Executive Summary - Westchester
Purpose
The United Way of Westchester and Putnam issues this report to serve four major purposes:
- To encourage the public/private/voluntary sectors to come together to create innovative, results-oriented approaches to the complex and inter-connected issues facing individuals and families in today’s uncertain and challenging environment.
- To help community leaders make important decisions about the allocation of scarce resources
- To provide planners with a comprehensive and reliable base of information that will enable them to more effectively understand and respond to the needs of Westchester residents.
- To give those who are providing services a better sense of the existing and emerging challenges in Westchester.
Methods
Two goals drove the selection of methods used in the assessment:
- To be as inclusive as possible in the data collection.
- To gather data in which the reader has confidence and can in effective decision-making.
The following population groups provided data for the issues assessment in Westchester :
- Key community and business leaders, workplace donors, community donors and service providers who responded to mailed surveys;
- Households that were surveyed by a random telephone procedure;
- Drop-site (including community centers, libraries and human service agencies) respondents, who tended to be users of service and who had the opportunity to respond in Spanish or English.
- In addition, area citizens from all walks of life, as well as those involved with special interest groups, provided information through participation in focus groups.
The methodology, and the way the data were combined, resulted in the identification of nine key issues, and one growing challenge as well as ten system-related and six personal barriers to accessing services in Westchester. Several additional issues were defined as important by one or two of the respondent groups but not by the others. These additional issues are included in the issue Tables in the Addendum but are not fully analyzed.
Major Findings
Major findings of the assessment fall into four broad categories:
Issues: Major problems and/or unmet needs identified by the key leader and household survey respondent groups. Each issue section is divided into four components: What We Heard, What We Know, What We Have, What We Can Do.
Growing Challenge: An issue which was not rated highly by the survey respondents but was given significant attention by those attending focus group meetings.
System-Related Barriers to Service: Barriers related to an individual’s perceptions or concerns about a particular service are viewed in this report as “personal” barriers. The six personal barriers to the use of services identified by the eight respondent groups in Westchester, in order of importance to the groups.
Personal Barriers to Service: Individual views and/or characteristics and/or circumstances, identified by the key leader, household and service provider respondent groups that make it more difficult to seek out or receive services.
Identified Issues
The nine issues identified by random households and key leaders in Westchester, in order of combined response rates are:
Shortage of Affordable Housing - The lack of affordable housing pervades Westchester County and poses challenges for potential and existing residents, businesses, workers service providers and the economy.
Behavioral Problems among Children and Teens – Every child has the promise of success. However, growing economic, societal and peer pressures, along with a lack of clear expectations about acceptable behavior, a sense of limited possibilities for success and families stretched to capacity to meet daily living challenges mitigate against the success. These problems cut across all social, economic and ethnic lines.
Shortage of Accessible and Affordable Child Care - The lack of affordable, quality child care presents a tremendous challenge to the area's economic and social well-being.
Lack of Accessible and Affordable Medical Care – The cost of medical care in Westchester is growing and this present challenges to people from all walks of life, particularly those who do not have medical insurance through their employer and do not qualify for public health insurance programs.
Lack of Accessible Affordable Assistance for the Frail Elderly, Adults with Disabilities and Their Families – There are increasing numbers of people in nursing homes and health care facilities who with access to a range of community based services, could return successfully to community based-living.
Limited Recreational Opportunities - More accessible recreational programs will further enhance the lives of individuals of all ages and income levels - physically, socially and emotionally.
Lack of Employment Opportunities - Westchester 's economic and employment trends have continue to shift, resulting in changes in workplace profiles as well as job requirements and presenting increased challenges to a range of current and prospective workers.
Drug Abuse and Its Affect on the Community – The essential feature of substance abuse is a maladaptive pattern of substance use. There may be repeated failure to fulfill major role obligations, repeated use in situations in which it is physically hazardous, multiple legal problems, and recurrent social and interpersonal problems
Discrimination and Intolerance – There is growing diversity in Westchester County and preparation is needed to address the new issues that arise.
Growing Challenge – Growing Pressures Affecting Daily Living in Uncertain Times
Pressures affecting daily living do not have a clear set of causes, effects and syndromes. They produce an amorphous, but real, cloud hanging over many people in the county, crossing all ethnic groups and social classes. Significant contributing factors to these growing pressures appear to be the uncertain economy, the lingering effects of 9/11 and overwork by many professionals and business people.
Identified Barriers System-Related Barriers to Service
The ten system-related barriers identified by three respondent groups in Westchester in order of combined response rates, are:
Lack of Information: Information is one of our greatest resources. Without information, people do not know that a particular service exists and, no matter how good it is, they cannot benefit from it.
Lack of Child Care: For many, having access to child care, like public transportation, is a pre-condition for being able to access other necessary services or employment.
Actual Costs: When fees are high, some people needing services are unable to afford them.
Language Barriers: One’s inability to speak English can have a significant negative impact on none’s ability to gain the variety of service needed and to be treated fairly.
Lack of Transportation: Very little transportation exists for many in Putnam County attempting to access needed services.
Eligibility Criteria: Eligibility criteria can be a confusing or limiting factor which often prevents people from accessing services.
Long Wait: Excessive waiting time related to scheduling and keeping appointments reduces the effectiveness and accessibility of needed services
Inconvenient Location: If a location is not easily accessed, this can affect an individual’s or family’s ability to obtain services.
Inconvenient Hours: Hours of operation can be a pivotal factor in how well services can be accessed.
Inaccessible to people with Disabilities: Physical accessibility issues at a service location can prevent those with physical disabilities from obtaining needed services.
Personal Barriers to Service
The six person barriers identified by five respondent groups in Westchester in order of combined response rates are:
Perception of Costs: Whether service fees are perceived as excessive or not can be a key factor in how well services are utilized.
Resistance to Going Outside Family and Friends: The reluctance to seek and accept outside help creates a significant barrier to service delivery.
Concern with Quality of Service: Perception of poor quality of service often prevents people from accessing that service.
Negative View of Services: When a service is viewed negatively, people’s willingness to access that service is reduced.
Concerns about Confidentiality: Confidentiality is a major issue for many seeking help, especially those affected by family violence, substance abuse, mental illness or HIV/AIDS. People also are concerned that others will discover they are receiving services.
Prior Bad Experience: Not overcoming a previous bad experience in accessing a service may prevent an individual from seeking out that service in the future.
Identified Resources
Based on information provided by focus groups and individual service providers, this assessment lists the full range of programs and services currently offered in Westchester in each issue area. However, this study does not address the quality of those programs and services or their sufficiency. Even so, the survey data and other documentation provided by organizations with expertise in various areas strongly suggest that, while hundreds of services are being provided to thousands of individuals and families, there are still gaps in service as well as numerous programs that are not readily accessible to those in need. |
