1. 1
Understanding How Community Concerns
Impact The Work You Do With Children and
Families
D-WCCMHA VCE
Children’s Mental Health Grand Rounds (CMHGR) Training Series
September 15, 2011
Data prepared by:
Presented by:
Kirsten Mack, LMSW
Avery Eenigenburg, BA
Made possible through the generous support of
2. 2
Learning objectives
1. Participants will be able to identify how
community stability has worsened since 2000
and what that means for children and families.
2. Participants will be able to identify the obstacles
to success that many Wayne County families
face.
3. Participants will be able to identify changes
needed to service delivery in order to sustain
efforts toward reducing barriers faced by low
income families.
3. 3
Introduction
Starfish Family Services received funding from The
Kresge Foundation for an early childhood planning
study and community needs assessment
Needs assessment conducted in 2010 by Data Driven
Detroit, an independent, regional data collection and
analysis firm (Kurt Metzger)
Demographic profiles of 14 communities in Western
Wayne County
Assessment of the most pressing needs of young children
and families in the 14 communities
Identify geographical areas of greatest need and
resources available
Specify gaps between need and resources
5. 5
Why is the data important to the
work we do?
Correlation between family
environments/parental well-being as a predictor
of multiple problems for children
Use data to guide the
development/implementation of effective
mental health interventions and programs
Use data to advocate for changes in public
policy
6. 6
Learning Objective 1
Participants will be able to identify how
community stability has worsened since 2000
and what that means for children and families.
7. 7
Increasing Instability
Median household income fell 27%
Unemployment rate rose to 16%
Poverty rates increased from 16% to 24% for all
persons and from 23% to 35% for children
Wayne County has had the largest population
loss in the nation
Population of children ages zero to four
decreased 16%
From 2000-2010, residents receiving food stamps
increased 133% - nearly 2 in 5 residents
From 2000 – 2009:
Wayne County Trends
8. 8
Most Communities Lost Population 2000 – 2010
Dearborn and Far Western Wayne Communities Gained
98,752
100,886
89,727
63,936
27,976 29,247 28,336
17,640
11,341
3,500
83,446
55,351
47,846
26,636
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Livonia
cityDearborn
cityW
estland
city
Canton
tow
nship
Taylorcity
Dearborn
H
eights
city
Redford
tow
nshipInkstercity
G
arden
City
city
Plym
outh
tow
nship
Northville
tow
nshipW
ayne
cityPlym
outh
cityNorthville
city
Source:
Census
12. 12
The Unemployment Rate for Detroit Runs About Three Times That
of Out-Wayne County
Source: MI Labor Market Information
13. 13
Median Household Income
2000 2009 Change
City of
Detroit
$38,089 $26,098 -31.3%
Macomb
County
$67,070 $50,553 -24.6%
Oakland
County
$79,692 $62,308 -21.8%
Wayne
County
$52,491 $38,192 -27.2%
Michigan $57,499 $45,255 -21.3%
United States $54,058 $50,221 -7.1%
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
14. 14
The Number of Wayne County Residents Receiving Food Stamps
Increased by 133% Over the Decade
By September 2010: 2 out of every 5 Households (39%)
225,842
258,478
274,703
301,358
338,030
361,145
369,737
378,457
412,778
494,266
525,600
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
500,000
550,000
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
2006-
07
2007-
08
2008-
09
2009-
10
Sep-10
Source: Michigan Dept. of Human Services
15. 15
Nearly Half of All Wayne County Children, 5 Years and
Under, Were in Food Stamp Households in June 2010
Source: MI Department of Human Services
16. 16
Implications for Service Delivery
There is an “association between food insecurity
and poor health, poor academic performance
and poor psychosocial functioning. (Lombe
2009)
“Food insecurity and hunger, among children,
persist despite efforts of both formal and informal
assistance programs.” (Lombe 2009)
21. 21
School District % Eligible
Inkster 77%
Westwood 72%
Taylor 66%
Dearborn 62%
Dearborn Heights #7 60%
Wayne-Westland 58%
Redford Union 58%
Crestwood 56%
South Redford 50%
Garden City 43%
Livonia 22%
Plymouth-Canton 15%
Northville Public Schools 5%
Detroit 79.1%
Free and Reduced Lunch Program
9 of 13 (70%) School Districts Serving Western Wayne County
had eligibility levels of 50% or more in 2009-2010 School Year
Source: Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI)
22. 22
Implications for Service Delivery
Ecological systems theory – “since poverty is
associated with a multitude of risks
(environmental, biological, psychosocial) it is
one of the major environmental factors
associated with developmental outcomes in
young children.” (Rafferty 2010)
Economic stress model – “economic factors
within the family (lower income, inadequate
family resources) influence child development
through their impact on parental mental health
and parenting practices.” (Rafferty 2010)
26. 26
Teen & Single Parents
Teen parents – In 2006-08, teen mothers
accounted for more than 1 in 10 births in Taylor,
Wayne, and Inkster
Single mothers – Over half of all births in these
communities were to unmarried mothers, and
40% to 59% of all households are headed by
single parents
32. 32
Implications for Service Delivery
“living in a poor, dangerous neighborhood
virtually guarantees exposure to risk factors
outside the home that affect child
development.” (Shaw 2008)
Research findings emphasize the importance of
child IQ and the family environment in
promoting children’s positive social adjustment.“
(Shaw 2008)
35. 35
School Performance Varies
Widely
High School Graduation rates and MEAP scores
reflect challenge of fragmented school systems
Both Inkster and Westwood schools report
graduation rates of only 53%
Garden City and Redford have graduation rates
below 70%
Plymouth-Canton has an 88% graduation rate
Northville has a 95% graduation rate
37. 37
Implications for Service Delivery
School district boundaries do not follow
community boundaries
Most communities have more than one school
district serving their students
The City of Inkster has 4 school districts; Dearborn
Heights has 5 school districts
Combination of multiple districts and open
enrollment policies has destabilizing effect on
community, families, and children
38. 38
Implications for Service Delivery
Community Focus Group:
“We have to pay attention to school. They’re not
getting the benefit of the education they have
been offered. Young people are distracted by the
crises in their lives, the lives of their family members,
distracted by their own mental health needs.”
41. 41
Grocery Store Availability in Inkster
Cherry Belt Party Store Convenience & Party Store
Daly Stop Convenience & Party Store
E&K Party Market Convenience & Party Store
Fairway Foods Convenience & Party Store
Fast Frank's Party Shoppe Convenience & Party Store
Harrison Liquor Store Convenience & Party Store
Inkster Supermarket Convenience & Party Store
J & B Party Store Convenience & Party Store
Leon's Party Store Convenience & Party Store
Maraton (Inkster Consumer Ctr.) Convenience & Party Store
Market Food, Inc. Convenience & Party Store
Metro Liquor Plaza Convenience & Party Store
Penn Food Market Convenience & Party Store
Twenty-Five Hour Party Store Convenience & Party Store
Save-A-Lot Groceries
Super Max Groceries
Food Stores in Inkster
42. 42
Learning Objective 3
1. Participants will be able to identify changes
needed to service delivery in order to sustain
efforts toward reducing barriers faced by low
income families.
43. 43
The Stress Index
A single measure summarizing the degree of stress on a
community.
The index incorporates scores on six indicators:
Household income less than $20,000
Single-parent households
Adult educational attainment
Housing and residential stability
Availability of a vehicle
Residential vacancy
The maximum stress index score is 66.
45. 45
The Result of Stress
on Families & Children
“The greater number of stressors in the lives of
impoverished families tends to deplete crucial
emotional resources, weakening their capacity to
cope with problems and difficulties.” (Rafferty 2010)
Multiple sources of stress can result in feelings of
Lack of control
Instability
Lack of structure
Inability to make plans
46. 46
Parent Comments
“I don’t even know if I’m going to eat next week;
how can I tell you if I am going to go to your
program?”
“If you are living [from] crisis to crisis, you aren’t
going to commit to a program.”
55. 55
Survey of professionals…
A survey of child protection and mental health
professionals conducted in 2002 found that
professionals often believe that parents with
mental health issues can be adequate parents if
they receive ongoing support and services.
In addition, they felt that a parent’s stress was
often exacerbated by a lack of appropriate
services.
(Darlington & Feeney, 2009)
57. 57
Municipality Total Number of Calls to 2-1-
1, 2009
Total Calls as Percentage of
Population
Inkster 1,987 6.9%
Taylor 2,737 4.1%
Wayne 693 3.6%
Redford 1,827 3.5%
Westland 2,631 3.0%
Dearborn Heights 1,238 2.1%
Garden City 523 1.7%
Dearborn 1,547 1.6%
Canton 1,055 1.1%
Livonia 991 1.0%
Plymouth 370 1.0%
Northville 275 0.9%
Another indicator of stress on a community is the number of calls to
United Way’s 2-1-1 telephone referral service.
Source: United Way for Southeastern Michigan
58. 58
Parent comment:
“People don’t know where to find resources.”
“You have to ask for it [the specific service].”
Implications for Service Delivery
Parents need advocacy when seeking resources,
especially when they don’t know exactly what they need.
Families often lack reliable transportation and public bus
routes
Community member comment:
“Parents themselves are unsure where to go, what to
do, they don’t know where to go for help, they need
information about where to go.”
59. 59
Survey of Professionals…
There needs to be appropriate management of
the parents’ needs and family support needs.
This includes a flexible approach to the provision
of care and support for children.
(Darlington and Feeney, 2009)
60. 60
Macro-level implications
There is considerable regional and national
attention on the challenges facing the City of
Detroit. However, this study points to significant
challenges likewise facing families in the
surrounding communities.
If left unaddressed, these may impede the
economic development, growth and long-term
vitality of the region and state.
61. 61
Macro-level implications
Complexity of issues facing families requires cross
systems collaboration and systems level change
to positively impact the communities and
families.
Advocacy and public policy will be necessary to
achieve any high impact and sustained
outcome to reduce or eliminate obstacles.
