 1,317 1,448 53,897 56,030 United States 113,159,432 116,139,472 18,509,428 20,316,420 1,258,126 1,270,974 7,055,679 7,804,116 257,706 256,696 4,128,988 4,167,303

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

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Chart 3: Population by Race, 2008-2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

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Language

The majority of the population in our thirteen county service area speaks English. Predominantly the other language spoken by people living in our area is Spanish. Crockett, which has the largest Hispanic population in our area has a percentage of 9.4 percent that speak a language other than English and that is almost entirely the Spanish language. The state average of people who speak a language other than English at home is 6.2%. Our area average is significantly lower at 3.3%.

Table 4: Language

County Language other than English spoken at home; Percentage age 5+

Benton County 1.6%

Carroll County 1.5%

Crockett County 7.4%

Dyer County 2.2%

Fayette County 3.6%

Gibson County 2.9%

Henry County 4.3%

Lake County 1.8%

Lauderdale County 2.7%

Madison County 4.5%

Obion County 4.0%

Tipton County 2.4%

Weakley County 4.3%

Area Average 3.3%

State Average 6.2%

Source: indexmundi: State & County Quick Facts

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Social and Economic Status

Poverty: All persons

2012 poverty estimates show a total of 89,049 persons living below the poverty rate in the report area. In 2012, Lake County, Tennessee, had the highest poverty rate (44.8 percent), while Tipton County, Tennessee, had the lowest poverty rate (14.3 percent). Poverty information is at 100% of the federal poverty income guidelines. Table 5: Poverty, 2012

Geographic Area All Ages Age 0-17 Age 5-17 Number of Poverty Rate Number of Poverty Rate Number of Poverty Persons Persons Persons Rate Benton County, 3,715 23.0 1,137 35.7 804 34.4 Tennessee Carroll County, 5,258 19.2 1,701 27.7 1,172 26.6 Tennessee Crockett County, 3,030 21.1 1,065 30.5 688 26.6 Tennessee Dyer County, 6,643 17.7 2,558 27.8 1,739 26.0 Tennessee Fayette County, 6,252 16.4 2,103 24.9 1,429 23.4 Tennessee Gibson County, 9,639 19.8 3,303 27.3 2,258 25.3 Tennessee Henry County, 6,097 19.2 2,052 30.6 1,452 29.4 Tennessee Lake County, 2,312 44.8 561 45.6 388 43.2 Tennessee Lauderdale County, 7,154 28.7 2,574 39.4 1,780 37.4 Tennessee Madison County, 17,362 18.4 6,085 26.6 4,242 26.1 Tennessee Obion County, 6,092 19.7 2,042 29.3 1,547 29.8 Tennessee Tipton County, 8,683 14.3 3,582 22.3 2,408 19.8 Tennessee Weakley County, 6,812 21.0 1,854 27.3 1,240 25.4 Tennessee Report Area 89,049 19.3 30,617 27.9 21,147 26.4 Tennessee 1,135,205 18.0 383,402 26.1 260,624 24.5 United States 48,760,123 15.9 16,396,863 22.6 11,086,537 21.0 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), 2012. Estimates for 2012 were released in December 2013.

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Chart 4: Poverty Rate

Child (0-4) Poverty Rate Change, 2000 - 2012

The poverty rate change for children under five years of age in the 13 county report area from 2000 to 2012 is shown in Table 5 and Chart 5. According to the U.S. Census, the poverty rate for the 13 county area increased by 7.1%, compared to a national increase of 6.5 percent. Lauderdale County, Tennessee, experienced the greatest change in poverty, increasing by 18% from 2000 - 2012 and Carroll County, Tennessee, experienced the least amount of change, increasing by 3.5 percent. Chart 5: Children (0-4) Poverty Rate Change

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), 2012.

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Table 6: Poverty Rate Change for Children under Five, 2000 - 2012

Geographic Area Children 0-4 Poverty Rate, Children 0-4 in Poverty Rate, Change in in Poverty, 2000 Poverty, 2012 2012 Poverty Rate, 2000 2000 - 2012 Benton County, 296 35.0 333 39.3 4.3 Tennessee Carroll County, 472 27.0 529 30.5 3.5 Tennessee Crockett County, 251 26.9 377 41.6 14.7 Tennessee Dyer County, 690 27.9 819 32.6 4.7 Tennessee Fayette County, 466 22.7 674 28.8 6.1 Tennessee Gibson County, 760 24.6 1,045 32.9 8.3 Tennessee Henry County, 480 26.0 600 34.0 7.9 Tennessee Lake County, 139 34.9 173 52.1 17.2 Tennessee Lauderdale County, 497 26.7 794 44.8 18.0 Tennessee Madison County, 1,541 23.6 1,843 27.8 4.2 Tennessee Obion County, 477 22.5 495 27.8 5.3 Tennessee Tipton County, 836 22.5 1,174 30.1 7.6 Tennessee Weakley County, 471 22.8 614 32.2 9.3 Tennessee Report Area 7,376 24.9 9,470 32.0 7.1 Tennessee 89,853 23.2 122,778 30.3 7.1 United States 4,050,543 20.3 5,310,326 26.9 6.5

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), 2012.

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Households

Population Profile: Households in Poverty by Family Type Table 7 and Chart 6 show the number of households in poverty by type in the 13 county report area. At 242 households, Lake County, Tennessee, had the lowest number of female-headed households in poverty while Madison County, Tennessee, had the largest number of female- headed households in poverty. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there were 17,434 households living in poverty within the report area.

Table 7: Households in Poverty by Family Type, 2008 - 2012

Geographic Area Total Households, Households in Poverty 2007-2011 Overall Married Couples Male Householder Female Householder Benton County, Tennessee 4,674 872 348 116 408 Carroll County, Tennessee 7,074 871 492 81 298 Crockett County, Tennessee 4,067 537 151 86 300 Dyer County, Tennessee 10,961 1,732 653 158 921 Fayette County, Tennessee 10,997 998 380 111 507 Gibson County, Tennessee 12,760 1,721 774 144 803 Henry County, Tennessee 9,075 1,231 447 165 619 Lake County, Tennessee 1,468 383 94 47 242 Lauderdale County, Tennessee 6,796 1,565 438 194 933 Madison County, Tennessee 23,750 3,200 736 375 2,089 Obion County, Tennessee 8,672 1,133 330 123 680 Tipton County, Tennessee 16,386 1,984 420 304 1,260 Weakley County, Tennessee 9,086 1,207 395 124 688 Report Area 125,766 17,434 5,658 2,028 9,748 Tennessee 1,650,513 214,361 78,695 21,995 113,671 United States 76,595,552 8,363,024 3,031,161 873,067 4,458,796

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is an average of data collected from 2008 through 2012. Note: The poverty rate for Household type is based on the total number of households for that household type;

Community Assessment March 2016 29

Chart 6: Households in Poverty by Family Type, 2008 – 2012

Homelessness

Homelessness continues to rise in our service area. Although the numbers are not high when compared to larger cities they do continue to increase. PIR reports for 2013-2014 program year showed that we served 77 homeless children. As of January 2016, PIR reports for 2015-2016 show that we have already served 172 homeless children. Housing and paying necessary bills continues to be noted by families as a concern in their community on surveys completed each year. Tennessee ranks 24th in the nation in child homelessness. More than 16,584 of Tennessee’s children experience homelessness each year according to data collected by the McKinney-Vento Educational Programs. There are 6,965 children under the age of 6 in Tennessee who experience homelessness each year.

Community Assessment March 2016 30

Federal Assistance Benefits

Families First Recipients/TANF

Over 7 percent (7.12%) of area households are cash recipients of Families First Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Eight of our thirteen counties have averages above the state average with Lake County being the highest in the state for families’ first recipients. Families’ First recipients have strict work and child and adult education requirements outlined in a personal responsibility plan. The timeframe for remaining in the program is eighteen months. Deviations from a personal responsibility plan can immediately result in the loss of Families First cash benefits and other related services such as Section 8 Housing, food stamps, TennCare, etc.

Table 8: TANF

County Percent of Families Benton County 5.1% Carroll County 7.3% Crockett County 5.1% Dyer County 7.5% Fayette County 4.3% Gibson County 7.1% Henry County 6.3% Lake County 14.1% Lauderdale County 8.2% Madison County 9.9% Obion County 5.6% Tipton County 4.9% Weakley County 7.2% Area Average 7.12% State Average 5.8%

Formula: Total of all items ÷ by number of items = area average percent)

Source: Kids Count Data Center Children Receiving Families First Grants (TANF) 2015.

Community Assessment March 2016 31

Economic Features and Trends

Employment Status and Income

Current Unemployment Labor force, employment, and unemployment data for each county in the 13 county report area is provided in Table 9 and Chart 7. According to the U.S. Department of Labor in February 2016, unemployment in the report area varies from 4.6 percent in Madison County, Tennessee to 7.6 percent in Lake County, Tennessee. Overall, the report area experienced an average 6 percent unemployment rate in February 2016. Although the unemployment rate is improving, we are still having higher than average unemployment in the Northwest TN service area. Eleven of the thirteen counties in our area have unemployment rates above the state rate.

Chart 7: Unemployment Rate

Unemployment Rate 7.6 7.5 8 7.2 6.8 7 6.2 6 5.8 5.8 6 5.6 5.5 5.2 6 4.8 4.6 4.9 4.9 5 4 3 2 1 0 Unemployment Rate

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, February 2016 Community Assessment March 2016 32

Table 9: Employment/Unemployment Information, February 2016

Geographic Area Labor Force Employment Unemployment Unemployment Rate Benton County, 6,890 6400 490 7.2 Tennessee Carroll County, 12,250 11,490 760 6.2 Tennessee Crockett County, 6,900 6,510 390 5.6 Tennessee Dyer County, 16,950 15,940 1,020 6.0 Tennessee Fayette County, 17,910 17,060 850 4.8 Tennessee Gibson County, 21,090 19,860 1,230 5.8 Tennessee Henry County, 14,090 13,270 820 5.8 Tennessee Lake County, 1,960 1,810 150 7.6 Tennessee Lauderdale 9,600 8,880 720 7.5 County, Tennessee Madison County, 46,800 44,640 2,160 4.6 Tennessee Obion County, 12,490 11,640 850 6.8 Tennessee Tipton County, 27,500 25,980 1,520 5.5 Tennessee Weakley County, 15,610 14,810 800 5.2 Tennessee Report Area 203,725 184,990 18,735 6.0 Tennessee 3,121,300 2,967,500 153,800 4.9 United States 158,890,000 151,074,000 7,815,000 4.9

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, October 1, 2016.

Community Assessment March 2016 33

Income Levels, 2008 - 2012 Two common measures of income are Median Household Income and Per Capita Income, based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Both measures are shown for the 13 county report area in Table 10. Household incomes ranged from $26,212 in Lake County, Tennessee, to $56,297 in Fayette County, Tennessee. The average Per Capita income for the 13 county report area is $20,289 as compared to a national average of $29,733. Chart 8: Median & Per Capita Income

Table 10: Median & Per Capita Income Levels by County, 2008 - 2012 Geographic Area Median Household Income, 2012 Per Capita Income, 2012 Benton County, Tennessee 33,663 18,310 Carroll County, Tennessee 35,595 18,928 Crockett County, Tennessee 37,601 20,157 Dyer County, Tennessee 38,167 20,444 Fayette County, Tennessee 56,297 28,541 Gibson County, Tennessee 36,981 20,307 Henry County, Tennessee 36,593 20,674 Lake County, Tennessee 26,212 12,662 Lauderdale County, Tennessee 32,987 16,328 Madison County, Tennessee 42,348 22,809 Obion County, Tennessee 40,516 22,032 Tipton County, Tennessee 51,847 22,410 Weakley County, Tennessee 35,509 20,150 Report Area 38,794 20,289 Tennessee 44,140 24,294 United States 60,119 29,733 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

Community Assessment March 2016 34

Housing

Homeowners

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated there were 125,333 homeowners in the 13 county report area in 2000, and 128,779 owner occupied homes in the report area for the 5 year estimated period from 2008 - 2012. Chart 9: Owner Occupied Homes 2000-2008/2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Summary File 1, 2000; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012.

Community Assessment March 2016 35

Table 11: Owner Occupied Homes, 2000 - 2008/2012

Geographic Area Homes, 2000 Homes, 2008/2012 Benton County, Tennessee 5,527 5,606 Carroll County, Tennessee 9,296 8,399 Crockett County, Tennessee 4,218 3,942 Dyer County, Tennessee 9,685 9,590 Fayette County, Tennessee 8,407 11,807 Gibson County, Tennessee 14,086 14,056 Henry County, Tennessee 10,072 9,934 Lake County, Tennessee 1,446 1,317 Lauderdale County, Tennessee 6,198 6,414 Madison County, Tennessee 23,807 24,077 Obion County, Tennessee 9,431 8,785 Tipton County, Tennessee 13,781 15,814 Weakley County, Tennessee 9,379 9,038 Report Area 125,333 128,779 Tennessee 1,561,363 1,687,700 United States 1,293,556 1,544,719

Community Assessment March 2016 36

Housing: Number of Unsafe, Unsanitary Homes

The number and percentage of occupied housing units without plumbing are shown in the 13 county report area in Table 31. U.S. Census data shows 954 housing units in the report area were without plumbing in 2000 and ACS five year estimates show 919 housing units in the report area were without plumbing in 2012.

Chart 10: Housing Units without Plumbing

Conditions

Many of our families have poor living conditions and do not have the ability to move out of their current living situation. Families have to live in environments that are not only unsafe but are also unhealthy.

Table 12: Housing Units without Plumbing, 2000 and 2008 - 2012

Geographic Occupied Housing Units Percent Occupied Housing Units Percent without Area Housing Units, without without Housing Units, without Plumbing, 2008- 2000 Plumbing, Plumbing, 2008-2012 Plumbing, 2012 2000 2000 2008-2012 Benton 6,863 51 0.59 8,980 67 0.95 County, Tennessee Carroll 11,779 46 0.35 13,203 37 0.34 County, Tennessee Crockett 5,632 21 0.34 6,407 51 0.91 County, Tennessee Dyer County, 14,751 78 0.48 16,731 91 0.61 Tennessee Fayette 10,467 102 0.91 15,656 57 0.40 County, Tennessee Gibson 19,518 98 0.47 22,060 41 0.21 County, Tennessee Henry County, 13,019 50 0.32 17,042 50 0.38 Tennessee Lake County, 2,410 26 0.96 2,615 0 0.00 Tennessee Lauderdale 9,567 86 0.81 11,258 71 0.72 County, Tennessee Madison 35,552 148 0.39 41,974 324 0.90 County, Tennessee Obion County, 13,182 70 0.48 14,665 23 0.18 Tennessee Tipton County, 18,106 119 0.62 23,189 43 0.20 Tennessee Weakley 13,599 59 0.40 15,486 64 0.46 County, Tennessee Report Area 174,445 954 0.55 209,266 919 0.44 Tennessee 2,232,905 14,340 0.59 2,811,854 13,504 0.55 United States 1,737,080 11,005 0.56 2,172,647 9,528 0.52

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Summary File 3, 2000.;U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 Data Release, December 2013. The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012. Community Assessment March 2016 38

Housing Affordability

Fair market rent for suitable dwellings in the area range from a high of $1,066 per month in Fayette and Tipton counties to a low of $701 per month in Carroll County. These costs continue to rise each year while employment opportunities continue to be a struggle. This was noted by a large percentage of families on the survey completed as being a serious issue for them.

Table 13: Fair Market Rent

Location Fair Market Rent

Benton County $830.00

Carroll County $701.00

Crockett County $735.00

Dyer County $778.00

Fayette County $1,066.00

Gibson County $771.00

Henry County $721.00

Lake County $830.00

Lauderdale County $798.00

Madison County $913.00

Obion County $702.00

Tipton County $1,066.00

Weakley County $786.00

Area Average $823.00

State Average $852.00

Source: KidsCount: The State of the Child in Tennessee: 2015

Community Assessment March 2016 39

HUD Housing

Many of our residents participate in the HUD housing program. Section 8 housing makes it possible for many of our families to have homes. Jackson Housing Authority in Madison County is the largest source of assistance of our service area.

Utilities

The cost of utilities in the thirteen counties is considered reasonable compared to other areas of the country. Heating and cooling and water bills often place low-income families in jeopardy of having their utilities disconnected. Although rent or mortgage payments are viewed as affordable by most standards, these monthly payments complete with utility bills are above the means of poverty level families.

Community Assessment March 2016 40

Education

Educational Attainment

Table 14 shows the distribution of educational attainment levels in the 13 county region. Educational attainment is calculated for persons over 25, and is an average for the period from 2008 to 2012. The education level of a population has a direct bearing on its earning power and the ability of workers to find and maintain living wages employment. Almost eighteen percent (17.92%) of area residents twenty-five years of older do not have a high school or general education diploma. The status of today’s economy, advanced technology, and changes in job market trends, drive the demand for well educated and skilled employees. Unemployed parents will compete with college graduates or highly skilled workers in an uncertain and struggling job market without education beyond high school or highly specialized training. Only part-time or temporary, low paying jobs with few or no benefits will be available for this class of workers.

Chart 11: Educational Attainment

Table 14: Percent Attaining Educational Levels, 2008 – 2012

Geographic % No High % High School % Some % Associates % Bachelors % Graduate or Area School Only College Professional Diploma Benton 21.14 46.3 19.0 3.0 6.2 4.5 County, Tennessee Carroll County, 22.27 39.7 18.7 3.5 10.0 5.9 Tennessee

Crockett 22.42 42.9 19.2 3.2 8.4 4.0 County, Tennessee Dyer County, 18.10 40.0 17.8 6.5 11.4 6.3 Tennessee Fayette 15.59 36.1 22.2 5.9 14.3 5.9 County, Tennessee Gibson 18.10 38.3 22.8 5.4 10.8 4.6 County, Tennessee Henry County, 16.89 45.0 19.8 2.7 9.4 6.3 Tennessee Lake County, 29.79 44.5 16.7 2.9 4.5 1.6 Tennessee Lauderdale 25.64 43.6 16.4 3.6 7.5 3.3 County, Tennessee Madison 14.40 33.8 21.9 6.1 15.2 8.6 County, Tennessee Obion County, 19.75 42.0 20.3 3.9 8.1 6.0 Tennessee Tipton County, 15.60 37.5 25.2 7.3 10.0 4.5 Tennessee

Weakley 16.65 38.3 20.6 4.0 13.1 7.4 County, Tennessee Report Area 17.92 38.9 20.9 5.1 11.2 6.0 Tennessee 16.17 33.0 21.2 6.2 15.2 8.3

Waiting List for Head Start/Early Head Start

There are 43 age eligible four year old children on the Head Start waiting list compared to 208 age eligible three year olds. Currently 46 percent of enrolled children are four years old while 47 percent are three years old. Eighty-three % percent of the Head Start Waiting List is three year old children. There are 548 Early Head Start infants, toddlers, or pregnant women on the waiting list which is an extremely large amount when you consider that we currently only have 156 slots for Early Head Start.

Disabilities There are 26 school districts located in the 13 county region. The chart below is a breakdown of data for disabilities of children in the IDEA 619 program in the State of Tennessee by disability category: Table 15: Disability Categories

Disability Category Count of Students

Autism 129

Developmental Delay 161

Hearing Impairments 15

Intellectual Disability 105

Multiple Disabilities 37

Orthopedic Impairments 8

Other Health Impairments 170

Specific Learning Disabilities 522

Speech or Language Impairments 564

Traumatic Brain Injury 10

Visual Impairments 5

Grand Total 1726 Source: Director of Data for Special Population:. 2016

Community Assessment March 2016 43

Number & Types of Disabilities & Resources Available(Head Start)

There are 128 Head Start children who have been diagnosed with a disability. The disabilities range from speech/language which is the most prevalent to developmental and multi-disabilities with one child being diagnosed with autism. Local Education Agency contracts ensure that these children and their parents receive appropriate and timely special education services.

Table 16: Head Start Children with Disabilities

Location Number of Children with Disabilities Benton County 13 Carroll County 24 Crockett County 9 Dyer County 11 Fayette County 1 Gibson County 21 Henry County 13 Lake County 4 Lauderdale County 3 Madison County 10 Obion County 5 Tipton County 8 Weakley County 6 Total 128

HS Disability Diagnoses based on ChildPlus reports run 1/25/16

128 Participants ! 4 Autism ! 1 Hearing Impairment, including deafness ! 3 Intellectual disabilities ! 30 Non-categorical/developmental delay ! 114 Speech or language impairment

Please Note: These numbers will overlap due to children having more than one disability.

Source: ChildPlus Reports January 2016

Community Assessment March 2016 44

Number & Types of Disabilities & Resources Available (EHS)

Three Tennessee Early Intervention Systems (Part C) work in partnership with the program to make referrals, screen, and provide services to Early Head Start children who have a disability. The diagnosed disabilities include mental retardation, developmental, speech/language and multi-disabilities. The number of Early Head Start children with diagnosed disabilities continues to rise throughout the program year as the children get old enough to obtain a formal diagnosis.

Table 17: Early Head Start Children with Disabilities

Location Number of Children with Disabilities

Benton County 0

Carroll County 4

Dyer County 0

Fayette County 1

Lauderdale County 2

Madison County 4

Obion County 4

Tipton County 1

Total 16

EHS Disability Diagnoses based on ChildPlus reports run 1/25/16

16 participants ! 1 Hearing Impairment, including deafness ! 16 Non-categorical/developmental delay

Please Note: These numbers will overlap due to children having more than one disability.

Source: ChildPlus Reports January 2016 Community Assessment March 2016 45

Health and Wellness

Health Insurance

Health Care: Uninsured Population The uninsured population is calculated by estimating the number of persons eligible for insurance (generally those under 65) minus the estimated number of insured persons. In 2016, the percentage of persons uninsured ranged from a low of 14 percent in Dyer County, Tennessee, to a high of 20 percent in Crockett County, Tennessee.

Chart 12: Uninsured Population Percentage

Percent Uninsured 25 20 18 20 16 16 17 17 16 16 16.1 14 15 15 15 15 14 15 10 5 0 Percent Uninsured

Source: County Health Rankings and Roadmaps 2016

Community Assessment March 2016 46

Table 18: Uninsured Persons March 2016

Geographic Area Percent Uninsured Benton County, Tennessee 18 Carroll County, Tennessee 16 Crockett County, Tennessee 20 Dyer County, Tennessee 14 Fayette County, Tennessee 15 Gibson County, Tennessee 16 Henry County, Tennessee 17 Lake County, Tennessee 15 Lauderdale County, Tennessee 15 Madison County, Tennessee 15 Obion County, Tennessee 17 Tipton County, Tennessee 14 Weakley County, Tennessee 16 Report Area 16 Tennessee 16.1

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2011 (August 2013 release).

Community Assessment March 2016 47

Teen Pregnancy

The teen pregnancy rate continues to be above the state rate in four of the thirteen counties. Lake County has the highest rate in the state at 59.7 per 1,000 births to teen moms.

Table 19: Teen Pregnancy Rate per 1000 15-17 year old Females

Location Rate

Benton County 29.7

Carroll County 26.6

Crockett County 13.8

Dyer County 15.6

Fayette County 8.2

Gibson County 15.2

Henry County 18.4

Lake County 59.7

Lauderdale County 14.0

Madison County 13.3

Obion County 13.7

Tipton County 12.4

Weakley County 12.4

Area Rate 19.46

State Rate 16.1

Source: Kids Count: The State of the Child in Tennessee 2015 Community Assessment March 2016 48

Obesity

Tennessee has the fourth highest adult obesity rate in the nation, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America. Tennessee’s adult obesity rate is 33.7% up from 25.6 percent in 2004. The childhood obesity rate is 14.2% for 2 to 4 year olds and ranks 18th in the nation. The obesity rate for children 10 to 17 is 20.5 % and ranks fifth.

Oral Health

Oral diseases are among the most prevalent health problems in Tennessee and oral diseases affect a significant number of children and adolescents in every county. Certain segments of the population (low socioeconomic groups, minorities, and those living in fluoride-deficient communities) are at a high risk for oral diseases and are the least likely to be able to access private dental care. In the state of Tennessee, twenty percent of adults ages 18-64 have lost six or more teeth because of decay, infection or gum disease, twice the national median, according to a report by the Commonwealth Fund, a health care advocacy group. Only 66 percent visited a dentist or dental clinic in 2010 and 53,000 visited a hospital emergency room for dental care in 2009, with about 24,000 of those visits for a preventable dental condition. Dental diseases are called “the silent epidemic” for adults and can cause life-threatening conditions. It is a common occurrence for parents to have serious dental care needs that include decayed or missing teeth, painful infections, and gum disease. These oral health problems can prevent a parent from obtaining employment or result in loss of work time. There are very few community resources available for adult dental care and treatment with the exception of the health departments in Carroll, Gibson and Fayette Counties where services are very limited and the West TN Regional Health Office in Jackson (Madison County) that provides services on a sliding scale based on the family’s income.

Sources: Commonwealth Fund, healthcare advocacy group, 2010; The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America.

Community Assessment March 2016 49

Nutrition

Food and Nutrition Services

Nutrition: Households Receiving SNAP by Poverty Status (ACS) Table 20 shows that 33,487 households (or 18.44 percent) received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Payments (SNAP) during 2012. During this same period there were 13,792 (or 7.60 percent) households with income levels below the poverty level that were not receiving SNAP payments. At 14.2 percent, Fayette County, Tennessee, had the smallest percentage of households receiving SNAP payments, while Lake County, Tennessee, had 37.94 percent of households receiving SNAP payments, which drastically larger than the national average of 7.8 percent. Table 20: Households Receiving SNAP by Poverty Status, 2012

Geographic Area Households Receiving SNAP Households Not Receiving SNAP Total Percent Income Income Total Percent Income Income Below Above Below Above Poverty Poverty Poverty Poverty Benton County, Tennessee 1,614 22.96 864 750 5,416 77.04 515 4,901 Carroll County, Tennessee 2,305 21.23 1,270 1,035 8,550 78.77 737 7,813 Crockett County, Tennessee 1,031 18.43 566 465 4,564 81.57 324 4,240 Dyer County, Tennessee 2,781 18.60 1,660 1,121 12,172 81.40 1,093 11,079 Fayette County, Tennessee 2,046 14.20 948 1,098 12,366 85.80 890 11,476 Gibson County, Tennessee 3,629 18.73 2,111 1,518 15,750 81.27 1,416 14,334 Henry County, Tennessee 2,548 19.14 1,474 1,074 10,766 80.86 910 9,856 Lake County, Tennessee 892 37.94 598 294 1,459 62.06 122 1,337 Lauderdale County, 2,413 24.56 1,431 982 7,413 75.44 1,058 6,355 Tennessee Madison County, Tennessee 6,395 17.73 3,607 2,788 29,665 82.27 2,467 27,198 Obion County, Tennessee 2,116 16.91 1,315 801 10,395 83.09 847 9,548 Tipton County, Tennessee 3,365 15.74 1,780 1,585 18,018 84.26 1,399 16,619 Weakley County, Tennessee 2,352 16.92 1,277 1,075 11,550 83.08 2,014 9,536 Report Area 33,487 18.44 18,901 14,586 148,084 81.56 13,792 134,292 Tennessee 395,876 16.03 215,784 180,092 2,072,965 83.97 187,537 1,885,428 United States 13,180,71 11.44 6,982,939 6,197,771 102,046,090 88.56 8,937,574 93,108,517 0

Community Assessment March 2016 50

Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

The percentage of children under age 6 on WIC in our area (38.4%) is significantly higher than the state rate of 29.8%. Table: 21 Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program Participants

County Percent of Children Receiving WIC

Benton County 42.2%

Carroll County 27.8%

Crockett County 50.9%

Dyer County 37.0%

Fayette County 28.5%

Gibson County 36.5%

Henry County 40.3%

Lake County 65.0%

Lauderdale County 41.4%

Madison County 33.2%

Obion County 40.8%

Tipton County 19.7%

Weakley County 36.3%

Area Average 38.4%

State Rate 29.8%

Based on numbers from Kids Count for each county in the program service area the following formula is used to obtain the area average. (Formula: Total of all county percents ÷ number of counties = area average)

Source: Kids Count: The State of the Child in Tennessee 2015

Community Assessment March 2016 51

Free and Reduced Lunch Program

Nutrition: Free and Reduced Lunch Program Chart 13 and Table 22 show that 46,737 students (or 61.14 percent) received free or reduced price lunches during the 2011 - 2012 school year. At 49.38 percent, Gibson County, Tennessee, had the smallest percentage of students participating in the school lunch program, while Lauderdale County, Tennessee, had 78.74 percent of students participating, which is more than the national average of 45.82 percent.

Chart 13: Percentage of Students on Free/Reduced Lunch

Source: National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data (CCD), 2011-12 School Universe data.

Community Assessment March 2016 52

Table 22: Students Participating in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, 2011 - 2012

Geographic Area Students Participating Total Student Enrollment Percent of Students Participating Benton County, Tennessee 1,488 2,307 64.50 Carroll County, Tennessee 2,892 4,863 59.47 Crockett County, Tennessee 1,813 2,847 63.68 Dyer County, Tennessee 4,772 7,071 67.49 Fayette County, Tennessee 2,919 3,832 76.17 Gibson County, Tennessee 4,601 9,317 49.38 Henry County, Tennessee 3,095 4,949 62.54 Lake County, Tennessee 713 958 74.43 Lauderdale County, 3,678 4,671 78.74 Tennessee Madison County, 8,282 13,560 61.08 Tennessee Obion County, Tennessee 3,304 5,382 61.39 Tipton County, Tennessee 6,571 11,988 54.81 Weakley County, 2,609 4,697 55.55 Tennessee Report Area 46,737 76,442 61.14 Tennessee 554,654 987,830 56.15 United States 22,805,825 49,768,912 45.82

Source: National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data (CCD), 2011-12 School Universe data. Community Assessment March 2016 53

Food Insecurity

Although related, food insecurity and poverty are not the same. Poverty is only one of many factors associated with food insecurity. In fact, higher unemployment, lower household assets, and certain demographic characteristics also lead to a lack of access to adequate, nutritious food. Food insecurity is a condition that exists when people lack sustainable physical or economic access to enough safe, nutritious, and socially acceptable food for a healthy and productive life. Food insecurity may be chronic, seasonal, or temporary, and it may occur at the household, regional, or national level. In contrast, food security means access by people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. The food insecurity rate of our thirteen county service area is fairly consistent with the highest rates being found in Lake and Lauderdale counties at 22.3%. All thirteen counties are above the United States food insecurity rate with seven of them being above the state food insecurity rate.

Table 23: Food Insecurity Rate

County Food Insecurity Rate Number of food insecure people Benton 15.5% 2,550 Carroll 16.6% 4,740 Crockett 16.8% 2,440 Dyer 18.7% 7,150 Fayette 15.7% 6,020 Gibson 18.1% 8,990 Henry 16.1% 5,180 Lake 22.3% 1,740 Lauderdale 22.3% 6,190 Madison 18.4% 18,030 Obion 18.0% 5,720 Tipton 15.4% 9,390 Weakley 18.4% 6,410 Area Rate 17.9% State Rate 17.1% United States Rate 14.6%

Source: feedingamerica.org/mapthegap Community Assessment March 2016 54

Food Deserts

Food deserts are areas in which residents lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet. About 2.3 million households in the United States live more than a mile from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle. An additional 3.4 million households live between one-half to 1 mile from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle. Many food deserts are located in rural areas due to lack of transportation and the distance to the nearest affordable food market. Eleven of our thirteen counties have food deserts located within them. The table below shows which zip codes have food deserts located within them based on the determination from USDA that there are a relatively high number of households without vehicles that are more than ½ mile from a supermarket.

Table 24: Food Deserts by Zip Code

Food Desert Zip Code County 38019 Tipton 38024 Dyer 38025 Dyer 38059 Dyer 38259 Dyer 38036 Fayette 38049 Fayette 38076 Fayette 38080 Lake 38201 Carroll 38317 Carroll 38318 Carroll 38342 Carroll 38222 Henry 38242 Henry 38225 Weakley 38229 Weakley 38257 Obion 38301 Madison 38308 Madison 38320 Benton 38343 Gibson 38358 Gibson 38382 Gibson

Source: www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx Community Assessment March 2016 55

Child Welfare

The rate of reported child abuse cases for the thirteen county service area is 5.0 compared to 4.5 for the state. Many of our counties are significantly over the state rate with Benton County having the highest rate of reported child abuse cases at 6.8 percent. The rate of children committed to state custody is the same as that of the state. However, when looking at the rates individually we have five counties which are drastically higher than that of the state. Benton, Carroll, Gibson, Lake, and Lauderdale Counties have an extremely high rate of children committed to state custody compared to the state rate.

Table 25: Reported Child Abuse Cases

County Number reported Percentage of same age population 0 to 17 Benton 215 6.8 Carroll 304 4.9 Crockett 142 4.0 Dyer 508 5.6 Fayette 296 3.7 Gibson 564 4.7 Henry 409 6.1 Lake 84 7.1 Lauderdale 262 4.2 Madison 979 4.2 Obion 308 4.6 Tipton 674 4.3 Weakley 331 4.7 Area Total 5076 State Percentage 4.5 Area Percentage 5.0 Table 26: Children under the age of 20 committed to state custody

County Number Committed Rate per 1,000 children Benton 19 5.4 Carroll 34 4.8 Crockett 6 1.5 Dyer 28 2.8 Fayette 16 1.8 Gibson 107 8.1 Henry 27 3.7 Lake 7 5.2 Lauderdale 47 6.8 Madison 93 3.6 Obion 12 1.6 Tipton 23 1.3 Weakley 13 1.6 Total 432 Area Rate 3.7 State Rate 3.7 Source: 2015 Kids Count: The State of the Child in Tennessee Community Assessment March 2016 56

Incidence of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol and substance abuse are common occurrences within society as a whole. Many Head Start and Early Head Start parents fall victim to substance abuse especially methamphetamine which is easily manufactured, affordable, and readily available. Alcohol and illicit drug use is often closely linked to domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. Many children are endangered every day in the area because of methamphetamine labs. Some of the harms they face are injury from explosion, fire or exposure to toxic chemicals found at lab sites; physical abuse; sexual abuse; medical neglect and; lack of basic care including failure to provide meals, sanitary and safe living conditions or schooling. Seizures of methamphetamine labs have increased in most of the communities in our area. Madison County had a substantial increase and Lauderdale County had the only decrease. This shows that more and more of our children are at risk of being abused or neglected due to alcohol and substance abuse. Meth labs continue to rise in Tennessee. The Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force says early numbers for 2012 show one of the worst years with projections that there will be 1,800 methamphetamine lab busts.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2003), more than 36% of the Tennessee population (aged 12 or older) reported the past month use of alcohol. Above 13% of the people in the age group of 12-17 years and above 46% in the age group of 18-25 years reported using alcohol in the past month. Among the people of 26 years or older the rate is more than 37%.

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2003) Community Assessment March 2016 57

Number of children born to addicted mothers

Babies being born addicted to drugs are part of a grim trend in Tennessee, where a new report shows that the number of newborns dependent on drugs their mothers took during pregnancy is higher than ever — and experts say it should be a warning to the rest of the nation.

“At the current rate this epidemic is progressing, we are projecting more than 800 drug- dependent newborns by the end of this year,” said Dr. John Dreyzehner, the commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health.

855 cases of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome were reported in the state of Tennessee in 2013.

Table 27: NAS Cases by County/Region

Maternal County of # Cases Rate/1,000 births Residency by Health Dept. Region Jackson/Madison 2 1.5 West 31 5.1 Davidson 34 3.5 East 240 30.1 Hamilton 17 4.1 Knox 99 18.7 Mid-Cumberland 57 3.8 North East 124 35.8 Shelby 18 1.3 South Central 27 5.8 South East 12 3.5 Sullivan 84 52.6 Upper-Cumberland 110 28.8

Cost of Addiction

• Average TennCare costs for a healthy newborn: $4,237.

• Average TennCare costs for an infant born dependent on drugs, diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome: $66,973.

Source: Tennessee Department of Health Community Assessment March 2016 58

Child Care

There are an estimated 9,470 living in poverty in the Northwest TN Head Start/Early Head service area. We currently serve 1,316 children in Head Start/Early Head Start while another 2,266 are being served in voluntary pre-school classrooms. The number of available four year olds has continued to decline each year partially due to the large number of pre-k classrooms in each county. However, the waiting list for Early Head Start continues to be very large and there is a need for more Early Head Start slots in all counties served as well as a need for more three year old classrooms in all counties.

Table 28: Regulated Childcare Spaces (This number includes Head Start/EHS children)

DOE Certified Regulated Licensed/Enrolled Licensed/Enrolled Pre-K/Head Pre-K County Child Care Head Start Early Head Start Start Children Spaces Children Children Enrolled Children Benton 455 60 12 0 42 Carroll 1,137 57 24 59 162 Crockett 620 32 0* 0 143 Dyer 1,997 93 16 0 244 Fayette 822 17 12 48 173 Gibson 2,740 103 0* 20 387 Henry 1,928 0 0* 80 126 Lake 193 30 0* 0 55 Lauderdale 1,218 84 16 0 191 Madison 5,207 228 48 0 288 Obion 2,324 72 20 0 115 Tipton 2,828 104 8 0 215 Weakley 1,853 73 0* 0 125 Total Spaces 23,322 953 156 207 2,266

* Early Head Start is not funded by Northwest TN Economic Development Council Early Head Start in these counties

Source: 2015 Kids Count: The State of the Child in Tennessee, ChildPlus Reports March 2016 Community Assessment March 2016 59

Geographic Location of Head Start Eligible Children/Families

According to data from the U.S. Census/American Community Survey, there are 9,470 children 0 to 4 living in poverty in the Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start service area with the largest concentration being in Madison, Tipton, and Gibson counties. Currently, Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start is funded to serve 1,316 children.

Table 29: Children 0-4 in Poverty by County

County Children 0-4 in Poverty, 2012 Benton 333 Carroll 529 Crockett 377 Dyer 819 Fayette 674 Gibson 1,045 Henry 600 Lake 173 Lauderdale 794 Madison 1,843 Obion 495 Tipton 1,174 Weakley 614 Total 9,470

Source: The 2012 American Community Survey 5-year data is a 5-year average of data collected from 2008 through 2012

Community Assessment March 2016 60

Characteristics of Head Start Children and Families

Most head start children and families were enrolled based on low income eligibility, (64.5%). Slightly over 17 percent were accepted based on receipt of public assistance, 0.60% were foster children, 9.7% were homeless at the time of enrollment, and only slightly over 8 percent were over income. Early Head Start eligibility was somewhat different with slightly less than 52% being enrolled based on low income eligibility, almost 31% based on public assistance status, 1.3% were foster children, almost 13% were homeless at time of enrollment, and only 3.4 percent were over income.

Chart 14: Head Start Eligibility

Income Below 100% of 8.10% Poverty Level Income 100% to < 130% of Poverty Level 17.10% Foster Child 9.70% 56.80%

Homeless 0.60% 7.70% Public Assistance

Over Income

Chart 15: Early Head Start Eligibility

Income Below 100% of 3.40% Poverty Level

Income 100% to < 130% 30.90% 49.20% of Poverty Level Foster Child 12.70% Homeless

1.30% 2.50% Public Assistance

Source: ChildPlus Reports March 2016

Community Assessment March 2016 61

Head Start Teacher Qualifications

Almost 83% (82.6) of our teachers hold either a BA/BS or advanced degree compared to the nationwide estimate of 62%.

Chart 16a: Northwest TN Head Start Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Naonwide Head Start Teachers with 17.4% Bachelor's Degree or Higher

Naonwide Head Start Teachers w/o 82.6% Bachelor's Degree or Higher

Chart 16b: Nationwide Head Start Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Naonwide Head Start Teachers with Bachelor's Degree or 38% Higher Naonwide Head Start 62% Teachers w/o Bachelor's Degree or Higher

Sources: PIR Data 2016, ECLKC Head Start Staff Qualifications Community Assessment March 2016 62

Strengths/Needs of Eligible Families & Children

Parents were given an opportunity to complete a survey to determine strengths/needs that they face in the communities in which they live. The tables below give a clear picture of the many issues facing children and families in our thirteen county service area. Employment and paying necessary bills are the two most prevalent needs based on the 633 parents who completed the surveys.

Chart 17: Most important issues facing families per parent survey

What are the 3 most important issues for your family at this me?

18.0% 14.2% 7.4% 23.1% 50.6% Employment 25.1%

Paying Necessary Bills 30.6% 58.9% Child 23.5% Behavior Issues

Table 30: Most important issues facing families per parent survey

What are the 3 most important issues for your family at this time? Response Answer Options Response Count Percent Employment 50.6% 320 Adult Education/Job Training 25.1% 159 Paying necessary bills 58.9% 373 Child behavior issues 30.6% 194 Transportation 23.5% 149 Food 23.1% 146 Services for children with disabilities 7.4% 47 Affordable healthcare 18.0% 114 Other (please specify) 14.2% 90 answered question 633 Source: Survey Monkey parent survey 2015-2016 Community Assessment March 2016 63

Health Insurance Status of Current Families Served

Chart 18: Health Insurance status per parent survey

1.3% Do you have health insurance? 3.3%

6.3% 12.3% Yes- only for myself

Yes- only for my children

Yes- for my enre family

No- I do not have health insurance Other (please specify) 76.8%

Table 31: Health Insurance status per parent survey

Do you have health insurance?

Answer Options Response Percent

Yes- only for myself 3.3% Yes- only for my children 12.3% Yes- for my entire family 76.8% No- I do not have health insurance 6.3% Other (please specify) 1.3%

Source: Survey Monkey parent survey 2015-2016

Community Assessment March 2016 64

Employment Status of Current Families Served based on survey

Based on the survey conducted in Fall 2015, only 39.5% of current parents are employed full- time. This is a good indicator that many families that we serve are unemployed or underemployed. However this is an improvement of almost 7 percent from last program year so we feel our efforts to assist parents in finding employment are being successful.

Chart 19: Employment Status

What is your employment status? Full-me employed 0.9%

Part-me employed 13.7% Seasonal work

39.5% 11.2% Unemployed- student

Unemployed- SSI/Disability 4.9%

7.1% Unemployed by choice (homemaker, etc.) Unemployed- cannot ﬁnd a job 2.2% 20.4% Rered

Table 32: Employment Status

What is your employment status?

Answer Options Response Response Percent Count Full-time employed 39.5% 250 Part-time employed 20.4% 129 Seasonal work 2.2% 14 Unemployed- student 7.1% 45 Unemployed- SSI/Disability 4.9% 31 Unemployed by choice (homemaker, etc.) 11.2% 71 Unemployed- cannot find a job 13.7% 87 Retired 0.9% 6 answered question 633 Source: Survey Monkey parent survey 2015-2016

Community Assessment March 2016 65

Banking Information based on parent survey

The table/chart below show that based on answers to the parent survey that was completed by current parents, 42.3% of our parents do not have a checking or savings account. The number of parents with checking and/or savings accounts increased by over 6 percent this year. We have focused our efforts on helping families to become more financially secure and feel that these efforts are paying off.

Chart 20: Banking Status

Do you have a bank or credit union account?

42.3% 52.8%

No- I do not have an account Yes- Checking 15.5%

Other Yes- Savings

1.7%

Table 33: Banking Status

Do you have a bank or credit union account?

Answer Options Response Percent

Yes- checking 52.8%

Yes- savings 15.5%

Yes- other 1.7%

No- I do not have an account 42.3%

Source: Survey Monkey parent survey 2015-2016 Community Assessment March 2016 66

Community Partner/Key Informant Survey Information

Community Partners in all 13 counties were also given a survey to determine what they see as the most important factors affecting children and families in their communities. The following tables show the results of that survey. The overwhelming majority listed employment as being the largest concern with transportation, quality education, and food as being major concerns as well. The “other” column responses varied per county but many of them expressed the need for more available spots for children 3 and under.

Table 34: Key needs and concerns of community

What are the key needs and concerns facing children and families in your county? Answer Response Percent Options Safety in 12.3% schools Quality 47.9% education Affordable 41.1% housing Food 47.9% Quality health 35.6% care Transportation 49.3% Services for children with 27.4% disabilities Employment 78.1% Other (please 9.6% specify)

Source: Survey Monkey community partner survey 2015-2016

Community Assessment March 2016 67

Community Partners: Number one issue affecting education in the community

Chart 21: Issues in education

What do you see as the number one priority issue aﬀecng educaon for children and families during the next 3 years?

13.7% Poverty

11.0% Lack of quality educaonal instuons Adequate healthcare 57.5% 17.8% Other (please specify)

Table 35: Number one issue affecting education

Answer Options Response Percent

Poverty 57.5% Lack of quality educational institutions 17.8% Adequate healthcare 11.0% Other (please specify) 13.7%

Source: Survey Monkey community partner survey 2015-2016

Community Assessment March 2016 68

Strengths of Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start Communities

In general most communities share common strengths that include: - Friendly people willing to help someone in need. - Small-town or community atmospheres that promotes conservative family values and supports children and youths. - Unpolluted air and fresh water sources. - Relatively low crime rates. - Community involvement in projects that benefit all citizens i.e. neighborhood crime watch, after school tutoring programs, etc. - Countrysides of natural beauty comprised of farm land, open fields, woods, small towns, rivers, lakes and creeks. - Colleges, universities and technology centers that cater to adult learners. - A large medical community in Jackson that provides health care services comparable to those in Nashville and Memphis. - Family recreational areas for boating, fishing, hunting, swimming and other outdoor activities. - Comparably low-cost housing - School systems that range from average to excellent. - School for the Deaf in Jackson that can be compared to a similar facility in Knoxville. - An extensive, well maintained public road system that is composed of four-lane highways, by-passes and two-lane country and state roads. - Groups, organizations and systems of professionals and concerned citizens who work together to increase the number and quality of services to children and families. - Churches and faith-based organizations that offer emergency or crisis assistance to families. - LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Hospital

Resources, Collaborative/Formal Agreements & Partnerships

- Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council - Northwest Tennessee Head Start and Early Head Start - Local and Regional Health Departments - Dyersburg State, Jackson State and Southwest State Community Colleges. - Paris, Weakley County, Newbern, McKenzie, Madison County and Ripley Technology Centers. - Bethel, Lane, University of Tennessee, Union University, University of Memphis and University of Memphis at Lambuth. - Department of Human Services and Department of Children’s Services - Habitat for Humanity - Adult Education Programs - Tennessee Affordable Housing Agency - Carey Counseling, Pathways and Professional Counseling Center - Local daycare providers Community Assessment March 2016 69

- Carl Perkins Child Abuse Prevention Center; Women’s Rape Assistance Program - Jackson Area Council on Alcoholism - Family Resource Centers - Salvation Army - American Red Cross - Local Kiwanis chapters and the Kiwanis Center - Mustard Seed, Second Harvest Food Bank, Matthew 35:40, Wee Care Ministries, other thrift stores and food banks - Lion’s Club - Local law enforcement officers and fire departments - Churches, Ministerial Association and United Neighbor Groups - Local and Regional Libraries - Local Businesses and Banks - Chambers of Commerce - Tennessee Opportunity Program - Boys and Girls Clubs - WIA program - Agricultural Extension offices - Nutrition Unlimited - Tennessee Career Centers - Local Education Agencies - Tennessee Early Intervention Systems - Local and state governments - Healthy Start - LeBonheur Mobile Health Unit - WLJT-TV (Public Broadcasting Station)

Numerous other community partnership agreements are on file for review.

Community Assessment March 2016 70

Future Trends

o The Hispanic population in our service area continues to rise. The language barrier often prevents these families from connecting with community resources and health care professionals. This is identified as an area that we need to continue to pursue and strengthen in the future.

o The child poverty rate in our service area continues to be higher than the state rate and is identified as a trend that we need to focus on and look to provide services to more children and families as funding becomes available.

o In the Early Head Start program, special emphasis has been placed on recruiting pregnant teens and teen parents to support them in their efforts to remain in school and graduate.

o The availability of four year old children to fill Head Start classrooms has been seriously jeopardized by the availability of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten classrooms in Tennessee. A need is identified to offer more 3 year old slots and convert some 4 year old classrooms to 3 year old classrooms.

Community Assessment March 2016 71

Identification of Issues and Recommendations

• Focus based on identified need:

Provide on-going opportunities for parents to participate in continuing education and job- related training:

! Obtain and distribute information to parents on financial aid and lottery funds for college and technology classes ! Assist parents with completing financial aid applications ! Work in partnership with adult education program staff to arrange for general education classes for parents ! Support pregnant teens and teen parents in their efforts to remain in school, graduate and further their education. ! Provide care for Early Head Start children of teens and other parents who attend school. ! Ensure parents comply with the work or school requirements of their Families First Personal Responsibility plan by encouraging them to enroll in school or apply to work at the head start/early head start centers as jobs become available. ! Prepare parents for the labor force through volunteer or paid substitute work. ! Giving parents opportunities to apply for jobs, be interviewed, and hired if qualified.

• Focus based on identified need:

! The need and a long-term goal for Early Head Start expansion is identified in different sections. Due to this a long-term goal has been identified to apply for Early Head Start expansion funds when available to increase the enrollment of infants, toddlers and pregnant women.

• Focus based on identified need:

! The need for transportation for low-income families to access services is identified again. More emphasis needs to be placed on connecting families with limited transportation to needed services and increasing their ability to obtain transportation through education and job training. Another goal established as a result of findings is to connect with more doctors and dentists in the communities that might come to the centers and provide needed medical and dental screenings.

• Focus based on identified need:

! The need for more training and education on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse was identified due to the large number in our area who have issues with Community Assessment March 2016 72

dependence. Studies show that domestic violence and child abuse increases as alcohol and drug abuse increases in the home. More emphasis will be placed on educating families on the dangers of alcohol and drugs.

• Focus based on identified need:

! The teen pregnancy rate continues to be above the state rate in eight of the thirteen counties. This displays a definite need for more focus on enrolling teen moms in the program. A goal to increase efforts in recruiting more teen parents to the program is established due to these findings and also to encourage them to remain in school, graduate, and further their education after high school.

• Focus based on identified need:

! The community assessment identified that the Hispanic population continues to increase in our area. It also established the difficulties that they sometimes have in accessing needed services due to language barriers. Due to this a focus has been placed on recruiting and serving additional Hispanic children and families. In addition a continued effort to recruit bilingual staff or seek volunteers/community partners to assist with translation is being made. Staff are also being trained on encouraging English as a Second Language (ESL) activities/classes.

• Focus based on identified need:

! State funded Pre-Kindergarten programs continue to impact Head Start Enrollment for four-year old children. To diminish the impact of this NWTNHS will attempt to enter into additional collaboration agreements, increase the number of three year old classrooms, continue to campaign to promote the comprehensive child and family benefits of Head Start and begin creative new ways to recruit children and maintain recruitment efforts throughout the entire program year. Concentrate recruitment efforts in census tract areas heavily populated with children 0 to 4 in poverty. (See appendix)

Note: Monthly efforts such as block parties, fall festivals, etc. have been added at each location to find eligible children.

Community Assessment March 2016 73

• Focus based on identified need:

! Poverty continues to be rampant in the thirteen counties served by Northwest Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start. For this reason a focus is needed to assist parents in their effort to become financially self-sufficient by: o Encouraging them to attend Business Expos to meet local employees and learn about the job market in their community. o Teach parents leadership and management skills through their involvement in parent committees and male involvement projects. o Allow TN Workforce Development Office Career Coach Mobile Unit to come to centers and offer training and job application assistance to parents. o Allow Head Start and Early Head Start centers to become training sites for Child Development Associate (CDA) students and WIA participants. o Serve on advisory committees and interagency groups, become familiar with job openings in the area and share this information with parents. o Encourage and support parents to increase their job skills and earning power through enrolling in work-related or college classes.

• Focus based on identified need:

! Due to the many health and nutrition concerns still facing families in our communities, it was determined that this needs to remain a focus for us in all communities serve. We will put forth the following measures to address these needs:

o Maintain a Health Advisory Committee composed of health care professionals, child and family advocacy agencies and groups, parents, and staff to work toward educating pregnant women and young parents on the importance of prenatal care and post-partum care o Arrange for workshops for parents on topics that include good nutrition, prenatal care, fetal development, mental health services, smoking cessation, alcohol and drug abuse prevention, and other health related issues o Make weekly home visits to pregnant women, expectant fathers, and new parents using the Partners for A Healthy Baby Curriculum to prepare mothers and fathers for labor and delivery and parenthood.

• Focus based on identified need:

! Child abuse and neglect continues to be identified as a major need in our service area. To address this need we will put the following plans in place: o Protect children by educating parents and staff on the identification and prevention of child abuse and neglect

Community Assessment March 2016 74

o Use the on-line Tennessee Sex Offenders Registry to identify local sex offenders. Note: This registry is now checked before all children come to the center and again after each parent teacher conference to ensure that any who have been placed on the registry throughout the program year are identified. o Conduct workshops for all parents on the Department of Human Services Keeping Kids Safe curriculum and incorporate activities from the curriculum into daily lesson plans.

• Focus based on identified need:

! Transportation was noted throughout several different data collection tools as being a need of families in our service area. For this reason this needs to be a focus of our program, especially as it relates to obtaining needed services or being involved in the education of their children. Several long-term goals of addressing the issue have been identified.

o Increase transportation of parents to meetings and health services for their children. o Replenish an aging fleet of buses by including funds in the budget to purchase new buses when possible. o Offer more transportation to centers when funds become available.

Community Assessment March 2016 75

Appendix

Census Tract Information: Concentration of Children 0 to 4 in Poverty

Benton County