2013-2015 LIFE Steering Committee The LIFE Steering Committee operates independently to oversee that the LIFE project and its purpose continually serves to meet the need of the community. For continuity and fiscal management, the project is coordinated at United Way of Marathon County. The purpose of the LIFE Report is to: • Acknowledge community strengths. • Identify community challenges. • Serve as a catalyst for change by advancing community conversations and partnerships around the Calls for Action. The LIFE Report Steering Committee members for this report are: Rick Nevers , LIFE Project Chair Karen Katz, LIFE Project Vice Chair Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Inc. EO Johnson Business Technologies Roger Lucas, Past Chair Michael Beck Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Inc. Wausau Daily Herald Laurie Borowicz Julie Burmesch Sandi Cihlar Northcentral Technical Wausau School District Rural Health Care Advocate College Dean Dietrich Becky Frisch Deb Hager Ruder Ware Marathon County Planning & Marathon County Zoning Dept. Administration Jeff Hardel Ralph Ilick JoAnn Janikowski Wausau Police Dept. Marathon County Library United Way of Marathon County Susan Jirgl Joanne Kelly Ann Lucas United Health Group United Way of Marathon County Marshfield Clinic Jame s McCluskey Andy Napgezek Mary Radke University of Wisconsin – Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Inc. Volunteer and former LIFE Marathon County project staff Jeff Sargent Joan Theurer Mai Neng Xiong North Central Marathon County Health Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital Community Action Department Program Rachel Yaron Jeff Zriny Ministry Saint Clare’s Wausau Region Chamber Hospital Of Commerce STAFF: LIFE Project Manager: Greg Wright LIFE Report of Marathon County: 2013-2015 Report Sponsors This is the ninth edition of the LIFE Report, which has been published every two years since 1997. The LIFE Report project is guided by the LIFE Project Steering Committee and made possible through the support of the organizations listed below. Full Partners Judd S. Alexander Foundation Aspirus, Inc. B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation City of Wausau Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin Dudley Foundation Gannett Foundation – Wausau Daily Herald Marathon County Government Marshfield Clinic – Eastern Division Saint Clare’s Hospital – Ministry Health Care United Way of Marathon County UMR – United Health Group, Inc. (In-Kind) Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce Sponsors Greenheck Fan Corporation Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Supporters EO Johnson Business Technologies River Valley Bank Domtar Corp. (In-Kind) LIFE Steering Committee c/o United Way 705 S. 24th Ave., Ste. 400B Wausau, WI 54401 Phone: 715.848.2927 Web: www.unitedwaymc.org Email: [email protected] FOCUS 2013-2015 - LIFE in Marathon County: Local Indicators for Excellence 1 Table of Contents Section Page Introduction…………………………………………………………………..……….. 5 Executive Summary Executive Summary…………………….……………………………..…………….. 7 Demographics & Community Survey Demographic Highlights………………………………………….…………...…….. 13 Marathon County Map………….………….…………….…………………….……. 17 LIFE in Marathon County Community Survey………….………………….……… 18 Basic Needs and Supports Basic Needs and Supports Section Summary..……..….……………………….. 23 Indicator # Indicators 1 Hunger …………………….………………..……….…..…...…..….. 25 2 Shelter for the Homeless……………………………………………. 26 3 Housing Assistance...……………..…………………………..…….. 27 4 Household Utilities…………………………………………………… 28 5 Living Options for the Aging..…………….…………..…………….. 29 6 Unmet Basic Needs………………………………….……………… 30 7 Demographic Impact on Transportation…………………………... 31 8 Variety of Transportation Choices…………………………………. 32 9 Access to Transportation…………………………………………… 33 2 FOCUS 2013-2015 - LIFE in Marathon County: Local Indicators for Excellence Section Page Health and Wellness Health and Wellness Section Summary………….………..……………….………. 35 Indicator # Indicators 10 Premature Death………………………….……….………………….. 37 11 Access to Healthcare…………………………………………………. 38 12 Preventive Clinical Care……………………………………………… 39 13 Early Prenatal Care…………………………………………………… 40 14 Teenage Pregnancy and Childbirth…………………………………. 41 15 Low Birth Weight Babies…………………………………………….. 42 16 Infant and Child Mortality…………………………………………….. 43 17 Childhood Lead Poisoning…………………………………………… 44 18 Childhood Immunizations……………………………………………. 45 19 Healthy Aging…………………………………………………………. 46 20 Unintentional Injuries…………………………………………………. 47 21 Communicable Disease………………………………………………. 48 22 Oral Health…………………………………………………………….. 49 23 Mental Health………………………………………………………….. 50 24 Healthy Weight………………………………………………………… 51 25 Alcohol & Other Drug Misuse and Abuse………………...………… 52 26 Tobacco Use…………………………………………………………... 53 Community Safety Community Safety Section Summary.….………………………………..….……… 55 Indicator # Indicators 27 Concerns of Personal Safety…………..…………………………..... 57 28 Alcohol and Drug Arrests…………...…………………………….….. 58 29 Traffic Crashes……………………..…………………….………...…. 59 30 Property Crimes.………………….………………………….……….. 60 31 Violent Crime……………………….….…….………...………….….. 61 32 Solved Crime…………..…………….………………………………... 62 33 Juvenile Justice…………………….………….………...…….……… 63 34 Child Abuse and Neglect……………………………………………... 64 35 Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault…………………….. 65 36 Elder Abuse and Vulnerable Adults…………………………………. 66 37 Emergency Response………………………………………………… 67 38 Sense of Community………………………………………………….. 68 FOCUS 2013-2015 - LIFE in Marathon County: Local Indicators for Excellence 3 Section Page Environment and Energy Environment and Energy Section Summary..…….………………………………….. 69 Indicator # Indicators 39 Air Quality………………..……………….…………………..……………. 71 40 Drinking Water Quality……………………………………………………. 72 41 Ground Water Quantity…………………………………………………… 73 42 Surface Water Quality………………….…………...…………….……… 74 43 Solid Waste Management……...…………………….………….………. 75 44 Energy Conservation…………………………………………..….……… 76 Education Education Section Summary.…………………..…………………….……...………….. 77 Indicator # Indicators 45 Childcare Quality………………………………………………………….. 79 46 Regulated and Subsidized Childcare………………………….…..……. 80 47 Kindergarten Readiness………………………………………………….. 81 48 Enrollment by Race or Ethnicity…………………………………………. 82 49 Economic Disadvantage………………………………………………….. 83 50 School District Expenditures……………………………………...……… 84 51 Reading Comprehension…………………………………………………. 85 52 Mathematics Proficiency…………………………………………………. 86 53 High School Graduation Rates………………………………………….. 87 54 College Readiness………………………………………………………... 88 55 Higher Education………………………………………………………….. 89 Economic Environment Economic Environment Section Summary………………..……..……….…….……. 91 Indicator # Indicators 56 Sales Tax Revenue……..…….….………………….…...………………. 93 57 Employment……………………….……….……….…..…………………. 94 58 Job Satisfaction………………………………….…..………….………… 95 59 Income………...…………………………………………………………… 96 60 Unemployment…………………..………………..………………………. 97 61 Civil Rights Complaints…………………………………………………… 98 62 Poverty and Near Poor…………………………………………………… 99 63 Fair Market Rent and Living Wages…………………………………….. 100 64 Cost of a Home……………………………………………………………. 101 65 Homeowners and Renters……………………………………………….. 102 66 Building Permits and Housing Units…………………………………….. 103 67 Economic Impact on Transportation…………………………………….. 104 68 Tourism…………………………………………….………………………. 105 Index 107 4 FOCUS 2013-2015 - LIFE in Marathon County: Local Indicators for Excellence IntroducƟon In 1996, community leaders representing Marathon County began to meet to discuss ways to create community efficiencies and identify a common agenda. The result was the first edition of the LIFE Report in 1997. Published every two years, this is the ninth edition of the LIFE Report. United Way of Marathon County continues to serve as the lead agency for the project—coordinating the work, housing staff, acting as fiscal agent and overseeing project activities. The LIFE Steering Committee guides all aspects of the report development. The continued commitment of our sponsors and committee members are essential to the report’s success. Purpose of the LIFE Report: x Acknowledge community strengths. x Identify community challenges. x Serve as a catalyst for change by advancing community conversations and partnerships around the Calls for Action. Ninth Edition LIFE Report Updates: x The LIFE Steering Committee is dedicated to continually improving the report. Changes in this edition include: An assessment of each indicator’s relevance and appropriate placement. Indicators were evaluated based on their helpfulness in determining community priorities and the ability to establish goals and track progress toward those goals. As a result of that process, some indicators were eliminated, while other more relevant indicators were added. Some sections were also reorganized and renamed. Modifying survey questions to address gaps in data and subcommittee priorities. x Section summary pages continue to bring attention to community successes, challenges, and opportunities. x The report involved subcommittee experts to write indicator pages and to clarify the implications for our community. x To enable readers to do additional research, the report continues the use of online links to information sources. x Over the history of the report, the process that determines priorities or Calls to Action has evolved. The LIFE Steering Committee selected these Calls to Action by doing the following: Becoming familiar with the data, survey results, and section summaries. Using agreed upon criteria to select top issues of concern. Then together, reviewing and discussing the data and rationale