Osceola Council on Aging Serving All Generations

OsceolaCounty

Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary ...............................................................................3

II. Introduction ............................................................................................4

III. OsceolaCountyProfilesandTrends .....................................................5

IV. Family and Child Well-Being ..................................................................6

V. Employment ...........................................................................................7

VI. Education ...............................................................................................8

VII. Income Management .............................................................................9

VIII. Housing ................................................................................................10

IX. Health ...................................................................................................12

X. Emergency ...........................................................................................13

XI. Nutrition ................................................................................................15

XII. Summary ..............................................................................................17

Appendix A: Bibliography .....................................................................18

Appendix B: Osceola County Census Block Maps .............................. 21

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TheOsceolaCountyCouncilonAgingreceivedformaldesignationbytheOfficeoftheGovernor as a Community Service Block Grant Agency in 2006 and began operating the Community Action Agency to deliver health and human services addressing the economic self-sufficiency of disadvantaged, low-income families inOsceola County. Historically,CommunityActionAgencieshavebeencatalysts in thecommunity foraddressing theneedsofthepoor.Inresponsetothechangingdynamicsofthecommunity,thisrolehasevolvedintoamoreprominentoneofleadershipamongsocialserviceproviders.

As aCommunityActionAgency, theOsceolaCouncil onAging utilizes a holistic andstrategicapproach inaddressing identified communityneedsasdetailed in the2015-2018 Community Action Plan, a board-approved documented program of specificactivities addressing the self-sufficiency of the elderly, disabled and disadvantagedresidentsofOsceolaCounty.TheCommunityActionPlan,developedincompliancewiththeCommunityServiceBlockGrantguidelinesand42U.S.C.9901oftheFloridaAdmin-istrativeCode,definestheagency'sservicedeliverysystem,indicatespartnershipsandcommunityresourcestocreatesynergyinmeetingourcommunity'sneeds,andisatoolforaddressingeconomicdisparities.

TheCouncil’sCommunityActionPlan(CAP)servesasaroadmapforfacilitatinglastingimprovementofthecommunity’ssocio-economiclandscape.TheCouncil’sCAPisbasedonacomprehensiveCommunityNeedsAssessment(CNA)whichisconductedinthree-yearcycles.Thefindingsyielded through internalevaluationof theCNAserveas thecompassforthedevelopmentofstrategiestheCouncilwillemployduringthenextthreeyearsofservicetothecommunity.

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INTRODUCTION

ThisextensiveCNAdelineatesthecommunity’sneedsandtheagency’sstrengths,en-abling the Council to target the socio-economic barriers to be addressed over a three-year period.Thegoalfortheinitialphaseoftheneedsassessmentistocollectandanalyzedatathatdescribesthecommunity/servicearea,thepopulationdemographics,andtherelevanteconomicandsocialconditions.Theidentificationofsocio-economicdisparitiesinOsceolaCountytoassessCSBG-relatedfamilyandcommunity-levelneedsisbaseduponthreeprimarydatasets.Theseinclude:

CommunityProfile -Thisdata iscomprisedofhard informationcollected fromvariousindependent reports to providea demographic analysis of the target service area, aswellastoidentifycurrentconditionsandtrendsacrossvariousdimensionsoffamilyself-sufficiencyandqualityoflife,including:income/economy,employment,education,food/nutrition,housingandhomelessness,health,andtransportation.ThecompilationofthiscollectiveinsightprovidesacompellingpictureofOsceolaCounty’spriorities,strengths,challenges and trends. ClientProfile-Thesecondsetofdataiscomposedofinternaldocumentationbasedonannualclientsurveysandserviceutilizationrecords.Thisdataprovidesaprofileofthetypicalclient,typesandlevelofassistancedeliveredandtherefore,theneeds.

Service/ProgramsProfile -Thisoverviewof thesocial serviceprovidersandavailableresources in Osceola County helps to determine gaps in the service delivery system on acommunity-widebasis.

TheDevelopmentOfficeoverseesthecoordina-tion,collection,synthesis,andanalysisofdataonanannualbasis.Thenextstopintheprocessisanalysis of the resulting data sources to revealtrends,needsandcommonissuestocompiletheCommunityNeedsAssessment.Whenanalyzingthe information, the issues identified are priori-tizedbasedontheagency’scapacitytoaddressthoseneeds,andinconsiderationoftheNational

Goals forCommunityAction.These findingsarealsoused in thedevelopment of theagency’sannualCSBGWorkplanactivitiesandStrategicPlan.Whenanissueisbeyondthescopeoftheagencyandyetcrucialtothecommunity,wecreate,fosteranddevelopnetworkstoprovidetheappropriateservices.Thecompilationofourcurrentfindingsarelistedinthesectionsbelow.

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II OSCEOLA COUNTY PROFILES & TRENDS

OsceolaCountyremainsoneofCentralFlorida’sfastestgrowingcountieswitha15.5%increaseinpopulationfrom2010to2014.TheUSCensusBureau’s2009-2013AmericanCommunitySurveyreportsthat30.68%ofresidentswerelivingbelow100%ofFPLand61.41%werebelow200%.Thesurveyfurtherstatesthatanestimated19,792peoplere-locatedtoOsceolaCountyfromothercounties,statesandcountries.Manywhowerepre-viouslyself-sustainingencounteredunanticipateddifficultyacquiringemployment,addingtothealreadysubstantiallistofthoseinneedofassistance.

OsceolaCountycontinuestoworktowardimprovementsofthecommunity’sinfrastruc-turebyfocusingtheirresourcesonthedevelopmentofparksandroadwaystoenhancethequalityoflifeforitsresidentsandincreasetheappealforvisitorsandtourists.Safe,affordablepublictransportationbenefitsthecommunity’seconomy,reducestrafficcon-gestion, protects the environment by reducing fuel consumption and air pollution andstrengthenscommunities throughaccess towork,healthcareandsocialactivities.Toaddress thepopulation’s increasing transportationneeds,anewbillwasfiled in2015whichcouldeventually reform theexistingLynxbussystem throughprivatization.Thebillwillbevotedoninthespringof2016bytheFloridaHouseofRepresentatives.Whiledebatecontinuesregardingthemethodofreform,theneedforchangeisundeniableforresidentsunabletoaffordprivatetransportation.

TherearenewemploymentopportunitieswiththeadditionofthenewFloridaAdvancedManufacturingResearchCentersensorproject.Located inKissimmee,FL, theCenteroffershighwageemploymentopportunitiesforindividualswithadvancedmanufacturingskills.Thisventurebringseducationtotheforefrontduetotheshortageofworkerswiththeseskillsets.ValenciaCollegehasopenedanewAdvancedManufacturingTrainingCenterinresponsetotheincreaseddemandforskilledworkers.

Improvementsinthecounty’sinfrastructureandnewhighwageemploymentopportuni-tieshavelimitedimpactondisadvantagedresidentswholackmoneyfortuitionandtrans-portation. These barriers impede them from accessing opportunities to advance fromeconomic crisis to financial stability. Local government offices, service organizations,non-profitagenciesandfaith-basedentities inOsceolaCountymustcontinueto lever-ageresourcestoaddressunemployment,homelessness,foodinsecurity,transportation,chronichealthconditionsand limitedaccess to resourceswithin the low-incomecom-munity.Thecounty’sleadersaretaskedwithbridgingthegapbetweennewopportunitiesandexistingbarriersfordisadvantagedfamiliesandindividuals.

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II FAMILY AND CHILD WELL-BEING

Families inOsceolaCountyaremetwithanarrayof socio-economicchallengesincludinginflatedhousingcosts,healthinsurance(uninsuredorunderinsured),lackoftransportation,unemployment or underemployment. Families with limitedresourcesfinditdifficulttomanagethecostoflivingandmustseekassistancewithutilitiesandrentormortgagepayments.Manyfamiliesarehomelessorprecariouslyhousedasaresultofexcessiverentalormortgagecosts.Conservativeestimatesof this rapidly growing sector of the county’s populationaremorethan1,600homelessfamilieswithover5,000homelesschildren.Although there are 80,919 SNAP recipients in thecounty,over42,000residentsreportfoodinsecurity.Theaver-agecostofchildcareinFloridaforaninfantis$8,376peryear,justshortoftheaverageannualtuitionforapublicfour-yearcollege.Thecostofcarefora4-yearoldinachildcarecen-teris$6,647annually,makingchildcareunaffordableforfami-lieswithmultiplechildren.HeartofFloridaUnitedWay’s2014ALICEreportstatesthat51%ofemployedOsceolaresidentscommuteoutsideofthecountyforwork.Theassociatedcostsof long commutes coupled with child care expenses leavefamilieswithlittlechoicebuttocutcornerstomakeendsmeet,foregoinghealthinsuranceorvehicleinsuranceforthosewhoarefortunateenoughtoownprivatetransportation.

SocialServicesavailabletolow-incomeresidentsincludefoodstamps, Medicaid, utilities and rental/mortgage assistance,developmental disabilities service, free clinics, foodpantriesandtemporaryhousing.TheWICprogramprovidesnutritioneducationandsupplementalfooditemsforahealthydiet.Nonprofitorganizationsprovideeducationandsupportservicesdesignedtokeepfamiliestogether.Temporaryshelter,childcareprograms,parentalsupportprogramsandtuitionassistanceprogramsarealsoavailable.

Youthhaveopportunitiestoparticipateinsportsactivitiesthroughlocalschoolsandfaith-basedorganizationsandmayparticipateinsportsatthelocalYMCA.Othersportsoppor-tunitiesincludeBaseballYouthFutureGames,soccer,volleyballandswimming.Someoftheseservicesareprovidedatnocharge,howeverthemajorityhavevaryingassociatedfees.Participationintheseservicesrequiresresourcesmanyfamiliessimplydonothave.Communityresourcesbecomescarceasmorefamiliesencounterhardship.

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II EMPLOYMENT

According to Housing & Urban Development/FannieMaethe2008MedianHUDincomeinOsceolaCountywas$59,200.TheBureauofEconomicAnalysisreportsOsceola’s2014percapita incomewas$28,088.Thisreductioninsalariesseverelyimpactsfamiliesandthecommunityatlarge.Despiteseveralstrongordinancespassed by the Osceola County Commission to improve wages,theyhavenotsucceededinmovingtheneedle.The Florida Research and Economic DatabaseAreaProfile’saverageweeklywagecategoryranksOsceolaCounty#41outofFlorida’s67countiesand theU.S.Census Bureau 2014 American Community Survey reports that Kissimmee, the county seat, reports anunemployment rateof13.97%.Thecurrentestimatesindicatethecountyhasover35,000unemployedadults.

CareerSource of Central Florida provides workforce support for residents seeking toaccess employment resourcesmade available through theWorkforce InvestmentAct(WIA)program.CareerSourceprovidesaYouthProgramforages16to21yearsofagewithaccesstoworkforcetrainingandemploymentopportunitiesthroughlocalorganiza-tions.

IndividualsseekingassistancefromCareerSourcemustapplyinpersonatoneoftheirlocations and have the mobility to make multiple trips as they receive ongoing training andsupport.SingleparentswhowanttoparticipateintheWIAprogramhavetheaddedchallengeofobtainingchildcare.For residents lacking transportationand/or childcare,theseopportunitiesareout of reach.Non-profit organizationsmust identify and reachdisadvantagedresidentswholacktheresourcestoapplyforassistance.

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EDUCATION

In order to gain financial stability for the longterm, individualsmust obtain better jobswhichwill facilitate wage progression. Without wageadvancement they will remain in a precariousfinancial position, unable towithstand the nextcrisistheyencounter.Educationisthevehicleforattainingeconomicstability.Simplyput,thewaytogetbetterjobsisthrougheducation.

Ofthecounty’schildrenbirthto17yearsofage,26.21%arelivinginhouseholdswithincomes below the FPL. 32.67%of the county’s adult population do not have a highschooldiplomaandonly27.26%haveobtainedanAssociate’sleveldegreeorhigher.Thecounty’sareasofgreatestneedasidentifiedbytheOsceolaCountyNeighborhoodSta-bilizationProgram(NSP)aretheWest192Corridor,Poinciana,St.CloudandBuenaven-tura.Poincianaisparticularlyunderservedwithonly27%ofhighschoolgraduateseverattendinganytypeofpost-secondaryeducation.AmongthelargeHispanic/Latinocom-munity,over49,000childrenarelivinginhomeswhereEnglishskillsarelimited.Whiletheschoolboardanddistrictaremakingaconcertedefforttoelevatetheacademiclevelofitsstudents,themajorityofOsceolapublicschoolsareranked“C”schools.

Thecounty’seducationsystemconsistsof67schoolscomprisedofElementary,Middle,High,Multi-Level,Charter,AlternativeandVirtualschoolsaswellasAdultEducationcen-ters.Theschooldistrictinvestedinthecomprehensiverebuildoftwoaginghighschoolsat$55millioneach.Thedistrictasawholehascontinuedtoincreaseinstudentenrollmentoverthepastfouryears.Basictechnicalcoursesprovideafoundationforindividualswhodesiretoadvancetheireducationandwageprogression.Theseopportunitiesoffernewcareerpossibilitiesforthosewithlimitededucation.ThenewlyopenedAdvancedManu-facturingTrainingCenteratValenciaCollegebringsauniqueopportunityforthosewiththementalandmechanicalaptitudeforhigherwagecareerpaths.HeadStartpromotesschoolreadinessofchildrenfrombirthtoagefiveandESOLclassesforallages.Otheropportunitiesincludeafterschoolandsummerprograms,educationandsportsactivitiesforchildrenandyouth,mentorandleadershiptrainingandfamilydevelopment.

AnarticlepublishedbyHHSreportsthatchildrenwithmorehighlyeducatedparentsde-veloped“higheraspirationsfortheirowneducationandattainedmoreeducationbyage19,whichinturnrelatedtohigherlevelsofadulteducationalattainment”.Theresultsofthisstudyindicatethatelevatingaparent’seducationallevelimpactsachildbyinfluenc-ing theiracademicachievementandhas “long term implications forpositiveoutcome”wellintotheiradultyears.Enablinganindividualtopursueeducationpositivelyimpactstheirspouses,childrenandgrandchildren,bringingasignificantreturnontheinvestmentmadenowandforgenerationstocome.

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INCOME MANAGEMENT

TheUnitedWayALICE(AssetLimited,IncomeConstrained,Employed)reportstatesthat1in3householdslivingabovetheFPLworkhardonlytofindthemselveslivingpaychecktopaycheck.Manyworktwojobsandstillstruggletoraiseafamilyontheirlimitedincome.27%ofFloridahouseholdsareassetpoor,and48%donothavesufficientliquidnetworthtosurviveattheFPLforthreemonthswithoutincome.Formany,asmallemergencycanquicklybecomeamajorfinancialcrisis.Manyfactorshavecontributedtothiseconomicinstability.Familiesearningthecounty’slivingwagestandardof$11.66perhourfinditdifficulttomakeendsmeetandoftenfallpreytopaydaylenders,caughtinacycleofhighinterestfeesforquickcash.Thevastmajorityofhomeownerswithmortgagesandfami-liesrentinghousesorapartmentsarecostburdened,spendingmorethan30%oftheirtotalhouseholdincomeonhousing.Thisishigherthanthenationalaverage.Thosewhorenthaveahigherlikelihoodofnotowningprivatetransportation.

StatisticsfromOsceolaCounty’s2013HealthProfilerevealthat32.7%ofresidentsage18-64areuninsuredandmedicallyunderserved.Workinghouseholdsarenotwell-pre-paredforretirement,30%withnosavingsand22%savingupto$25,000.Oneofthecon-tributingfactorsinthereductionin401kparticipationisthatfeweremployersoffer401kretirementplansduetotheinflatedcostofhealthinsurancefortheiremployees.AstudybytheNationalCouncilonAgingshowsthat“seniorhouseholdborrowinghasincreasedsignificantlyinthepastdecade,morethandoubling”,underscoringthedifficultyseniorsfacejusttocoverthebasiccostsofliving.Thisservesasastarkreminderofthechal-lengeseachofuswillfaceaswecontinuetoage.Fortunately,financialliteracyprovidesthetoolstomanageincome,planforthefutureandmakewell-informeddecisions.

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Based on the 2014 Financial Literacy Survey:• 2in5(40%)haveabudgetandtrackspending• 32%donotsaveforretirement• 1 in 3 (33%) carry credit card debt frommonth to

monthand15%rollover$2,500ormoreincreditcarddebt each month

• 48% are very or somewhat confident that they aresavingenoughforretirement;threeinten(30%)arenotatallconfident

• 9% are currently re-paying student loans (6% theirown,3%theirchildren’s);(50%)unabletosaveforanemergencyfund;(38%)unabletosaveforretirement

Anincreasingnumberofhardworkingindividualsarefallingintofinancialcrisisandtheirchildren,neighborsandcommunitieswillultimatelybearthefinancialburden.AlthoughfinancialliteracyeducationhasprovensuccessfulinOsceolaCounty,accessislimitedduetohighdemand,languagebarriersandthelackofone-on-onecounseling.

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HOUSING

In Osceola County, 49.73% of households areburdenedwith housing costs exceeding 30%oftheir total household income, far surpassing thenationalaverageof35.47%.Householdsthatareclassified as “extremely low income” can onlyaffordapproximately$400permonthforhousing,whichis$600lessthanthefairmarketvalueofastandard two-bedroomunit.Housing andUrbanDevelopment (HUD)FairMarketRentpublishedthe following rates for Osceola County in 2014foratypicalmodestapartment:$697forastudio,$825foraone-bedroom,$983foratwo-bedroom,$1,311forathree-bedroom,and$1,586forafour-bedroomunit.Unabletosavethemoneyrequiredforanapartmentlease(firstandlastmonth’srentand a security deposit),many families resort toliving in lowcostmotels/hotelson theWest192corridor.

Research demonstrates that stable housing iscriticaltotheeconomicwell-beingoffamiliesandchildren. In 2014, the School District reportedover 3,500 homeless students in transitionwhoweretemporarily living inamotelorhotel, livingwithrelativesorprecariouslyhousedinashelter,carorabandonedbuilding.“TheStateof Homelessness in Osceola County”2014 study states that “families livinginhotelsnotsuitedforlong-termlivingare considered homeless and make up approximately25%ofOsceola’shome-less population, more than five timesthe national average. In response to thecontinuingrapidgrowthof familiesliving in low-cost hotels and motelsalongthe192corridor, theschooldis-trict has developed 61 school bus stops totransportthesestudentstoandfromschool.

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Homeowners face challenges aswell.ThehomevaluesthroughoutOsceola County have fallen 32%in the last fewyears.TheCountyutilized the HUD NSP3 MappingTool to identify the Buenaventuraand Poinciana communities as mostsignificantlyimpacted.Theseareas have a high concentration of families living below the FPLanddevaluationofpropertyfurtheraddstotheeconomicdepressionofthese communities. St. Cloud has thehighestrateof foreclosuresinthecountywithKissimmeetrailingclosebehind. InDecember 2014,thenumberofpropertiesthatfiledfor foreclosure inOsceolaCountywas 22.69% higher than the pre-viousmonthand76%higherthanthe same time last year. Home sales for November 2014 weredown54%comparedtothemonthprior, and down 89% comparedwithayearago.

Our senior population is not immune to thecounty’shousingcrisis.AARP’sPublicPolicyInstitute’sstudy,“NightmareonMainStreet: Older Americans and the Mortgage MarketCrisis”addressestheimpactofthemortgage crisis on Americans aged 50 and older.“MillionsofolderAmericansarecar-rying more mortgage debt than ever be-fore, and over threemillion are at risk oflosingtheirhomes,”accordingtothestudy.Property taxes and mortgages take a toll onseniors’resources,leavingthemwithlit-tlechoicebuttoraidtheirretirementfundsto make their mortgage payments. Unable toaffordlivingindependentlytheymustrelyonfamilymemberstoavoidinstitutionaliza-tionorhomelessness,bothofwhichcreateamajorfinancialburdenonthecommunityat large.

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Therearevarious typesofhousingassis-tance available to struggling homeown-ers.LIHEAPandMortgageassistance, theMortgage Closure Prevention Program,Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitationand Replacement Program, the CHOREandWeatherizationareavailabletohome-owners meeting the requirements of therespectiveprograms.Support services forrenters are LIHEAPandRent assistance,TemporaryHousing,Low-incomehousing,Section8rentalsandFirstTimehomebuy-ers class.Only 2.3% of residents receivepublic assistance income which includesgeneral assistance and TemporaryAssis-tancetoNeedyFamilies(TANF).

HEALTH

TheFloridaHealthDepartmentclassifies thewholeofOsceolaCountyasamedicallyunderservedpopulation.TheHealthCouncilonEastCentralFlorida reports thesamefindings in their “2014OsceolaCountyHealthProfile.”Thecommunity’s residentsareconsideredavulnerablepopulationduetotheirlackofresources.Povertycreatesbarri-ersinobtaininghealthservices,nutritiousfoodsandotheressentialsthatallcontributetopoorhealthstatus.Healthrisksarehigheramongthoselivinginpovertyduetolimited(orno)accesstomedicalcare.Themainbarrierstheyfacearetheinabilitytopayformedicalvisitsormedicationsandthelackoftransportationnecessarytoattendmedicalappoint-ments.OsceolaCounty’shealthstatistics identifycardiovasculardiseaseas thesinglegreatesthealththreattothecommunity.TheFloridaDepartmentofHealthreportsthatheartdiseaseclaimed28.1%ofdeathsinOsceolaCountyin2014.Diabetes,acoronaryheartdiseaseequivalent,disproportionatelyaffectsminoritiesandtheelderlywhichcon-stitutesover60%ofthecounty’spopulation.PrevalenceofthediseasewilllikelyincreaseasminoritiesgrowandtheUSpopulationatlargecontinuestoage.

Statistics provided by the Community Health Rankingsreveal that27%of thecommunity’sresidents under age 65 are uninsured and medicallyunderserved,leavingtheindividual’shealthandwell-beingcompromised.89.4%ofthe county’s students have been immunized,5.4%ofbabieshave lateornoprenatalcareand8.4%arebornwithlowbirthweight.Dentaldisease, themostcommonchronic illness forchildren in the US, disproportionately affectslow-incomefamiliesandracialorethnicminori-ties.Access toaffordabledentalcare isoftenanobstacleforlowincomefamilies.

Localhospitals,freeclinicsandtheHealthDepartmentworktogethertoprovidemedicalsupportservicestotheincreasingpopulationofdisadvantagedfamiliesandindividuals.Thecosts resulting from lackof insurance includeout-of-pocketexpensespaidby theuninsured,uncompensatedcarebyhealthcareprovidersandinstitutions,taxesandtaxexpendituresbyall levelsofgovernment,health insurancepremiumsare increased tosupportcostshifting, indirectcostsofdisabilityand reducedproductivity forbusiness-es in thecommunity.Healthcareproviders, thegovernmentand thehealth insuranceindustryalsobearthemountingfinancialburdencreatedbyindirectcostsresultingfrompreventableEmergencyRoomvisitsandhospitalizations.Thegreatestpricewillbepaidbyuninsuredorunderinsuredindividualswhosehealthandwell-beingareatriskofbeingcompromised.

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EMERGENCY

Some families seek emergency assistancefortheshorttermduetoatemporaryinterrup-tionintheirincomewhileothersmayrequireservices up to one year and beyond.Oftenit is the unanticipated circumstances such as reductioninworkhours,lossofemployment,medicalbills,carrepairsandlackofchildcarepose a serious threat, exposing families tothe possibility of homelessness. Emergencyservicesprovideawidearrayofsupportandresourcestothose incrisisduetoevictions,housing mobility, utility disconnections, theincidence of domestic violence, emergencymedical care, substanceabuseandsupportforex-offenders.Thisbroadspectrumofser-vices requires the leveraging of resourcesacrossallofthecounty’snon-profitagencies,allclinicsandhospitals,governmententitiesandfaith-basedorganizations.Assistanceforbasic needs such as nutrition, housing andtransportation remain the services most that aremostfrequentlyrequested.

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Osceola County’s 18 food pantriesprovide emergency food baskets tofamiliesandindividualsincrisis.

The impact of low wages and un-employment affect families in differ-ent ways. Some families faced witheviction often choose to “double up”with familymembers or friends, alsoreferred to as couch surfing. Othersresorttolivinginlowcostmotelsandhotels along the West US 192 corridor which,bydefault,serveasanemer-gency shelter system. Most of theroomsarenotequippedfor,ordonotallow,foodpreparation.Familiesoftenturn to packaged, processed foodswhichlacknutritionalcontentoreatatlocalrestaurantswhichputadditionalstrain on already distressed budgets. Parents and children occupy one room, exceeding the facility’s maxi-mum occupancy limits.

Rapid Rehousingprovides familiesliving in shelters and motel rooms with assistanceincluding the pay-ment of overdueutility bills, rentalfees including adeposit, first andlast month’s rentor utility depos-its to attain safehousing.

AccordingtoHFUW’s211reportfor2014-2015,theyreceived37,718callsforassistancewithhousingandshelterand24,222requestsforassistancewithutilitybills.

Childcareisoneofthelargestexpendituresforlow-incomefamilies,withdaycareandafterschoolprogramscostingasmuchas23%oftheirincome.Thelackofchildcarecanliterallypropelsomefamiliestowardwelfareanditssubsidies.Evidencebasedstudiesrevealaprevalencefordepression,substanceabuseanddomesticviolenceamonglow-incomehouseholds.Whiletheseareperceivedasissuesaffectingindividuals,thecoststosocietyaregreat.HealthGrove’s2012Reportcitesthatoverafive-yearperiod,therewasa35.5%decrease inadmittances for treatmentwhilesubstanceabuse increased11.2%.Allofthesesocio-economicchallengesputfamilies,andparticularlychildren,atrisk.UnitedWay211,afreeserviceconnectingpeopleincrisiswithvaluableresourcesandsupports,reportsthatin2014-2015theyreceived4,841requestsformentalhealthandaddictionservices.AccordingtoFloridaCharts,from2012to2014therewere6,301occurrences of domestic offences inOsceolaCounty.Depression, domestic violence,andsubstanceabusehavedamagingeffectsonparentsandchildren,makinginterven-tionwithsupportstrategiesforbothgenerationsanecessity.

CareerSourceoffersreentryprogramstoassistex-offendersinmakingasuccessfultran-sitionback intocommunity life throughassessmentandcoordinationofservicessuchasjobskillstraining,jobplacement,GEDcoursesandlifeskillstraining.Theyarealsoinformedofadditionalsourcesofsupport.

TheEnergyAssistanceProgramprovidesfinancialassistancetomeetthecostofhomeheatingandcoolingtolow-incomehouseholds,withapreferenceoffamilieswithchildren,disabledandfrailelderlyresidentsinOsceolaCounty.TheHealthLeadershipCouncil,Osceola Capacity Commission and Emergency Food and Shelter Board assess the needsofdisadvantagedpopulationstodevelopandexecutestrategiesthatwillyieldthegreatesteconomicandsocial impact.OsceolaCounty’srapidrehousingresourcesareavailablethroughtheCounty,OsceolaCouncilonAgingandtheHomelessServicesNet-workRapidRehousingprogram.Thecountyhasfundingtoannuallyassistapproximately160familiesinacquiringstablehousing.

TheWest192RedevelopmentPlanisastrategyforrevitalizationofthecorridorbyre-storing aging motel/hotel housing to eliminate the emergency shelter phenomenon and elevatetheeconomicstatusviaimplementationofprogramsandprojectsthatenhancethearea’sappeal. 14

NUTRITION

TheUSDAdefines food insecurityas the lackof “accessbyall peopleatall times toenough food for an active, healthy life.” Food insecurity, inherently connected withincome,isanationalcrisisthatknowsnobordersorboundaries.Familieslivinginpov-ertyareforcedeverydaytomakepainfuldecisionsabouthowtospendscarceresources.Thereare58,111studentsenrolledinourschooldistrict,65.51%ofwhichareeligibleforFree/ReducedPrice lunch.Theestimatedpercentageof thepopulationunderage18thatexperiencedfoodinsecuritylastyearis25.18%,18%ofwhichareineligibleforStateorFederalnutritionassistance.In2015,19.66%ofhouseholdsreceivedSNAPbenefits,exceedingthenationalaverageof12.4%.Nearly17,500seniorsarecostburdenedwithincomesbelow50%oftheareamedianandfoodstampparticipationisat70%.Seniorslivingintractsdesignatedasfooddesertsmayrequirespecialdietsformedicalcondi-tionsandhavelimitedaccesstoaffordablefoodsources.Formanyhouseholds,theackoftransportationandinsufficientfundsarebarrierslimitingaccesstosupermarketsandfresh,nutritiousfoods.Thehighriskofhungerandmalnutritionhasbecomeadailyrealityforthesefamiliesandseniors.

Poor nutrition comes at a price. Ac-cording toCountyHealthRanking,thecountyhasa29%obesityrate.TheobesityrateinFloridais26.4%for adults, 13.4% for 10-17 yearsoldand13.1%for low-incomechil-dren 2 to 4 years old. Obesity is a health threat that increases the risk ofdevelopingserioushealthcondi-tions.Thegoodnews is that smalladjustments in nutrition intake canyieldsignificantoutcomes.TheHealthiestWeightFlorida,aprogramthawaslaunchedinOrlandoattheStateSurgeonGeneral’sSymposiumonHealthiestWeightinJanuary2013, reports “Bybending theprojectedBMI (BodyMass Index)curvebyamere5%fromthecurrenttrajectory,hundredsofthousandsofnewcasesofchronicdiseasecanbepreventedwhilesavingmillionsinhealthcarecosts.”Nutritioneducationstrategiesandsupportsprovidethemechanismforincreasingawarenessofsoundnutritionaswellasencourage healthy behaviors.

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Health and human service providers in the community deliver support critical to foodinsecure residents through programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP),SNAP,FarmShareandValenciaCollegecommunitygardenprograms.Allofthese supportive services are in place to provide balanced nutrition essential to healthy living.Our community lacksaffordable choices for low-income familiesandseniors toaccesswholesomefoods.Whileitiswellknownthatfruitsandvegetablesprovideneedednutrientstosupportoverallhealthandwell-being,manyofourcommunity’slow-incomeseniorsandfamiliescannotaffordtherecommendedamountstosupportahealthydiet.Throughtheunifiedeffortsof18local foodpantries,disadvantagedresidentsreceived903,579poundsoffoodin2014.

Healthcareprovidersandbusinessesaccess localhealth informationvia theOsceolaHealthSummit,acollaborativeventurebetweenCommunityVision’sHealthLeadershipCouncil,Kissimmee/OsceolaCountyChamberofCommerce,FloridaHospitaland theFloridaDepartment ofHealth to deliver culturally appropriate care to residents in thecommunity.Technologyandinnovationsinhealthcaredeliveryarealsoaddressed.TheOsceolaCouncilonAgingoffersMealsonWheels,theMobileFoodPantry,CongregateDiningandNutritionEducationprogramswhichareenhancedthroughcollaborationswithValenciaCommunityCollegeandtheUniversityofFloridaExtensionServices.

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TheCouncilalsopartnerswiththeHealthLeadershipCouncilandOsceolaCapacityCommissiontoaddresshomelessnessandhealth issueswithinthe community.Together these allies combat the socio-economic issuesthat threaten those most at-risk in the community.

SUMMARY

OsceolaCountyisthefastestgrowingareainCentralFloridaand the sixth largest county in Florida. Accordingl to the U.S. Census,Florida’spopulationgrewata faster rate than theUnitedStatesasawholefrom2010to2014.Thesignificantpopulationincreaseisprimarilyaresultofnetmigration.

Significanttrendsinthecommunityreveala1)higherpercentageofsingleparenthouse-holdsledbyfemalesinincreasinglevelsofpovertyand2)limitedEnglishproficiencyinthecounty’sHispanic/Latinopopulationwhichhasmorethan49,000(18.76%)children5yearsandolderlivinginhomeswithlimitedEnglishlanguageskills.Incomparison,thenationalaverageofchildreninthisagegroupwithlimitedEnglishproficiencyathomeis8.63%.Thislinguisticisolationisaseriousobstacleinobtainingemployment,educationopportunities and accessing social services.

Comprehensivesupportserviceswilladdressissuesbutmaynotresultinfamiliesattain-ingself-sufficiencyforthelongterm.Familieslivinginpovertyaretrappedinaperpetualcycle,heldhostageby learnedhelplessness that ispassed fromparent tochilddownthrough thegenerations.Generationalpoverty fostersaculture that is foundedon theideologythatitisimpossibletobreakfree,toexceltoabetterlife.Littleornothoughtisgiventothefutureandpoordecisionsaremadeastheychoosetoliveforthemoment.Anattitudeof“settling”setsinasfamiliesmakethebestoftheirsituation,holdingfasttowhatisfamiliar.Thisisperhapsthemostformidableofallbarriersforfamilieslivinginpoverty.Thechallengeforthoseprovidingsupportandservicestothispopulationistointroducethemtoanewperspective,onebasedonasenseofself-worthandhopeforthefuture.

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APPENDIX A: Bibliography

2013 Community Health Needs AssessmentCentralFloridaCommunityBenefitCollaboration:FloridaHospital,OrlandoHealth,FloridaHealthOrangeCounty,LakesideBehavioralHealthcarehttps://www.floridahospital.com/sites/default/files/pdf/chna_with_interactive_toc.pdf

2014 Annual Report and RecommendationsFloridaKidCareCoordinatingCouncilhttps://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/program-information/downloads/december-2014-enrollment-report.pdf

2014 International ReportFreshfromFloridahttp://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/59883/1184517/2014_International_Report.pdf

Assets & Opportunity Scorecard 2014http://assetsandopportunity.org/scorecard/2014/

City-Data.comhttp://www.city-data.com/county/Osceola_County-FL.html

Community Commonshttp://www.communitycommons.org/

Community Health Improvement Annual Report, 2014FloridaDepartmentofHealthinOsceolaCountyhttp://www.worcesterma.gov/announcements/community-health-improvement-plan-2014-annual-report

Co-Occurrence and Combined Effects on Low-Income FamiliesSharmilaLawrence,MichelleChau,MaryClareLennon;June2004http://nccp.org/publications/pub_546.html

Depressions, Substance Abuse and Domestic ViolenceFlorida ChartsFloridaDepartmentofHealthhttp://www.floridacharts.com/charts/default.aspx

Florida WIC Strengthening Families for 40 YearsFlorida Healthhttp://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2014/12/122914-wic-40-years.html

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Four in 10 American children live in low-income familiesSource:ColumbiaUniversity’sMailmanSchoolofPublicHealthandScienceDaily;https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150121144842.htm

Health Grove 2012 Reporthttp://drug-abuse-rates.healthgrove.com/l/137/Orlando-Florida

Heart of Florida United Way 211http://www.hfuw.org/2-1-1-information-assistance-helpline/

Heart of Florida United Way ALICE report 2014http://www.uwof.org/alice

Hunger in Florida 2014 Executive SummaryFloridaAssociationofFoodBankshttp://www.fafb.org/hunger-facts/hunger-in-florida-2014

Long term Effects of Parents' Education on Children's Educational and Occupa-tional Success: Mediation by Family Interactions, Child Aggression, and Teenage AspirationsDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesApril 2012http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853053

Lowering Home Energy Costs: Assistance Programs for Low Income FamiliesBenefits.govCompasshttp://www.benefits.gov/news/newsletter/January-2015/

Medicaid & CHIP: December 2014 Monthly Applications, Eligibility Determinations and Enrollment ReportFebruary23,2015https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/program-information/downloads/december-2014-enrollment-report.pdf

National Center for Children in Poverty; Basic Facts about Low-Income Children Fact Sheethttp://www.nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_1099.pdf

Osceola County Real Estate Statistics & Foreclosure Trends Summary 2014http://www.realtytrac.com/statsandtrends/fl/osceola-county

Osceola Social Services Head Starthttp://www.osceolasocialservices.org/head-start/

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State of Florida Low Income Home Energy Assistance ProgramModelStatePlanforFY2015http://www.floridajobs.org/docs/default-source/2015-community-development/communi-ty-assistance/liheap/draft2015liheapmodelstateplan.pdf?sfvrsn=2

TANF Caseload Data 2014OfficeofFamilyAssistance,AnofficeoftheAdministrationforChildren&Familieshttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/resource/caseload-data-2014

The State of Homelessness in Osceola County; “An Insider’s Briefing on Family Homelessness in Osceola County”January22,2014

Weatherization Program Notice 15-3Subject:2015PovertyIncomeGuidelinesandDefinitionofIncomeFebruary19,2015http://www.waptac.org/data/files/Website_docs/Government/Guidance/2015/WPN-15-3-PIGS.pdf

APPENDIX B: Census Maps

Osceola County Census Blocks ACS 5 Year Maps 2014

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