1999 Basic Needs Assessment


 

Indicators

Although many basic needs providers are tracking their own performance, there is currently no system-wide measurement system for basic needs in place. The Community Action Network (CAN) is dedicated to developing basic needs performance measures that will enable the community to track its progress in achieving the goals identified in the Community Assessment vision statement:

Austin/Travis County will be a community in which each person has the basic resources to live a full and independent life.

One way to capture changes in the basic needs system over time is to utilize regularly published federal, state, and local data as outcome indicators. For example, in the current assessment, the writers examined the Travis County poverty rate (12.9%), the number of persons who received emergency assistance (21,468), and the percentage of elementary schools in which at least 50% of their students are economically disadvantaged (91%).

When the next assessment on basic needs is conducted, the same data, statistics and numbers can be examined to determine what changes have occurred since the last assessment. Assessment writers can examine both quantitative and qualitative changes over time. Listed below are some examples of community indicators for basic needs.

Suggested 1999 Community Indicators for Basic Needs

Type of Indicator Description
Quantitative
  • The percentage of people granted emergency assistance in rent, utilities, food and clothing (as compared to the overall number of people applying for emergency assistance). For example, in 1995, 63% of those who applied for assistance received it while in 1998, only 56% of those who applied for assistance received it.
  • The amount of emergency assistance available to individuals. For example, the current average amount that individuals receive per year is $445 for utilities, $266 for rent/mortgage, and $56 for food.
  • The extent of development in public transportation services (i.e. free passes, extended routes, extended hours of operation).
  • The percentage of individuals reporting they have adequate access to public transportation (based on Basic Needs survey results).
 
  • The amount and use of funding for Basic Needs in the community.
  • The percentage of economically disadvantaged school children in target districts.
Qualitative
  • Current conditions as reported by Basic Needs focus group participants- Present results from previous years focus group results to get feedback on how conditions have changed and/or improved. Discuss current concerns.
 
  • Number or extent of collaborations and centralized systems (including use of case management) of Basic Needs in the community.

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