1999 Basic Needs Assessment


 

Preliminary Planning

After meeting with a number of service providers, and receiving feedback from the community, several areas in need of further attention were identified. The most prominent are listed below.

1. Increase Investment Levels: The investment levels need to be increased to match the scale of the problem. Although there are many organizations throughout the community providing food, clothing, and emergency housing assistance, they are very limited by the amount of funding available for such services. Unfortunately, many of these agencies compete with each other for available funding. Both public and private funding agencies, including corporations, could make a concerted effort to ensure that everyone in our community has at least food, clothing, and shelter.

For example, based upon current levels of emergency assistance (established in 1990), Travis County could provide food assistance for an additional 1,000 more people for $56,000, rent/mortgage assistance for $266,000, and utility assistance for $445,000. Unfortunately, these levels have not been adjusted since 1990, while the cost of living across Texas has climbed steadily, increasing over 17% this decade (Consumer Price Index, Texas Comptroller).

2. Promote Collaboration Among Providers: There is an overwhelming need for more collaboration among service providers to offer customer friendly services.

  • Intake processes could be simplified so that clients do not have to fill out separate application forms for each agency. Agency intake forms often request the same information, a duplicative process that can be eliminated. Providers should be encouraged to cooperate in efforts like the assistance "clusters" facilitated by Austin Metropolitan Ministries.
  • Providers need flexibility in their funding to allow them to invest in shared information systems that will reduce duplication of services, reduce paperwork and communication barriers, serve customers more efficiently, and support more holistic solutions.
  • Travis County emergency assistance staff will reinitiate community resource meetings among basic needs providers to promote information sharing and improve networking. This can be an important first step toward more formal cooperative efforts.

3. Expand Summer Nutrition Program: While eligible students across Travis County receive free or reduced price meals during the school year, many students have no such support when school is not in session. Currently, only 7% of eligible children (3,739 of an estimated 49,870 eligible) in Travis County ate meals through the Summer Food Service Program (companion to the Free/Reduced price School lunch program). However, funding is available to expand access to the summer food program throughout Travis County. Through a combination of school districts, county, and municipal government, this entitlement program could be made available to all eligible students.

4. Continue Community Assessment of Known Problem Areas: More careful study needs to be undertaken to assess the transportation needs of low-income residents of our community. Transportation is a critical recurring problem across each issue area. Similarly, more careful study of special needs in the outlying areas of Travis County needs to continue. Pockets of intense poverty exist within Travis County and steps are underway to address some of their needs. However, work should continue to engage community residents and providers in more thorough efforts to identify needs and initiate steps to meet these needs.

5. Support Case Management: Similar to most other issue areas, a need for a more long-term focus in basic need services has been identified. In addition to focusing on helping clients with their immediate needs, the service delivery system could take a more long-term approach by providing case management services to their clients. Once food, clothing, and shelter needs have been met, clients will be able to focus on building skills that will move them toward self-sufficiency. Many customers have multiple needs and are seeking services beyond food, shelter, or clothing.

Service providers from the Austin metropolitan area indicate that affordable housing, affordable and quality child care, employment/training assistance, health care, and transportation assistance are increasingly in demand. To allow individuals to transition from chronic dependence to self-sufficiency or at least support more independent living, resources could be invested in case management to guide clients through the network of service providers, and help them develop a plan for self-sufficiency and independence.

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