2021 Community Needs Assessment Survey

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Highland County Community Action strives to ensure services meet the needs of the community by assessing the community resources, needs as identified by a wide range of stakeholders within the public, private, business, faith-based, and education sectors with focus on the voices of those served. Please take a few minutes to help guide the work we do by telling us what the community needs.

What key sector of the community do you best represent? Check only one which describes you primary area. *

Employee of HCCAO

County Resident

Educational Community

Private Business

Community Partner

Elected/Public Official

Faith Based Community

Individual Receiving/Received Services in the last 12 months.

Governing Board Member

Other:

With regard to housing what do you feel are the most significant needs within the county? Please select up to six. *

Lack of quality rental housing

Lack of affordable quality rental housing for low income individuals

Lack of affordable housing for purchase

Dilapidated housing

Inability for individuals/families to obtain rental or purchase housing due to past credit concerns.

Individuals and families relocating from place to place (no consistent place they call home)

Lack of funding to address pest control within homes (Bed bugs/roaches/ants/fleas/mice)

Lack of funding for moves - first month's rent/deposit and/or utility deposits

Homelessness - unhoused/couch surfing/short stay hotel/motel/etc

Lack of funding for minor home repairs

Inability for individuals to obtain rental housing due to past criminal background issues/concerns

Independent living for individuals with developmental disabilities

Affordable housing/housing subsidies for seniors

Transitional housing for those returning from treatment

Transitional housing for those returning from incarceration

Inability for individuals to obtain rental housing due to previous past due rents or damages to other properties

Mobile home repairs

New housing construction

lack of Metropolitan Housing Authority Vouchers - Section 8/HUD subsidies

Overcrowded housing

Lack of understanding the rights and responsibilities in housing - housing counseling/rental counseling

Other:

Required

In working with individuals and families, what are the most significant needs regarding the attainment of and maintaining employment? Please select up to six only.

Jobs that do not pay a living wage

Vehicles that are unreliable or cost of fuel/lack of fuel

Unreliable child care options

Generational situations (work ethic of family or close friends)

Lack of 3rd shift child care

Lack of 2nd shift child care

Inadequate healthcare coverage - unaffordable employer based healthcare options

Positions that underpay for the position in comparison to other state and national rates

Lack of job training

Lack of employment opportunities

Hiring practices are too difficult for many applicants

Employment issues due to pandemic specifically

Employers are not hiring people with a criminal background

Lack of transportation to 2nd shift employment

Lack of transportation to 3rd shift employment

Lack of transportation to weekend employment

Low educational attainment of the workforce locally

Distance to job(s)

Lack of transportation to1st shift employment

Lack of funds to purchase necessary work clothes, shoes, tools, and/or other items

Precarious nature of working through temp agencies

Lack of understanding of employee-employer rights and responsibilities - soft skills needed for career success

Other:

What do you believe are the greatest needs of senior citizens in our community? Please select up to six only. *

Struggle with income being just over the limit to receive certain key assistance benefits.

Assistance with the cost of prescriptions

Transportation to the grocery

Transportation to medical appointments

Inability to meet financial needs

Access to affordable healthcare

Housing in need of repair

Lack of familial support

Access to home delivered meals (Meals on Wheels)

Need for assisted living

Need for home health care provision

Local adult day care

Inability to leave their homes

Community meal sites wher seniors can eat together and participate in activities

Senior specific apartments - subsidies for seniors

Need for meals available on weekends

Assistance to and/or for veterans

Volunteer activities/options

Social Security Payee services - financial management assistance

Access to assistive devices

Pet assistance to support healthy independent living - food, supplies, vet care help

Other:

Required

With regard to nutrition, what are the greatest needs of individuals and families in the county? Please select up to six only. *

Affordable food to purchase

Inability to qualify for SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps)

Children being left alone to cook for themselves

Obesity - Addressing adult obesity through diet changes

Encouraging healthy eating in children

Quality food options

Childhood hunger

Transportation to the grocery store

Summer Feeding programs for children

Increased opportunities for exercise

Hunger within the senior population

Access to emergency food pantries

Infant and toddler nutrition services

Distance to grocery stores with fresh and health options versus small stores with limited options

WIC

Cooking classes

Shopping classes

Farmers' markets

Lack of cooking appliances in homes

Other:

Required

In providing services to individuals and families, what do you believe are the greatest health needs in the county? Please select no more than six. *

Lack of mental health services that individuals can easily access

Illegal drug use

Lack of funds to pay for copays and deductibles

Habits (smoking, drinking, vaping, overeating)

Lack of affordable health insurance

Obesity

High cost of prescriptions

Lack of medical providers which provide health care to low income individuals

Lack of adequate or NO health insurance

Access to and/or understanding of the importance of exercise

Lack of dentists accepting low income patients

Lack of dental insurance

Lack of vision insurance

Suicide prevention

Failure to receive dental care due to seeing it as insignificant to overall health

Adolescent pregnancy

Lack of medical providers - physician shortages

Lack of dental providers - dental shortages

Sexually transmitted diseases

Growing need for home health care providers

Need for reproductive health services (obstetrics and family planning)

Lack of importance placed on individual health especially in relation to: prioritizing work or other family members' health needs

Urgent care centers open on weekends or evenings

Low income health care clinics

Need for mental health insurance coverage

Other:

Required

What in your opinion are the most significant needs of children in our community? Please select only up to six. *

Substance abuse within the homes

Lack of parental support

Lack of before and after school care

Need for role models

Physical and/or emotional abuse

Being left alone too frequently

Unsafe online presence

Moving too frequently - lack of a stable place to call home.

Bullying

Single parent households

Lack of funding to participate in extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, 4-H, field trips)

Peer pressure

Inadequate/Unsafe housing

Homework assistance

Access to leadership development programs - civic engagement

Lack of transportation for children to participate in activities away from home

Lack of weekend meals

Lack of summer meals

Need for safe and accessible outdoor play space

Having to care for younger siblings

Lack of school supplies - school clothes

Lack of coats, shoes, boots, etc.

Lack of parental involvement in school success

Need for understanding IEP's, 504 plans, and other school success plans.

Undiagnosed/untreated mental health

High rate of childhood trauma

Out of home placements - kinship or foster

Other:

Required

What are the greatest educational needs of individuals and families in the county? Please select up to six only. *

Basic life skills for high school students (Home economics, home and car maintenance, financial skills, etc.)

Technical training (skilled trades and applied sciences)

Early childhood education - universal pre-k education with performance standards

Career guidance and support

Affordable college education

Vocational training

Mentoring programs for children and teens

Ongoing high costs of student loans

GED classes

High cost of school supplies and books

Illiteracy

College prep guidance

Understanding Federal Student aid and completing a FAFSA.

Understanding IEP's, 504 plans, gifted programming, and other school success supports.

Parental involvement in children's education

Need for support in understanding school curriculum

Other:

Required

Please choose up to six additional community needs which you believe should receive extra focus or be addressed in our county. *

Generational poverty

Foster care provider recruitment and training

Family and community navigators to assist residents in need with obtaining services, completing paperwork, coaching and supporting self-advocacy, and appropriate follow up.

Residential drug/alcohol treatment centers - inpatient care

Extended hours for social services and provision of social services in outlying areas of the community.

Assistance for veterans of all ages

Quick response teams for drug overdoses

Small business assistance

Kinship care support services

Economic development

Suicide prevention

Domestic violence

Kinship Care education and support

Crime prevention

Recycling

Diverse community activities for a wide range of people/residents/children

Access to clothing

Sex/human trafficking

Narcan distribution

Needle Exchange programs

Other:

Required

What, if any, new needs have arisen with the COVID Pandemic with regard to individual and family needs in the county.

Are you familiar with the services HCCAO provides? *

Yes

Maybe

Would you be interested in learning more about the organization with presentations to your place of employment, church, community group, or entity? *

Yes

Maybe

Are you aware that Highland County Community Action is a private, non-profit corporation and not a government entity? *

Yes

Maybe

In which community do you live in Highland county? Choose the nearest and best location. *

Hillsboro

Greenfield

Leesburg

Lynchburg

Belfast

Mowrystown

Rainsboro

Highland

New Petersburg

Sinking Spring

Marshall

Samantha

Buford

New Market

Outside of County

Other:

How could HCCAO do better in assisting our county and its residents? *

Please provide any additional comments you would like to share.

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