2015 Geminus Head Start Community Needs Assessment by GEMINUS

Head Start/Early Head Start Community Needs Assessment 8400 Louisiana Street Merrillville, Indiana 46410 Email: info@geminus.org Website: www.geminus.org 1-888-893-6891

February 2015

TEACHING CHILDREN * SERVING FAMILIES

Prepared by:

Center for Management Development and Library Data Center Indiana University Northwest Dr. Charles J. Hobson (219) 980-6903 chobson@iun.edu

2 Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements…………………………………..……………………………….…............................................ 3 Preface………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 4 Executive Summary…………………………………………….………………..………………………………………………….. 5 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………. 18 Purpose and Assessment Framework…………………...……………………………………………..…… 18 Overview of Geminus Head Start …………………………………………………………………..……...….. 19 General Demographic Description of Lake and Porter Counties…………………………..….… 22 Township Profiles…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 35 Assessment (Methodology, Results, Conclusions, Recommendations)…………………………...….….. 37 Requirement 1 - Demographic Make-Up of Head Start Eligible Children and Families…………………………….…………….…………………………………………………..…. 37 Requirement 2 - Other Child Development, Childcare, and Publicly Funded Preschool Programs Serving Head Start Eligible Children….….….…………………….. 50 Requirement 3 - Children (Birth - 4) with Disabilities and Relevant Community Services/Resources……………………………………….…………………………………….…... 53 Requirement 4 - Evidence Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families….…………………... 55 Requirement 5 - Data from Head Start Eligible Families and Community Organizations Serving Young Children Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….66 Requirement 6 - Community Resources/Programs That Could be Used to Address the Needs of Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families…..…………………….. 77 Conclusions and Recommendations………………………………..................................................……….. 78 Appendices………………………………………………………………...…………………………………………………………... 98 Appendix A - Level 3 and 4 Childcare Providers………………………….………………………….……. 98 Appendix B - Community Needs Survey……………………………….………...………………………..…103

3 Acknowledgements The completion of this Community Needs Assessment was only possible with the active participation and collaborative support of many individuals. We would like to publically acknowledge their invaluable contributions: Geminus Head Start Vice-President Dr. Karen Carradine and her outstanding staff were very helpful in providing information needed for this report and facilitating the collection of critical survey data. Project coordinator, Clarissa Regula, was especially instrumental in completing our work. The acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of statistical data required in this Community Needs Assessment was conducted by the Indiana University Northwest Library/Data Center Director Tim Sutherland and his talented staff of Scott Sandberg and Cele Morris.

4 Preface The vital importance of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs in meeting the needs of young children living in poverty has been dramatically underscored in recent genetic research conducted by Dr. Pollak at the University of Wisconsin and other psychologists (Monitor of Psychology, October, 2014). Taken together, their findings document: 1. Early childhood poverty, stress, maltreatment, and neglect can result in permanent damage to human DNA. 2. This damage can begin to occur before birth in a baby's intrauterine environment. 3. The DNA damage can have life-long negative effects on a person's health, functioning, and well-being, and be passed on to the next generation. 4. Buffers to early childhood adversity, like warm interactive parenting, educational programs, and positive socialization experiences, can offer effective protection against genetic damage. Head Start and Early Head Start programs are designed to build the buffers needed to protect young children from adversity. Providing sufficient support for these and other high-quality early childhood programs must be a priority at the national, state, and local levels, in order to insure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

5 Executive Summary This report provides an overview of the process utilized to conduct a Community Needs Assessment for Geminus Head Start, along with major conclusions and recommendations. The evaluation process was designed to specifically address the following six Office of Human Development Services, HHS community assessment requirements: 1. Demographic Make-Up of Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Children and Families 2. Other Child Development, Childcare, and Publicly Funded Preschool Programs Serving Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Children 3. Children (Birth - 4) with Disabilities and Relevant Community Services/Resources 4. Evidence Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families 5. Data from Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Families and Community Organizations Serving Young Children Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families 6. Community Resources/Programs That Could be Used to Address the Needs of Head Start/Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families For each of the requirements, the best, most accurate, and up-to-date sources were identified and utilized in conducting the community assessment. In those instances when pre-existing information was not available, new data were collected with written surveys. The following major conclusions can be reasonably drawn on the basis of the analyses conducted in this report, along with recommendations relevant to each of the six evaluation requirements: Requirement 1 Conclusions 1. The total estimated number of HS-eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Lake County is 3,565, and in Porter County is 581, for a combined total of 4,146. 2. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible children, ages birth to 2, in Lake County is 5,349, and in Porter County is 871, for an overall total of 6,220. 3. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible pregnant women in Lake County is 2,111, and in Porter County is 344, for a grand total of 2,455 in the two counties. 4. Within Lake County, the highest concentrations of HS-eligible children and EHS-eligible children/pregnant women are in the following three townships: North, Calumet, and Hobart.

6 5. Within Porter County, the representation of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible participants is highest in the following three townships: Portage, Porter, and Center. 6. The racial and ethnic composition of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible persons is more diverse in Lake County as compared to Porter County. Recommendations 1. Poverty-Proportional Reallocation of Center-Based HS Slots Reallocating Geminus HS centerbased slots on the basis of relative poverty percentages for the 11 Lake County townships and 12 Porter County townships would result in the following recommendations: (1) Increasing HS center-based slots for: North Township (Lake) Porter Township (Porter) St. John Township (Lake)

+227 +37 +24

(2) Decreasing HS center-based slots for: Hobart Township (Lake) Ross Township (Lake) Center Township (Porter)

-158 -123 -58

2. Coordination of Efforts to Address Unmet Needs/Additional Demand We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in coordinating current and future efforts to serve the needs of HS-eligible and EHS-eligible individuals in Lake and Porter Counties. We offer a data-based approach to determining the magnitude of unmet needs and most effectively deploying services in the two-county area. For example, after accounting for the HS-eligible children enrolled at Geminus and other FSSA Level 3 and 4 (high-quality) providers, we estimate that there are 2,351 HS-eligible children who are not currently receiving high-quality preschool education in Lake and Porter Counties. They are concentrated in the following three townships: North (Lake) Calumet (Lake) Portage (Porter)

1,185 696 123

Similar analyses were performed for EHS participants. Geminus could coordinate the use of this data in guiding the following important region-wide decisions: (1) where to locate/relocate centers or programs, (2) where to recruit or develop new FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers, and (3) where to recruit participants for new or expanded programs. 3. Lobbying Efforts Given the staggering unmet needs documented in this report (especially in Lake County), we recommend that Geminus continue and increase its efforts to build/strengthen relationships with elected and government officials at the local, state, and national levels. These relationships can be invaluable in lobbying for additional funding for HS/EHS and agencies that provide

7 related social services needed by young children and their families. Requirement 2 Conclusions 1. There are 335 licensed or registered childcare providers (homes, centers, ministries) in Lake County, with a capacity of 7,727; not including ministries that have unregulated capacities. The total number of licensed or registered providers in Porter County is 46, with a capacity of 1,485. These capacity figures do not include any of the unlicensed/informal providers of childcare or babysitting services, and thus underestimate the total slots available in the two counties. 2. Of the 53 Level 3 and 4 childcare providers (similar in program quality to HS and EHS) in Lake and Porter Counties, 45 (85.0%) responded to the phone survey. The total numbers of enrolled Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children (including the East Chicago School District's Title One program) were respectively, 427 and 45. These figures represent very small percentages of the total number of HS and EHS-eligible children in the 2-county area: 427/4,146 or 10.3% for Head Start and 45/6,220 or 0.7% for Early Head Start. Even when combined with the children enrolled at Geminus, there are still large unmet needs, as discussed in the previous section. In total, it was estimated that 2,351 (56.7%) HS-eligible children are not currently being served. The figure is even higher for EHSeligible children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6,051 or 97.3%. 3. A total of 10 providers in Lake County have earned national accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), as indicated in Appendix A. The figure for Porter County is 3. 4. Of the 46 FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers in Lake County, the frequency in each of four major cities and towns is provided below: Gary - 14 Hammond - 12 East Chicago - 5 Merrillville - 5 Recommendations 1. Coordination to Address Unmet Needs As discussed in the preceding section on Requirement 1, we recommend that Geminus take a lead role in coordinating current services and projected future services in optimally addressing the huge unmet needs of HS- and EHS-eligble children in Lake and Porter Counties. 2. New Funding We recommend that Geminus continue its efforts to aggressively seek state, federal, and private funding to increase the number of HS and EHS children it serves. 3. Upgrade Local Capacity We recommend that Geminus expand its efforts to facilitate upgrading of the 325 FSSA Level 1 and 2 providers in the two counties to Levels 3 or 4. This would help to increase the number of HS-eligible and EHS-eligible children who have access to high-quality preschool educational programs. Hosting a regional conference at IU Northwest to draw attention to

8 the continuing unmet needs in the two-county area and offer hands-on improvement workshops to interested Level 1 and 2 providers could be very helpful. Requirement 3 Conclusions 1. The estimated number of children with disabilities, ages 0 to 4, in the two-county area is 2,525. Clearly, there is a strong need for disability-related services for these children and their families. 2. Within Lake and Porter Counties, there is a well-developed, easily accessible network of community organizations to serve the needs of young children with disabilities. These organizations are staffed by very dedicated, passionate individuals, committed to their mission of helping children with disabilities. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for young children with special needs and their families through the provision of individualized educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services. 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess agency disability services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately. Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Agency Support We recommend continued active support for agencies providing disability services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels. Requirement 4 Conclusions include:

1. The educational needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families

9 (2) the need for high school completion and GED classes for the parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children who do not have a high school diploma, (3) the need for ESL classes for the Spanish-speaking parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children, and (4) the prominent need for relevant job education/training and effective job placement services to overcome persistent barriers to employment as a function of lack of formal schooling, race, ethnicity, and age. 2. Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families have the following healthrelated needs: (1) the continuing high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area in 2013 document the substantial demand for healthcare services among families living in poverty, and the need for healthcare providers who accept Medicaid patients, (2) the persistently high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of healthcare services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, (3) the growing population of Spanish-speaking families, especially in Lake County, has resulted in an increased need for bilingual healthcare providers or translators in all medical facilities, and (4) high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area result in strong demand for medical-necessity vouchers for public transportation to insure access to healthcare facilities. 3. Evidence of the critical and continuing importance of adequate nutrition to Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families can be found in the following statistics: (1) the persistently high numbers of individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (2) the stubbornly high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of nutritional support services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, and (3) the continuing high numbers of public school children who qualify for free/reduced-cost lunches. 4. Head Start and Early Head Start children and families social service needs include: (1) the need for counseling and workshops to effectively address challenges facing families as a consequence of the slow economic recovery and related stresses that negatively impact mental/emotional health, relationships between couples, parenting, and children's wellbeing and development, (2) the need for adequate, affordable, safe housing,

(3) the need for additional public and/or subsidized transportation to insure access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and social services, (4) the need for continued support of foster families with young children, (5) the continued need for coordinated social services to deal with the increasing number of CHINS in Lake County, and (6) the continuing need for subsidized childcare to enable parents to participate in educational opportunities, seek and maintain employment, and attend scheduled appointments with healthcare/social service providers. Recommendations 1. Job Training We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing the job training challenge and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. We suggest that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. We discussed this topic recently with Robyn Minton, VP of Operations at The Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. and regional leader of Indiana's WorkOne program. She is very excited about possible collaboration with Geminus to provide targeted vocational training and funding support to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. She can be reached at rminton@innovativeworkforce.com. Geminus's role in this process would be as a catalyst and advocate. Such an initiative would directly address one of the organization's stated priorities for 2016-2017: "Develop MOUs with GED and job skill training partners". We also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to provide entrepreneurship training to interested Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Additional assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. High School Completion/GED Geminus should continue its efforts to work with community partners to offer high school completion/GED classes to Head Start and Early Head Start parents and encourage their participation. 3. College Education For those Head Start and Early Head Start parents with a desire to pursue higher education, Geminus should continue to collaborate with regional public and private colleges to encourage enrollment/retention and aggressively search for financial aid.

11 4. ESL Training Given the substantial percentage of Spanish-speaking Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families in Geminus's service area (especially Lake County), continuing efforts to offer ESL (English as Second Language) classes are certainly recommended. Improved facility with English will help families more effectively access healthcare, social services, educational programs, and employment opportunities. Additionally, Geminus can help to focus community attention on the need for bilingual service providers or translators, especially in all healthcare facilities. 5. Medicaid Expansion Given the recently announced expansion of Medicaid in Indiana (estimated to include 350,000 Hoosiers), we recommend that Geminus publicize the news to all HS and EHS families, help families to determine if they are eligible, and assist (directly or indirectly) families in completing the necessary application paperwork. 6. Housing Geminus should continue its support for substantial increases in government funding for public housing and housing choice vouchers. Collaboration with private organizations, like the Northwest Indiana Habitat for Humanity, could provide excellent opportunities for a limited number of HS and EHS families. Geminus could also help initiate a regional effort to upgrade currently available housing units for use by HS and EHS families. For example, according to Realtytrac.com, on February 7, 2015, there were 1,947 foreclosed homes for sale in Lake County and 688 in Porter County. Perhaps Geminus could facilitate the formation of a coalition of local governments, nonprofits, foundations, builders/contractors, and mortgage lenders to begin renovating some of these properties for use by HS and EHS families and seek funding to continue this effort. 7. Transportation In order to meet the transportation challenges facing Head Start and Early Head Start parents, we offer the following recommendations: (1) contact owners of the tax firms in Lake and Porter Counties and request free or reduced-cost tokens for parental transportation, (2) collaborate with WorkOne (Robyn Minton, VP of Operations, rminton@innovativeworkforce.com) to secure vocational training/internships for parents with accompanying transportation support in the form of gas cards or bus passes, and (3) explore local, state, and federal sources for expanded transportation funding for parents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bus passes, taxi vouchers, and/or gas cards. 8. Childcare Vouchers Geminus should continue and intensify its efforts to support increased funding for childcare vouchers. These are essential in supporting HS and EHS parents as they seek employment and educational opportunities. Requirement 5 Conclusions Head Start and Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both Head Start samples (HS and Non HS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the HS group was 7.7/10, while that for the Non HS group was 7.6/10. From the perspective of these Head

12 Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs. (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, none of the item means for either the HS or Non HS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". Thus, the survey results did not identify any significant problem areas or weaknesses. 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.5/10 for the HS group and 7.3/10 for the Non HS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 25 means on the survey for the HS group was 9.2/10 for "Education, K12â&#x20AC;?, and for the non HS group it was 9.1/10, for both "Medical Care" and "Health Insurance (Medicaid)". (3) For both groups, the lowest item means on the entire survey were for "Good Paying Jobs", 5.4/10 for HS parents and 5.6/10 for Non HS parents. 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met for both groups of parents. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for HS parents and 8.5/10 for Non HS parents. 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (HS = 8.4; Non HS = 8.9), suggesting that family needs in this area were being well met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.3/10 (HS) and 7.2/10 (Non HS), indicating general need satisfaction. Early Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Early Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both samples (EHS and Non EHS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the EHS group was 7.6/10, while that for the Non EHS group was 7.4/10. From the perspective of Early Head Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs.

13 (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, only one of the item means for the EHS or Non EHS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". For the Non EHS parents, the mean for "Good Paying Jobs" was 3.7. None of the other item means indicated significant problem areas or weaknesses. 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.2/10 for the EHS group and 7.1/10 for the Non EHS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 10 means for the EHS group was 8.8/10 for "Education, K-12". For the Non EHS parents, the largest mean was 8.2 for "Income Assistance". (3) The lowest item mean on the entire survey for EHS parents was 5.0 for "Job Training". As mentioned above, for Non EHS parents, the lowest mean was 3.7 for "Good Paying Jobs". 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for EHS parents and 8.2/10 for Non EHS parents. 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (EHS = 8.1; Non EHS = 8.6), suggesting that family needs in this area were being met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.2/10 (EHS) and 7.1/10 (Non EHS), indicating general need satisfaction. Agency Administrators The following conclusions can be drawn from the analysis of agency administrator survey responses. 1. Overall The overall average for the 25 items was 6.9/10, with two means slightly below the scale midpoint: 4.6/10 for "Good Paying Jobs" and 4.8/10 for "Legal Services". The overall item mean for the agency administrator sample was lower than those for the Head Start and Early Head Start eligible parent groups:

Overall Mean for 25 Items

Agency Administrators

HS Parents

Non HS Parents

EHS Parents

Non EHS Parents

6.9

7.7

7.6

7.1

14 Number of Item Means Below 5

2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall mean for the 10 items in this category was 6.9/10, almost two points above the midpoint of the 1-10 scale. (2) The highest rated item was "Childcare/Daycare", at 8.0/10. (3) The lowest rated item (as mentioned above) was for "Good Paying Jobs", at 4.6/10. 3. Health (1) The overall average for the six items in this category was 7.4/10, suggesting that these needs are being met. (2) The highest rated item in this category was "Medical Care", with a mean of 8.1/10. (3) The lowest rated item was for "Substance Abuse Prevention Services" - 6.8/10. 4. Nutrition (1) The mean among agency administrators for the one item addressing nutrition was 7.4/10, indicating reasonable satisfaction in this need category. 5. Social Services (1) The overall mean for the eight items in this category was 6.6/10, well above the midpoint. (2) The largest item mean in this category was for "Nearby Churches" at 8.4/10. (3) The lowest rated item in this category was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Legal Servicesâ&#x20AC;? - 4.8/10. Combined Groups Analyses of all five respondent groups combined were conducted to draw general conclusions. The overall averages for survey items are provided below. 1. Education/Training/Jobs Averages for the five combined groups on the 10 items related to education/training/jobs were: Need Childcare/Daycare Preschool Programs Education, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade High School/GED Completion Classes

Mean 7.5 8.2 8.5 8.2

15 English as Second Language (ESL) Classes Parenting Classes/Assistance Job Training Job Search and Placement Services Good Paying Jobs Income Assistance (welfare, social security, unemployment)

7.1 7.3 6.3 6.2 5.0 7.6

The category average was 7.2. 2. Health Average responses for the six health-related items were: Need Medical Care Dental Care Mental Health Services Substance Abuse Prevention Services Prenatal Care for Pregnant Women Health Insurance (Medicaid)

Mean 8.6 8.3 8.0 7.7 8.3 8.5

The category average was 8.2. 3. Nutrition The average for the five groups on the single nutrition-related item was 8.3. 4. Social Services Averages for the eight social services items were: Need Transportation Marriage and Family Planning Services Clothing Assistance Affordable Housing Legal Services Domestic Violence Services Nearby Churches Neighborhood Recreational Opportunities (parks, playgrounds)

Mean 6.4 7.0 7.4 6.3 6.0 7.3 8.4 7.8

16 Medical Care – 8.6 Health Insurance (Medicaid) – 8.5 Education, K-12 – 8.5 (3) The three lowest rated need categories were: Good Paying Jobs – 5.0 Legal Services – 6.0 Job Search and Placement Services – 6.2 Recommendations 1. Good Paying Jobs/Job Training/Job Search The lowest rated survey item for all responding groups was "Good Paying Jobs", with similarly low ratings for "Job Training" and "Job Search". We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing these issues and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council announced their top overall priorities for 2015 (December 9, 2014, p. R2). Their first priority was for a 21st-Century Workforce, calling for the active involvement of business "in the education system, including curriculum development, to help students prepare for available job opportunities". We recommend that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. As mentioned earlier, we also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to promote entrepreneurship among Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. Legal Services The low satisfaction rating for Legal Services could be a function of availability and/or awareness. To expand the availability of legal services for Head Start and Early Head Start families, we recommend expanding the pool of "pro bono" providers by contacting/recontacting: (1) the Lake County and Porter County Bar Associations to request assistance or recommendations, (2) city and county judges in Lake and Porter Counties to request advice and recommendations, (3) administrators at the Valparaiso University School of Law to request advice and assistance, and (4) individual attorneys and law firms in Lake and Porter Counties to request "pro bono" assistance for parents. Given the national prominence of early childhood education and the strong reputation of Head Start, there may be an excellent opportunity to expand the number of attorneys/law firms willing to provide pro bono legal services to your families.

17 After an expanded list of legal service providers is assembled, it could be copied and distributed through teachers to insure that parents are aware of what is available to them. Short workshops on common legal challenges could also be sponsored to raise awareness. Requirement 6 Conclusions 1. Both Lake and Porter Counties have well-developed networks of public and private resources/programs to address the needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families. The survey data from Head Start and Early Head Start parents (discussed above in Requirement 5) confirmed that respondents felt that their needs were being effectively met by community resources/programs, with the one exception of good paying jobs. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for Head Start/Early Head Start children and families through the provision of direct educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services. 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess organization services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately. Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Organization Support Actively support organizations providing services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels.

18 Introduction Purpose and Assessment Framework The purpose of this report is to summarize the results of a rigorous Community Needs Assessment conducted for Geminus Head Start (hereafter, Geminus HS). The assessment framework utilized is based upon federal requirements published by the Office of Human Development Services, Health and Human Services. There are six specific assessment components. They include: Requirement 1 - The demographic make-up of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and families, including their estimated number, geographic location, and racial and ethnic composition. Requirement 2 - Other child development and childcare programs that are serving Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children, including publicly funded State and local preschool programs, and the approximate number of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children served by each. Requirement 3 - The estimated number of children with disabilities four years old or younger, including types of disabilities and relevant services and resources provided to these children by community agencies. Requirement 4 - Data regarding the education, health, nutrition, and social service needs of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and their families. Requirement 5 - The education, health, nutrition, and social service needs of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and their families as defined by families of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and by institutions in the community that serve young children. Requirement 6 - Resources in the community that could be used to address the needs of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and their families, including assessments of their availability and accessibility. For each of the requirements, the best, most accurate, and up-to-date data sources have been identified and utilized in conducting the community assessment. Unfortunately, many governmental agencies have a long "lag-time" between the end of a month, quarter, or year and the publication of information relevant to that period. We have made every effort to obtain the most current information available when we conducted this study. In those instances when pre-existing information was not available, primary data were collected via written surveys. An important goal of this report is not to overwhelm the reader with statistical information, but rather to use data to identify and understand community needs. References and links are provided in the text for sources of comprehensive demographic information. In the remainder of this introductory section, an overview of Geminus HS will be presented, along with a general description of Lake and Porter Counties.

19 Overview of Geminus Head Start Geminus is the Lake and Porter County federal grantee for Head Start and Early Head Start. The organization serves 1,504 low-income children and families through two delegates (affiliated agencies) and both center-based and home-based options. According to figures provided by Geminus, the Head Start program has 1,308 children enrolled in centers throughout Lake and Porter Counties (see Figure 1 below) and 60 enrolled in the home-based option. The Early Head Start program has 24 children receiving center-based services, 100 children receiving home-based services, and 12 women receiving prenatal services. A summary of site information for Geminus HS is provided in Figure I-1.

Figure I-1 GEMINUS HEAD START – EARLY HEAD START

8400 Louisiana St., Merrillville, Indiana 46410 TOLL FREE: 1-888-893-6891 CLUSTER I Izzy Tamayo: 757-1830

DELEGATES

School City of Hammond 7510-Director

Lake Ridge Schools 7560- Director Child Care Partner Merrillville

# Rooms

CB Enroll

HS: 54

Miller Elementary

7511

6530 New Hampshire Ave.

Irving Elementary

7512

4727 Pine Ave.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3563)

HS: 34

Hess Elementary

7513

3640 Orchard Dr.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3560)

HS: 34

7514

856 Sibley St.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3562)

HS: 34

7515

1101-165 St.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3561)

HS: 34

7516

7025 Madison Ave.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3566)

HS: 34

7517

1317-173 St.

219-989-7345 (Ext. 3565)

HS: 34

Lake Ridge Schools

7560

6111 W. Ridge Rd. Gary

P:989-7823

HS: 122

Tradewinds

7509

3198 E. 83 Place Merrillville

945-0100

HS: 4 EHS: 4

Ready Elementary

7567

1345 N. Broad St. Griffith, IN 46319

P:513-8333

HS: 34

Banneker Center

7552

301 Parke St. Gary, IN 46403

P:239-2370

F:239-2392

HS: 34

Evans Elementary #1100265

7578

2915 E. 35 Ave. Lake Station , IN 46405

P:963-6583

F:963-6626

HS: 54

7576

5901 Waite St. Merrillville, IN 46410

P:888-9375

F:286-3070

7576

6100 E. 73 Ave Merrillville, IN 46410

P:650-5305

F:650-5451

HS: 6

13209 Schneider St. Cedar Lake, IN 46303

P:390-7422

F:374-5531

HS: 34

Lafayette Elementary Maywood Elementary Edison Elementary O’Bannon Elementary

P:989-7345

F:989-8388

F:923-8744

HB Enroll

LEA PARTNERS Griffith Schools EDS – Vicki Dillon Gary Community School Corp EDS – Vicki Dillon River Forest School Corp EDS – Kate DeRolf Merrillville School Corp

Edgar Miller

EDS – Deborah Sura

John Woods

Hanover Schools EDS – Kate DeRolf

Holy Name #1100062

7577

HS: 122 HS/HB: 12

21 Porter Township Schools EDS – Marquita Cox

South Haven #125856

7574

310 W. U.S. Hwy 6 Valparaiso, IN 46385

P:763-2666

F:763-9101

CLUSTER II Velma Knighton: 757-1891

Hobart Head Start #125807 EDS – Marquitta Welch Roxanna #126162 EDS – Dietrich Evans

St. Mark’s #125857

HB Enroll

F: 947-7946

HS: 68

7532

900 Shell St.

East Chicago, IN 46312

P:397-2986

F:397-6936

HS: 136

7573

2453 Putman St.

Lake Station, IN 46405

P:962-5743

F:962-2504

HS: 68

7557

3880 Jackson St.

Gary, IN 46408

P:985-6275

F:985-6717

4 1 Social

HS: 136

HS/HB: 24 EHS/HB: 24

7571

352 W. Chicago St.

Valparaiso, IN 46383

P:286-3070

F:299-2116

4 1 Social

HS: 88 EHS: 8

HS/HB: 12 EHS/HB: 36

7572

7783 E. Ridge Rd.

Hobart, IN 46342

P:795-8661

F:945-3139

HS: 68

HS/HB: 12 EHS/HB: 12

7592

2520 W. Old Ridge Rd.

Hobart, IN 46342

P:940-9781

F:940-9561

EHS: 16

7509

3809 Drumm ond St.

East Chicago, IN 46312

P:398-5703

HS: 8

EDS – Stefanie Adkins Child Care: Lisa’s Safe Haven

CB Enroll

P:947-7060

Ridgewood

Early Head Start Center #1100194

#Rooms

Hobart, IN 46342

St. Paul

EDS – Elizabeth Massey

HS/HB: 12 EHS/HB: 12

1209 E. th 57 St.

EDS – Shirley Scott

EDS – Janice Witkowski

HS: 68

7575

St. Francis EDS – Stefanie Adkins

22 General Description of Lake and Porter Counties Descriptive information about the important features of Lake and Porter Counties will be presented and discussed, beginning with county profiles developed and maintained by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University. These will be followed by a more detailed consideration of four significant aspects of the 2-county area, including: the Northwest Indiana Coincident Index, unemployment/labor force participation, the skills gap, and continuing poverty and the need for public services. County Profiles IN Depth County Profiles are provided for Lake and Porter Counties in Figures I-2 and I-3, respectively. This statistical summary information is provided as a service of the Indiana Business Research Center and consists of the following major categories: (1) Population, (2) Household Types, (3) Housing, (4) Education, (5) Income and Poverty, (6) Health and Vital Statistics, (7) Labor Force, (8) Employment and Earnings By Industry, (9) Residential Building, and (10) Largest Cities and Towns. The profiles were retrieved on February 1, 2015.

23 Figure I-2 IN Depth County Profile for Lake County

Choose one of the following geographies and click go to view its profile: County: Region: Create a profile for a custom region

Lake County, Indiana Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837 County Seat: Crown Point Largest City: Hammond (2013 population: 78,967) Population per Square Mile: 984.88 Square Miles: 499.00 Go to county's in.gov site Population over Time

Number Yesterday (2010) 496,005 Today (2013) 491,456 Tomorrow (2020 projection)* 507,724 Percent Change 2010 to Today -0.9%

Rank in Percent of State State 2 7.6% 2 7.5% 2 7.4% 60

Indiana 6,483,797 6,570,713 6,852,121 1.3%

*Projection based on 2010 Census counts. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Components of Population Change, 20122013 Net Domestic Migration Net International Migration Natural Increase (births minus deaths) Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Number -3,066 226 1,375

Rank in State 92 9 5

Percent of State

5.4%

Indiana -1,515 10,400 25,233

Population Estimates by Age, 2013 Preschool (0 to 4) School Age (5 to 17) College Age (18 to 24) Young Adult (25 to 44) Older Adult (45 to 64) Seniors (65 and older) Median Age

Number 31,408 90,258 44,479 122,289 133,328 69,694 38.1

Rank in State 2 2 2 2 2 2

Pct Dist. in County 6.4% 18.4% 9.1% 24.9% 27.1% 14.2%

Pct Dist. in State 6.4% 17.7% 10.1% 25.4% 26.4% 13.9% Median Age = 37.4

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2013 American Indian or Alaska Native Alone Asian Alone Black Alone Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone White Two or More Race Groups Hispanic or Latino Origin (can be of any race) Non-Hispanic Hispanic

Number 2,523 7,179 125,384 286 347,589 8,495

Rank of 2 6 2 3 2 3

404,214 87,242

2 2

Pct Dist. in Pct Dist. County in State 0.5% 0.4% 1.5% 1.9% 25.5% 9.5% 0.1% 0.1% 70.7% 86.3% 1.7% 1.8% 82.2% 17.8%

93.6% 6.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Household Types Households in 2013 (Includes detail not shown below) Married With Children Married Without Children Single Parents Living Alone

Number 182,080

Pct Dist. Rank in in Pct Dist. State County in State 2 100.0% 100.0%

32,423 50,003 20,964 52,169

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

3 2 2 2

17.8% 27.5% 11.5% 28.7%

19.8% 30.1% 9.8% 27.7%

Housing Total Housing Units in 2013 (estimate) Total Housing Units in 2013 (includes vacant units) Owner Occupied

Number 209,357 209,005 126,738

Rank in State 2 2 2

Pct Dist. in County 100.0% 100.0% 60.6%

Pct Dist. in State 100.0% 100.0% 62.0%

$136,600 55,342

17 2

26.5%

26.6%

$646

(Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

Median Value (2013) Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

Median Rent (2013)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Education School Enrollment (2012/2013 Total Reported) Public Adults (25+ in 2013 ACS) with High School diploma or higher with B.A. or higher degree

Number 92,272

Rank in State 2

Percent of State 8.3%

85,268 325,401 87% 19.8%

2 2 36 22

8.2% 7.6%

Indiana 1,115,499 1,039,411 4,258,878 87.2% 23.2%

Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Income and Poverty

Number Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2013 $37,797 Median Household Income in 2013 48,341 Poverty Rate in 2013 17.8% Poverty Rate among Children under 18 27.7% Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 1,374 2013 Food Stamp Recipients in 2013 92,595 Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2013 47,910

Rank in State 34 38 16 13 2

Percent of State 97.9% 101.8% 112.7% 126.5% 11.7%

Indiana 38,622 $47,508 15.8% 21.9% 11,711

2 2

10.0% 9.4%

922,273 509,427

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education

Health and Vital Statistics Number Rank of Births, 2012 5,991 2 Births to Teens, 2012 583 2 Deaths, 2012 4,582 2

Percent of State 7.2% 7.8% 7.7%

Indiana 83,250 7,431 59,168

Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force, 2013

Number Total Resident Labor Force 221,661 Employed 201,229 Unemployed 20,432 Annual Unemployment Rate 9.2 December 2014 Unemployment Rate 8.2

Rank in State 2 2 2 9 1

Percent of State Indiana 7.0% 3,179,935 6.8% 2,940,897 8.5% 239,038 122.7% 7.5 141.4% 5.8

Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2013 Total by place of work Wage and Salary Farm Proprietors Nonfarm Proprietors Farm Nonfarm Private Accommodation, Food Serv. Arts, Ent., Recreation Construction Health Care, Social Serv. Information Manufacturing Professional, Tech. Serv. Retail Trade Trans., Warehousing Wholesale Trade Other Private (not above) Government

Pct Dist. Pct Dist. in Earnings In Avg. Earnings Employment County ($000) County Per Job 244,926 100.0% $12,599,030 100.0% $51,440 202,329 82.6% $9,294,440 73.8% $45,937 341 0.1% $19,827 0.2% $58,144 42,256 17.3% $1,089,541 8.6% $25,784 539 0.2% $25,792 0.2% $47,852 244,387 99.8% $12,573,238 99.8% $51,448 216,198 88.3% $11,148,212 88.5% $51,565 18,601 7.6% $342,313 2.7% $18,403 8,015 3.3% $257,000 2.0% $32,065 16,850 6.9% $1,431,509 11.4% $84,956 35,631 14.5% $1,924,050 15.3% $53,999 1,993 0.8% $93,601 0.7% $46,965 25,167 10.3% $2,722,581 21.6% $108,181 9,692 4.0% $474,373 3.8% $48,945 28,513 11.6% $933,913 7.4% $32,754 9,959 4.1% $541,035 4.3% $54,326 Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. 53,202* 21.7%* $1,687,165* 13.4%* $31,712* 28,189 11.5% $1,425,026 11.3% $50,553

27 Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis * These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.

Residential Building Permits, Pct Dist. Pct Dist. 2013 Units in County in State Total Permits Filed 985 100.0% 100.0% Single-Family 786 79.8% 67.3% 2-Family 14 1.4% 2.2% 3- and 4-Family 33 3.4% 0.9% 5+ Family 152 15.4% 29.6%

Cost ($000) $213,174 $191,448 1,739 $3,715 $16,272

State Cost ($000) $3,065,788 $2,631,508 $38,302 $13,598 $382,380

Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Largest Cities and Towns in Lake County Population in 2013 Percent of County Cedar Lake 11,706 2.4% Crown Point 28,412 5.8% Dyer 16,277 3.3% East Chicago 29,212 5.9% Gary 78,450 16.0% Griffith 16,619 3.4% Hammond 78,967 16.1% Highland 23,285 4.7% Hobart 28,519 5.8% Lake Station 12,247 2.5% Lowell 9,381 1.9% Merrillville 35,622 7.2% Munster 23,270 4.7% New Chicago 1,999 0.4% St. John 15,677 3.2% Schererville 29,010 5.9% Schneider 273 0.1% Whiting 4,891 1.0% Winfield 5,073 1.0% Name

28 Figure I-3 IN Depth County Profile for Porter County

Choose one of the following geographies and click go to view its profile: County: Region: Create a profile for a custom region

Porter County, Indiana Named in 1836 for War of 1812 Commodore David Porter County Seat: Valparaiso Largest City: Portage (2013 population: 36,812) Population per Square Mile: 398.27 Square Miles: 418.20 Go to county's in.gov site Population over Time

Number Yesterday (2010) 164,343 Today (2013) 166,557 Tomorrow (2020 projection)* 179,751 Percent Change 2010 to Today 1.3%

Rank in State 9 9 10 19

Percent of State Indiana 2.5% 6,483,797 2.5% 6,570,713 2.6% 6,852,121 1.3%

*Projection based on 2010 Census counts. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Components of Population Change, 20122013 Net Domestic Migration Net International Migration Natural Increase (births minus deaths) Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Number 415 120 287

Rank in State 8 15 18

Percent of State

1.1%

Indiana -1,515 10,400 25,233

Population Estimates by Age, 2013 Preschool (0 to 4) School Age (5 to 17) College Age (18 to 24) Young Adult (25 to 44) Older Adult (45 to 64) Seniors (65 and older) Median Age

Number 9,166 29,325 15,511 42,358 47,155 23,042 39.2

Rank in State 11 8 12 9 8 8

Pct Dist. in County 5.5% 17.6% 9.3% 25.4% 28.3% 13.8%

Pct Dist. in State 6.4% 17.7% 10.1% 25.4% 26.4% 13.9% Median Age = 37.4

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Number 602 2,297 6,014 49 155,073 2,522

Rank of 8 12 15 21 9 10

Pct Dist. in County 0.4% 1.4% 3.6% 0.0% 93.1% 1.5%

151,265 15,292

9 6

90.8% 9.2%

Pct Dist. in State 0.4% 1.9% 9.5% 0.1% 86.3% 1.8% 93.6% 6.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Household Types Households in 2013 (Includes detail not shown below) Married With Children Married Without Children Single Parents Living Alone

Number 61,502

Pct Dist. Rank in in Pct Dist. State County in State 9 100.0% 100.0%

13,866 20,076 5,113 15,089

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

8 7 9 11

22.5% 32.6% 8.3% 24.5%

19.8% 30.1% 9.8% 27.7%

Housing Total Housing Units in 2013 (estimate) Total Housing Units in 2013 (includes vacant units) Owner Occupied

Number 66,534 66,306 47,630

Rank in State 9 9 7

Pct Dist. in County 100.0% 100.0% 71.8%

Pct Dist. in State 100.0% 100.0% 62.0%

$165,700 13,872

3 14

20.9%

26.6%

$722

(Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

Median Value (2013) Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)

Median Rent (2013)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Education School Enrollment (2012/2013 Total Reported) Public Adults (25+ in 2013 ACS) with High School diploma or higher with B.A. or higher degree

Number 29,263

Rank in State 7

Percent of State 2.6%

28,090 110,462 91.4% 25.4%

7 8 8 13

2.7% 2.6%

Indiana 1,115,499 1,039,411 4,258,878 87.2% 23.2%

Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Income and Poverty

Number Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2013 $48,002 Median Household Income in 2013 64,530 Poverty Rate in 2013 11.7% Poverty Rate among Children under 18 15.0% Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 141 2013 Food Stamp Recipients in 2013 14,414 Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2013 9,826

Rank in State 4 5 72 80 16

Percent of State 124.3% 135.8% 74.1% 68.5% 1.2%

Indiana 38,622 $47,508 15.8% 21.9% 11,711

13 9

1.6% 1.9%

922,273 509,427

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education

Health and Vital Rank Statistics Number of Births, 2012 1,779 10 Births to Teens, 2012 132 13 Deaths, 2012 1,308 9

Percent of State 2.1% 1.8% 2.2%

Indiana 83,250 7,431 59,168

Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force, 2013

Number Total Resident Labor Force 83,291 Employed 77,126 Unemployed 6,165 Annual Unemployment Rate 7.4 December 2014 Unemployment Rate 6.6

Rank in State 9 9 8 47 17

Percent of State 2.6% 2.6% 2.6% 98.7% 113.8%

Indiana 3,179,935 2,940,897 239,038 7.5 5.8

Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Pct Dist. in Employment County 76,915 100.0% 62,781 81.6% 428 0.6% 13,706 17.8% 496 0.6% 76,419 99.4% 69,025 89.7% 6,633 8.6% 1,222 1.6% 5,099 6.6% 8,728 11.3% 726 0.9% 9,879 12.8% 3,525 4.6% 8,902 11.6% 2,524 3.3% 2,629 3.4% 19,022* 24.7%* 7,394 9.6%

Pct Dist. Earnings In ($000) County $3,711,974 100.0% $2,615,203 70.5% $29,157 0.8% $463,127 12.5% $32,140 0.9% $3,679,834 99.1% $3,316,690 89.4% $118,559 3.2% $13,402 0.4% $390,953 10.5% $449,496 12.1% $34,914 0.9% $982,040 26.5% $157,661 4.2% $233,547 6.3% $158,272 4.3% $172,028 4.6% $603,429* 16.3%* $363,144 9.8%

Avg. Earnings Per Job $48,261 $41,656 $68,124 $33,790 $64,798 $48,153 $48,051 $17,874 $10,967 $76,672 $51,500 $48,091 $99,407 $44,727 $26,235 $62,707 $65,435 $31,723* $49,113

32 Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis * These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.

Residential Building Permits, 2013 Total Permits Filed Single-Family 2-Family 3- and 4-Family 5+ Family

Units 469 406 10 0 53

Pct Dist. in County 100.0% 86.6% 2.1% 0.0% 11.3%

Pct Dist. in State 100.0% 67.3% 2.2% 0.9% 29.6%

Cost ($000) State Cost ($000) $121,185 $3,065,788 $117,502 $2,631,508 1,083 $38,302 $0 $13,598 $2,600 $382,380

Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Largest Cities and Towns in Porter County Population in 2013 Percent of County Beverly Shores 619 0.4% Burns Harbor 1,411 0.8% Chesterton 13,315 8.0% Dune Acres 185 0.1% Hebron 3,731 2.2% Kouts 1,935 1.2% Ogden Dunes 1,110 0.7% Portage 36,812 22.1% Porter 4,892 2.9% Town of Pines 708 0.4% Valparaiso 32,261 19.4% Name

33 Northwest Indiana Coincident Index In July of 2012, two IU Northwest professors, Dr. Arshanapalli and Dr. Coffin, formulated and introduced the Northwest Indiana Coincident Index to track and forecast the local economy. Currently, the index is maintained and published monthly by IUN's Dr. Pollak. The index is composed of four components: (1) steel production, (2) average manufacturing hours worked, (3) retail and restaurant sales, and (4) Gary Metro Area employment. The index was historically calculated back to 1992, which was assigned a value of 100. By the end of the third quarter of 2014, the index value had risen to 139.2. From September 2013 to September 2014, the index rose from 136.9 to 139.2. In December 2014, Dr. Pollak issued an economic forecast for 2015. We were also able to interview him about 2014 and the future of the economy in Northwest Indiana in 2015. Major conclusions included: (1) the economy in Northwest Indiana grew from September 2013 to September 2014 by 1.7%, more slowly than the economy in Indiana (4.6%) or the nation as a whole (3.2%), (2) the regional economy continues to be led by steel manufacturing and related businesses, casinos, retailers, construction, and food service, (3) Northwest Indiana continues to lose high-paying manufacturing jobs (i.e., the January announcement by U.S. Steel that 369 jobs will be lost by the "temporary" closing of the East Chicago Tin Mill), while replacing them with lower-paying jobs in leisure/hospitality, retailing, and government, (4) the regional economy is forecast to grow by 2.2%, with a 0.7% increase in jobs of 2,000 (primarily in lower-paying fields), and (5) the projected economic expansion in 2015 will still leave the region 11,000 jobs (4%) below the pre-recession employment high in 2007. Unemployment/Labor Force Participation The unemployment figures for both Lake and Porter Counties have improved tremendously since the Great Recession. December 2014 unemployment rates for the two counties were, respectively 8.2 % and 6.6% (Indiana Business Research Center), compared to the Indiana figure of 5.8% and the national rate of 5.4% (US Department of Labor). While these lower numbers clearly document considerably improved job availability in both counties, they mask the problem of declining labor force participation/discouraged job seekers. According to the Wall Street Journal (April 4, 2014), the percentage of working-age Americans who are in the civilian labor force in March 2014 was 63.2%, a 35-year low. Unfortunately, this percentage has only marginally improved since March, and the Wall Street Journal (December 26, 2014) reported that the number of adult Americans neither employed nor looking for work had grown from November 2013 to November 2014 by 1.1 million. A major contributing factor to the continuing low labor force participation figures relates to individuals who become so discouraged in their job search that they drop out of the labor force.

34 Unemployment rate calculations only include those individuals who are actively seeking work. Thus, a substantial increase in discouraged job seekers who drop out of the labor force results in a decrease in the unemployment rate, unrelated to the number of people with jobs. Estimated labor force participation rates for Lake and Porter Counties in December 2014 were 63.1% and 70.3%, respectively. In other words, in Lake County, 36.9% of working-age residents are not employed or actively looking for work, while the figure for Porter County is 29.7%. Low-skilled individuals are more likely to become discouraged due to: (1) a lack of qualifications for high-paying jobs, (2) very low-paying jobs that do not adequately cover the high costs of transportation to work and child care, and/or (3) receiving government benefits, which are reduced if earnings rise above designated levels. One or more of these issues are problematic for individuals/families living in poverty. Even for people fortunate enough to find jobs, the economic situation has worsened dramatically since 2002. According to Time (December, 2014), paychecks for two-thirds of working Americans have declined by 15-35% from 2002 to the present. Wages have simply not kept up with inflation, forcing families to pay rising bills with smaller incomes. The negative impact is especially devastating to low-wage earners in families living in poverty or near poverty. Skills Gap Much has been written in recent years about the “skills gap” in the United States. This term refers to the differences between the specific skills employers are seeking for open positions and the work skills that currently available job seekers possess. According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report (11 Feb 14), on 31 Dec 13 there were 4 million job openings nationally, most of which were unfilled due to the “skills gap.” A 2014 national survey of employers, conducted by Career Builders, entitled "The Shocking Truth About the Skills Gap", found that: (1) 8/10 companies experienced difficulty in filling vacancies and (2) 50% reported that they cannot find qualified candidates. Writing in the Harvard Business Review (August 2014), Bessen concluded in his article, "Employers Aren't Just Whining – the 'Skills Gap' is Real", that many of today's job applicants simply do not have the new tech-related capabilities required for successful performance. As one might suspect, the widespread “skills gap” is a major precipitating cause of discouragement among job seekers and thus significantly contributes to declining labor force participation rates. Several successful programs around the country have begun to effectively address the “skills gap” by providing unemployed individuals with specific training on the job skills needed by area employers and apprenticeship opportunities. Examples include: (1) an 80-hour training program in Ohio that teaches the skills necessary to be drill/pump operators on oil extraction rigs, with starting salaries of $60,000 per year, (2) a Minnesota program that has trained 2,000 job seekers to become nursing assistants, with starting pay of $11.11/hour and clear opportunities for continuing training to become a licensed practical nurse, (3) the state of Wisconsin, with over 8,000 apprentices currently training for jobs in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, robotics, welding, and truck driving, and (4) the state of South Carolina, with very successful apprenticeship programs in computer applications and nursing.

35 Continuing Poverty and the Need for Public Services Although the U.S. economy has improved significantly since the Great Recession, childhood poverty has not declined. The Wall Street Journal (September 27-28, 2014) noted that the national percentage of children living in poverty (20%) continues to rise and not fall. Comparing poverty rates for children under 18 (using the County Profiles presented earlier) in Lake and Porter Counties for 2010 and 2013, one finds: Lake Porter

2010 26.0% 13.5%

2013 27.7% 15.0%

Change +6.5% +11.1%

The childhood poverty rates went up in both counties, in spite of improving economic conditions. Correspondingly, the need for public services also increased. Thus, although we have experienced an improving economy in Northwest Indiana, the challenges of crushing childhood poverty have persisted and even increased. Township Profiles A companion document to this report contains demographic profiles for the 11 townships in Lake County and 12 townships in Porter County, alphabetized within counties. The profiles contain information in the following 32 categories: 1. Ages, including children 0-5 2. Assistance, public (income) – number of recipients, number of households, and dollar value of benefits 3. Assistance, food – number of recipients, number of households, and dollar value of benefits 4. Assistance, housing – number of recipients, number of households, and dollar value of assistance 5. Assistance, health care – number of recipients, number of households, and dollar value of assistance 6. Child care providers (licensed, unlicensed) 7. Education degrees (local 1-2 year), i.e. Certified Nursing Assistant, culinary, early childhood education 8. Educational enrollments and attainment (preschool, K-12, high school grad., college, etc.) 9. Employment and labor force status 10. Geographic mobility 11. Head Start and Early Head Start Children 12. Teen Pregnancies 13. Overall Pregnancies 14. Repeat Births to Teen Moms 15. Prenatal and Program Services for Pregnant Women (including Teens) 16. High School Dropout Rates 17. Free/Reduced Lunches 18. Head Start eligible children – homeless families 19. Head Start eligible children – foster children 20. Head Start eligible children – SSI recipients (children with disabilities) 21. Head Start eligible children – TANF 22. Household and family characteristics 23. Housing characteristics

36 24. Income and poverty status 25. Industries and occupations (broad classifications) 26. Language spoken at home (English, Spanish) 27. Medical providers accepting Medicaid 28. Population (including trend towards growth or decline) 29. Race, ethnic, foreign born characteristics 30. Schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elementary and secondary 31. Transportation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; commute to work 32. WIC offices and food bank sites

37 Assessment The six federally required elements in a Head Start/Early Head Start Community Needs Assessment will be discussed in this section. For each requirement, the following information will be provided: (1) assessment methodology, (2) results, (3) conclusions, and (4) recommendations Requirement 1 - Demographic Make-Up of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Families Assessment Methodology Statistical procedures developed by the Data Center at Indiana University Northwest were used with current economic and demographic data for the two counties to generate estimates of: (1) the number of Head Start eligible children and families, their geographic location, and their racial/ethnic composition, (2) the number of Early Head Start eligible children and families, their geographic location, and their racial/ethnic composition, and (3) the number of Early Head Start eligible pregnant women, their geographic location, and their racial/ethnic composition. Using information available from the American Community Survey (2013), townships in Lake and Porter Counties, the State of Indiana Family and Social Service Administration, and the Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC) at Indiana University, we were able to formulate estimates reflecting conditions in 2015. Results Head Start The total estimated number of 3 and 4 year olds living in poverty in Lake County is 3,565, and for Porter County is 581. The combined total for both counties is 4,146. Within the state of Indiana, the most current and accurate estimate of persons living in poverty can be calculated at the township level. A map of the townships, major cities/towns, and Head Start/Early Head Start locations in Lake and Porter Counties is contained in Figure A-1.

38 Figure A-1 Townships, Major Cities/Towns, and 2014 Head Start and Early Head Start Locations in Lake and Porter Counties

39 Using this analytical framework, the 3,565 HS-eligible children in Lake County are distributed across the 11 county townships in the following manner. Lake County Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Total

Estimated Number of HS-Eligible Children 1,041 66 12 4 17 315 1,994 29 75 8 4 3,565

The distribution of the 581 HS-eligible children across the 12 townships in Porter County is provided below. Porter County Townships Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester Total

Estimated Number of HS-Eligible Children 54 96 4 33 4 0 29 191 116 17 4 33 581

The most current and reliable statistics on the racial and ethnic composition of children living in poverty are available at the county level, using information from the 2013 American Community Survey, and the National Center for Children in Poverty. Data are provided below for Lake and Porter Counties, indicating the estimated percentage racial composition of Head Start eligible 3- and 4-year olds. Race Black White Other

Lake County 42.9% 40.0% 17.1%

Porter County 9.0% 73.2% 17.8%

Ethnicity estimates in two categories are given below.

Ethnicity Hispanic Other Than Hispanic

Lake County 28.1%

Porter County 25.7%

71.9%

74.3%

Early Head Start â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Children The total estimated number of children, ages 0-2, living in poverty in Lake County is 5,349, and for Porter County is 871. The combined total for both counties is 6,220. It should be noted that these figures do not take into account undocumented children and thus are likely to be under-estimates. As noted above, within the state of Indiana, the most current and accurate estimates of persons living in poverty can be calculated at the township level. Using this approach, the 5,349 EHS-eligible children in Lake County are distributed across the 11 county townships in the following manner. Lake County Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Total

Estimated Number of EHS-Eligible Children 1,561 100 19 6 25 473 2,992 43 112 12 6 5,349

The distribution of the 871 EHS-eligible children across the 12 townships in Porter County is provided below. Porter County Estimated Number of Townships EHS-Eligible Children Boone 81 Center 143 Jackson 6 Liberty 50 Morgan 6 Pine 0 Pleasant 44 Portage 286 Porter 174 Union 25 Washington 6 Winchester 50 Total 871

41 Estimates of the percentage racial composition of EHS-eligible children in Lake and Porter Counties is presented below. Race Black White Other

Lake County 43.4% 40.1% 16.5%

Porter County 9.3% 73.6% 17.1%

Ethnicity estimates for two categories are given below. Ethnicity Hispanic Other Than Hispanic

Lake County 31.2%

Porter County 27.6%

68.8%

72.4%

Early Head Start â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pregnant Women The total estimated number of pregnant women living in poverty in Lake County is 2,111, and for Porter County is 344. The combined total for both counties is 2,455. It should be noted that these figures do not take into account undocumented women and thus are likely to be under-estimates. As previously noted, within the state of Indiana, the most current and accurate estimates of persons living in poverty can be calculated at the township level. Using this approach, the 2,307 EHSeligible pregnant women in Lake County are distributed across the 11 county townships in the following manner. Lake County Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Total

Estimated Number of EHSEligible Pregnant Women 616 39 8 3 10 186 1,181 17 44 5 2 2,111

The distribution of the 344 EHS-eligible pregnant women across the 12 townships in Porter County is provided below.

Porter County Townships Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester Total

Estimated Number of EHSEligible Pregnant Women 32 57 2 20 2 0 17 113 69 10 20 2 344

Percentage racial composition estimates for the EHS-eligible pregnant women living in Lake and Porter Counties is offered below. Race Black White Other

Lake County 43.6% 40.3% 16.1%

Porter County 9.5% 73.8% 16.7%

Ethnicity estimates, in terms of two categories are provided below. Ethnicity Hispanic Other Than Hispanic

Lake County 31.4%

Porter County 28.1%

68.6%

71.9%

Conclusions 1. The total estimated number of HS-eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Lake County is 3,565, and in Porter County is 581, for a combined total of 4,146. 2. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible children, ages birth to 2, in Lake County is 5,349, and in Porter County is 871, for an overall total of 6,220. 3. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible pregnant women in Lake County is 2,111, and in Porter County is 344, for a grand total of 2,455 in the two counties. 4. Within Lake County, the highest concentrations of HS-eligible children and EHS-eligible children/pregnant women are in the following three townships: North, Calumet, and Hobart. 5. Within Porter County, the representation of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible participants is highest in the following three townships: Portage, Porter, and Center.

6. The racial and ethnic composition of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible persons is more diverse in Lake County as compared to Porter County. Recommendations 1. Poverty-Proportional Reallocation of Center-Based HS Slots The data collected in this study can be utilized to assist Geminus policy makers in reallocating center-based HS funded slots to the 23 townships contained in the 2-county service delivery area. Table A-1 below provides a summary of the relevant information for Head Start eligible children. For each of the 23 townships in Lake and Porter Counties, the following data are displayed: (1) the estimated number of 3- and 4-year-olds living in poverty and the relative percentage of the total number of 4,146 for the two counties as a whole, (2) the current number of center-based funded students and the relative percentage of the total of 1,308, (3) the projected poverty-proportional (relative percentage of all HS-eligible children living in a given township) number of center-based funded students from Geminusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total of 1,308, and (4) the number of projected, poverty-proportional students, minus the number of current students.

44 Table A-1 Current Allocation and Poverty-Proportional Allocation of Geminusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1,308 Center-Based HS Slots for the 23 Townships in Lake and Porter Counties1

County Lake

Porter

Total 1

Township Calumet Cedar Creek Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of HS-Elig. Children and Pct. of Total

Current No. of HS Funded Students and Pct. of Total

1,041 (25.1%) 66 (1.6%) 12 (0.3%) 4 (0.1%) 17 (0.4%) 315 (7.6%) 1,994 (48.1%) 29 (0.7%) 75 (1.8%) 8 (0.2%) 4 (0.1%) 54 (1.3%) 96 (2.3%) 4 (0.1%) 33 (0.8%) 4 (0.1%) 0 (0.0%) 29 (0.7%) 191 (4.6%) 116 (2.8%) 17 (0.4%) 4 (0.1%) 33 (0.8%) 4,146

326 (25.0%) 0 0 0 34 (2.6%) 258 (19.7%) 402 (30.7%) 132 (10.1%) 0 0 0 0 88 (6.7%) 0 0 0 0 0 68 (5.2%) 0 0 0 0 1,308

Projected PovertyProportional No. of 1,308 HS Funded Students 328 21 4 1 5 100 629 9 24 3 1 17 30 1 11 1 0 9 60 37 5 1 11 1,308

Projected PovertyProportional No. of Students Minus Current No. -2 +21 +4 +1 -29 -158 +227 -123 +24 +3 +1 +17 -58 +1 +11 +1 0 +9 -8 +37 +5 +1 +11

Estimation procedures generated by Indiana University Northwest Data Center, using 2013 American Community Survey, Lake and Porter County Township, FSSA, and IBRC data.

45 The data in Table A-1 show that the top three Lake and Porter County townships in need of more center-based funded slots for Head Start are: North Township (Lake) Porter Township (Porter) St. John Township (Lake)

+227 +37 +24.

The three townships with the highest numbers of excess center-based funded slots for Head Start are: Hobart Township (Lake) Ross Township (Lake) Center Township (Porter)

-158 -123 -58.

Thus, optimal, poverty-proportional allocation of Geminus’s 1,308 center-based Head Start slots would necessitate: (1) providing substantially more slots in North Township (227), followed by Porter Township (37), and St. John Township (24) and (2) significantly reducing the number of slots in Hobart Township (158), followed by Ross Township (123) and Center Township (58). When making decisions about site placement within a given township, reliable and current poverty estimates are not available for individual cities and towns. Therefore, we recommend using information provided by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development on Local Area Unemployment Statistics for cities and towns with populations of 25,000 or more. Unemployment rates, however imperfect, tend to be correlated with poverty. If a given township has large cities/towns (≥25,000 pop.), unemployment rates can be utilized to help guide center placement decisions within townships. December 2014 unemployment rates for large cities/towns in Lake and Porter Counties are provided below.

Lake County:

Porter County:

Cities & Towns (≥25,000 pop.) Crown Point East Chicago Gary Hammond Hobart Merrillville Schererville Portage Valparaiso

Unemployment Rate 7.2 11.7 10.5 8.7 9.0 7.8 5.7 7.9 5.8

2. Coordination of Efforts to Address Unmet Needs/Additional Demand Given Geminus's position as the premier and largest provider of early childhood education in Northwest Indiana, we recommend that the organization take the lead in coordinating efforts to address unmet needs/additional demand for Head Start/Early Head Start services in Lake and Porter Counties. As we have shown in this report, there are large numbers of HS-eligible and EHS-eligible individuals in the twocounty area. Although Geminus is already serving 1,504 of this population, in addition to other high-

46 quality public/private programs, large numbers of eligible children and pregnant women are not being served. Fortunately, exciting new or expanded initiatives are planned for 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the State of Indiana's On My Way Pre-K for Lake County and the substantial expansion of the Geminus Early Head Start program in Lake and Porter Counties. In order for these initiatives to most effectively address unmet needs, we believe that datadriven coordination with current preschool providers is essential. Geminus is uniquely qualified and positioned to provide this coordination leadership. We would like to propose a data-driven analytical framework to assist in these coordination efforts. We will use HS-eligible children to illustrate our recommended approach. It begins with the estimated number of these children in each of the 11 Lake County and 12 Porter County townships. From this total for each township, we will subtract: (1) the number of children enrolled in Geminus Head Start centers within the township and (2) the estimated number of HS-eligible children enrolled in Indiana FSSA Level 3 or 4 (indicators of high quality) preschool providers (based upon a telephone survey conducted by the IU Northwest Data Center in January 2015). After subtracting these two figures, one is left with the estimated number of HS-eligible children in each township who are currently not enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. All of this information is summarized below in Table A-2.

47 Table A-2 Summary of Overall Unmet Needs of Head Start-Eligible Children in Lake and Porter Counties

County Lake

Porter

Totals

Townships

Est. No. of HS-Eligible Children

Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

1,041 66 12 4 17 315 1,994 29 75 8 4 54 96 4 33 4 0 29 191 116 17 4 33 4,146

Current Geminus CenterBased HS Enrollment 326 0 0 0 34 258 402 132 0 0 0 0 88 0 0 0 0 0 68 0 0 0 0 1,3082

Est. FSSA Level 3 & 4 Enrollment

Est. No. of Unserved HS-Eligible Children

19 0 0 0 0 0 4071 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4271

696 66 12 4 -17 57 1,185 -103 75 8 4 54 7 4 33 4 0 29 123 116 17 4 33 2,411

Includes 349 children in the East Chicago School District's Title I preschool program. Does not include Geminus's 60 home-based HS students.

The results in Table A-2 indicate that there are a total of 2,411 HS-eligible children in Lake and Porter Counties who are not being served by high-quality preschool programs. From this total, we would subtract the 60 Geminus Head Start home-based children in various townships, leaving a final total of 2,351. Thus, an estimated 2,351 HS-eligible children are not currently receiving high-quality preschool education, or 56.7% of the total for the two counties of 4,146. They are concentrated in the following three townships: North (Lake) – 1,185 Calumet (Lake) – 696 Portage (Porter) – 123

48 Moving forward in 2015, this information can be useful in guiding the following important decisions: (1) where to locate/relocate centers or programs, (2) where to recruit or develop new FSSA Level 3 & 4 providers, and (3) where to recruit children for new or expanded programs. Again, we believe that Geminus is uniquely positioned to lead and coordinate data-based efforts to optimally serve HS-eligible children in the two-county area. Table A-3 Summary of Overall Unmet Needs of Early Head Start-Eligible Children in Lake and Porter Counties

County Lake

Porter

Totals

Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of EHS-Eligible Children

Est. FSSA Level 3 & 4 Enrollment

1,561 100 19 6 25 473 2,992 43 112 12 6 81 143 6 50 6 0 44 286 174 25 6 50 6,220

24 0 0 0 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 45

Est. No. of Unserved EHS-Eligible Children 1,537 100 19 6 25 473 2,971 43 112 12 6 81 143 6 50 6 0 44 286 174 25 6 50 6,175

Table A-3 provides data for EHS-eligible children, with three columns: (1) the estimated number in each township, (2) the estimated number enrolled in FSSA Level 3 & 4 providers, and (3) the total number of EHS-eligible children who are not being served. From the table, a total of 6,175 children are currently not enrolled in high-quality programs. From this figure, we would subtract the 124 children enrolled in the Geminus Early Head Start program, for a final total of 6,051. Thus, an estimated 6,051 EHS-eligible children are not currently enrolled in high-quality preschool educational programs, or 97.3% of the total. The three townships with the highest figures are: North (Lake) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2,971

49 Calumet (Lake) – 1,537 Hobart (Lake) – 473 The distribution of estimated EHS-eligible pregnant women by township is provided below, with a total for the two counties of 2,455. Geminus currently serves 12 women in this category, leaving 2,443 unserved, or 99.5% of the total. County Lake

Porter

Total

Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of EHSEligible Pregnant Women 616 39 8 3 10 186 1,181 17 44 5 2 32 57 2 20 2 0 17 113 69 10 2 20 2,455

The three townships with the largest numbers are: North (Lake) – 1,181 Calumet (Lake) – 616 Hobart (Lake) – 186 3. Lobbying Efforts Given the staggering unmet needs documented in this report (especially in Lake County), we recommend that Geminus continue and increase its efforts to build/strengthen relationships with elected and government officials at the local, state, and national levels. These relationships can be invaluable in lobbying for additional funding for HS/EHS and agencies that provide related social services needed by young children and their families.

50 Requirement 2 – Other Child Development and Childcare Programs Serving Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children, Including Publicly Funded State and Local Preschool Programs Assessment Methodology Information about other child development and childcare programs serving Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children was obtained from the Indiana Family and Social Service Administration (FSSA) and its Carefinder Indiana service, which offers descriptions of childcare providers in the state; specifically, name, address, county, and type (home, center, ministry). On February 3, 2015, there were 332 childcare providers listed for Lake County and 46 for Porter County (www.secure.in.gov/apps/fssa/carefinder/), for a total of 378. The Indiana FSSA also provides a program rating system consisting of four levels: Level 1 – Health and Safety Needs are Met Level 2 – Environment Supports Children’s Learning Level 3 – Planned Curriculum Supports Children’s Development Level 4 – Achieves National Accreditation Level 3 and 4 programs are most similar to Head Start and Early Head Start, and thus were the focus of the phone survey conducted in this report. There are a total of 46 Level 3 and 4 programs in Lake County and 7 in Porter County. A complete list of these programs is provided in Appendix A. Phone calls were made to all Level 3 and 4 child development/childcare programs, requesting information about the number of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children currently being served. Results Indiana FSSA childcare statistics for the two counties in December 2014 indicated the following.

Number of Licensed Childcare Homes Licensed Capacity of Childcare Homes Number of Licensed Childcare Centers Licensed Capacity of Childcare Centers Number of Registered Ministries (Unregulated Capacity)

Lake County 243 2,911 50 4,816

Porter County 28 376 9 1,109

Results of the phone survey of Level 3 and 4 childcare providers for Lake and Porter Counties are presented below. Information was obtained from 45 providers/locations (some providers offered services at two locations in the same city) for an excellent response rate of 85.0%. The total numbers of enrolled Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children were respectively, 427 and 45.

51 Level 3 and 4 Childcare Providers Lake County Charlotte R. Riley Child Center/Purdue University Calumet Creative Kids Care Elka Child Educational Center God's Christian Academy Kinder Care Learning Center #1339 Lisa's Safe Haven Care & Lisa's Safe Haven II Michelle's World of Learning Daycare Peoples Day Care Premier Child Care & Learning Centers Robertson Child Development Center, Inc. Woodland Child Development Center A Mother's Gentle Touch Bebe's Child Care Bright Beginnings Academy, Inc. Caring Heart, Open Arms Childcare Ministry Cherie’s Garden in the Gates Child Enrichment Center/CEC of Schererville Inc. Children First Learning Center Foundation Children First Learning Center Inc. Construction Zone, The Good Shepherd Day Care Center Grandma Lois TLC In Good Hands Kids Choice Child Care Kidzone Learning Center Leaping Learners Day Care and Learning Center Learn and Play 1 and 2 (2 locations) Lil Tykes Daycare Inc. Little People Big Hearts Merchants of Hope Enrichment Academy Mind Shapers Home Day Care My Safari Preparatory Academy My School Child Care and Learning Center New Beginnings Christian Child Care Northlake Preschool Academy Pathways Two Secret's Loving Care Suze Ques/Que’s Kidz II Tender Care Tender Hearts Tiny Tots Daycare and Preschool

Level

Number of HSEligible Children Served

Number of EHSEligible Children Served

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3

0 0 0 0 2 5 1 0 0 24 0 0 0 0 0

0 10 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 0

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

2 5 2 20 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 7 0 0 0

0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0

52 Train Up the Child LLC East Chicago Schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Title I Porter County

Growing Kids Ladybugs and Bumblebees Education Station LLC The Learning Tree Learning Tree Too Ready to Learn Childcare Wee Care Child Development Center, Inc. Wee Care Child Development Center, Ltd. Hilltop Neighborhood House, Inc. La Petite Academy

0 349

0 0

4 4 4 4 4 3 3

1 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

427

Totals

Multiple attempts to solicit phone survey information from the following providers were unsuccessful: Level 3 and 4 Childcare Providers Ms. Ann's Celestial Education Suzette Crittle Gibson AJ's Angels Kids Are People Too The Creative Minds The Learning Ladder Little U Academy TNT Daycare

Level 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3

Conclusions 1. There are 335 licensed or registered childcare providers (homes, centers, ministries) in Lake County, with a capacity of 7,727; not including ministries that have unregulated capacities. The total number of licensed or registered providers in Porter County is 46, with a capacity of 1,485. These capacity figures do not include any of the unlicensed/informal providers of childcare or babysitting services, and thus underestimate the total slots available in the two counties. 2. Of the 53 Level 3 and 4 childcare providers (similar in program quality to HS and EHS) in Lake and Porter Counties, 45 (85.0%) responded to the phone survey. The total numbers of enrolled Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children (including the East Chicago School District's Title One program) were respectively, 427 and 45. These figures represent very small percentages of the total number of HS and EHS-eligible children in the 2-county area: 427/4,146 or 10.3% for Head Start and 45/6,220 or 0.7% for Early Head Start. Even when combined with the children enrolled at Geminus, there are still large unmet needs, as discussed in the previous section. In total, it was estimated that 2,351 (56.7%) HS-eligible children are not currently being served. The figure is even higher for EHSeligible children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6,051 or 97.3%.

53 3. A total of 10 providers in Lake County have earned national accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), as indicated in Appendix A. The figure for Porter County is 3. 4. Of the 46 FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers in Lake County, the frequency in each of four major cities and towns is provided below: Gary - 14 Hammond - 12 East Chicago - 5 Merrillville - 5 Recommendations 1. Coordination to Address Unmet Needs As discussed in the preceding section on Requirement 1, we recommend that Geminus take a lead role in coordinating current services and projected future services in optimally addressing the huge unmet needs of HS- and EHS-eligble children in Lake and Porter Counties. 2. New Funding We recommend that Geminus continue its efforts to aggressively seek state, federal, and private funding to increase the number of HS and EHS children it serves. 3. Upgrade Local Capacity We recommend that Geminus expand its efforts to facilitate upgrading of the 325 FSSA Level 1 and 2 providers in the two counties to Levels 3 or 4. This would help to increase the number of HS-eligible and EHS-eligible children who have access to high-quality preschool educational programs. Hosting a regional conference at IU Northwest to draw attention to the continuing unmet needs in the two-county area and offer hands-on improvement workshops to interested Level 1 and 2 providers could be very helpful. Requirement 3 - Children (Birth - 4) with Disabilities and Relevant Community Services/Resources Assessment Methodology Information concerning the estimated number of children with disabilities, ages 0-4, in Lake and Porter Counties and the types of disabilities was obtained using procedures developed by the Data Center at Indiana University Northwest. Their estimating procedures utilized data from the American Community Survey, the Indiana Department of Education, and First Steps. Community agencies providing services and resources to young children with disabilities were identified through: (1) reviews of several community directories and (2) internet searches. Results The estimated numbers of children with disabilities, ages 0-4, in each of the two counties and overall were:

54 Lake – 1,985 Porter – 540 Total – 2,525 The distribution of children within four major disability categories was: Lake County

Porter County

Two Counties Combined

1,334

417

1,751

Vision Disability

293

350

Hearing Disability

163

182

195

242

1,985

540

2,525

Cognitive/ Learning Disability

Ambulatory Disability Total

Geminus maintains an excellent Resource Directory for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. One of the directory categories is Disability Services, which lists contact information for organizations in Lake and Porter Counties providing services to persons with disabilities. In addition, an updated list of the major providers of services and resources to young children with disabilities in Lake and Porter Counties is available at the Northwest Indiana Community Action website (http://www.nwi211.com) by clicking on “Disability Services”. Conclusions 1. The estimated number of children with disabilities, ages 0 to 4, in the two-county area is 2,525. Clearly, there is a strong need for disability-related services for these children and their families. 2. Within Lake and Porter Counties, there is a well-developed, easily accessible network of community organizations to serve the needs of young children with disabilities. These organizations are staffed by very dedicated, passionate individuals, committed to their mission of helping children with disabilities. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for young children with special needs and their families through the provision of individualized educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services.

55 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess agency disability services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately. Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Agency Support We recommend continued active support for agencies providing disability services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels. Requirement 4 - Evidence Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Assessment Methodology Information relevant to the education, health, nutrition, and social service needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families living in Lake and Porter Counties was obtained from: (1) estimating procedures developed by the Data Center at Indiana University Northwest, (2) governmental agencies; i.e., the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana FSSA, and (3) regional community organizations. In each of the above four need categories, currently available data will be utilized to document the nature and magnitude of existing challenges. Results Education The educational needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families were examined in three specific areas: (1) opportunity for Head Start/Early Head Start attendance, (2) educational attainment levels of parents, and (3) non-English speaking parents. 1. Opportunity for Head Start/Early Head Start Attendance As discussed earlier in this section, the estimated number of Head Start eligible 3 and 4 year olds living in poverty in Geminusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2-county service area was 4,146. The number of funded Head Start students for Geminus and children currently enrolled in FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers is 1,795. Thus, there are an estimated 2,351 (56.7% of the total) children who qualify for Head Start but are not currently being served. Of the estimated 6,220 EHS-eligible children in Lake and Porter Counties, fully 6,051 (97.3%) are not currently receiving services from Geminus or FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers. For pregnant women living in poverty in the two counties, the estimated number of 2,455 exceeds the 12 funded Geminus slots by 2,443 (99.5%). 2. Parental Educational Attainment Data from the 2013 American Community Survey for Lake and Porter Counties indicate that the percentages of families living in poverty whose head of household had not completed high school were respectively, 23.4% and 20.3%. Thus, the parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children in Lake and Porter Counties are in need of educational programs that: (1) facilitate completion of high school, (2) promote earning GEDs, and (3) encourage attendance at local 2- and 4-year post-secondary institutions. Vocational education options that provide skill-based

56 instruction for occupations expected to experience future growth (i.e., medical professions) would be especially useful. Post-secondary educational opportunities are available in the following four areas in Lake and Porter Counties.

Lake Porter

Cosmetology 9 1

Culinary Arts 3 1

CNA/Practical Nursing 2 0

Early Childhood Education 3 1

3. Non-English Speaking Parents As noted earlier in the discussion of Requirement 1, a large percentage of the Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children in Lake County live in Hispanic households. Not surprisingly, the 2013 American Community Survey estimated that the number of individuals, 5 years and older, who spoke English "less than very well" in Lake County was 16,160; Porter County, 1,719. These findings confirm the need for a bilingual component at all levels of public education. For Spanish-speaking parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children, there is a strong need for accessible English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The Pathways Past Poverty Report (2008), published by the Colorado State University Center for Public Deliberation, found that "linguistically isolated" households were 50% more likely to live in poverty than those that were English proficient. Clearly, ESL classes for the Spanish-speaking parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children are essential in helping these families overcome poverty. The Indiana Migrant Education Program, Region 1 (2014) estimated that there were only two migrant families in Lake County and none in Porter County. Thus, the educational challenges associated with migrant families are not currently present in Northwest Indiana. 4. Job Education/Training and Placement Compounding the employment challenges facing many Head Start and Early Head Start eligible parents are their race, ethnicity, and age. According to full-year 2013 statistics available from the Department of Labor for the state of Indiana, the overall unemployment rate was 7.7%. As a function of race and ethnicity, the respective rates for 2013 were: White - 6.8% Black - 17.3% Hispanic - 6.9% In terms of age ranges, the rates for younger workers were: 16-19 - 21.7% 20-24 - 12.6% 25-34 - 8.2% Given the racial, ethnic, and age composition of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible parents, concerted efforts will be needed to provide relevant job education/training and effective job placement services in order to overcome persistent barriers to employment.

57 Health The health-related needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families are considered in the following seven areas: (1) Medicaid, (2) the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, (3) infant mortality, (4) induced pregnancy terminations, (5) mental, emotional, and behavioral health, (6) bilingual providers/translators, and (7) transportation. 1. Medicaid Indiana FSSA Office of Medicaid Policy & Planning data on Medicaid enrollments in Lake and Porter Counties for December 2013 and December 2014 are summarized below. Lake County Porter County

Dec. 2013 93,643 17,714

Dec. 2014 99,392 18,966

Change +5,749 (↑ 6.1%) +1,252 (↑ 7.1%)

These figures document the continuing strong need for healthcare services for children and families living in poverty, especially in Lake County. According to Indiana Medicaid, there are presently 29 Medicaid pediatricians in Lake County and 3 in Porter County. Medicaid pediatric dentists in Lake County total 20, while there are 10 in Porter County. Finally, there are 23 Medicaid-approved health clinics in Lake County and 2 in Porter County. 2. WIC The Women, Infants, and Children program provides nutritional and health services to qualifying families with young children and pregnant women. There are presently 6 WIC offices in Lake County and 2 in Porter County. Data provided by the Indiana Department of Health documents continuing strong needs in Lake County, although both counties experienced modest declines from 2012 to 2013. Lake County Porter County

FY 2012 24,046 4,513

FY 2013 22,970 4,278

Change -1,076 (↓ 4.5%) -235 (↓ 5.2%)

In terms of teen pregnancies in 2013 (American Community Survey), there were 413 in Lake County and 89 in Porter County. Of the 413 young women in Lake County, 165 (40.0%) had completed or were completing high school. Within Porter County, the figure was 36 (40.4%) 3. Infant Mortality The Indiana State Department of Health provides data about the number of infant (< 1 year old) deaths in Lake and Porter Counties for 2012 and 2013:

Lake County Porter County

2012 No. of Infant Deaths 59 6

2013 No. of Infant Deaths 51 6

Change -8 (↓ 13.6%) 0

Calculated rates per 1,000 live births for the two counties for 2012 and 2013 were:

Lake County Porter County

2012 Rate Per 1,000 Live Births 9.8 3.4

2013 Rate Per 1,000 Live Births 8.5 3.4

Change -1.3 (↓ 13.3%) 0

58 Thus, the infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births in Lake County is more than twice as high as the rate in Porter County. 4. Induced Pregnancy Terminations Figures are provided below by the Indiana State Department of Health for the number of induced pregnancy terminations in Lake and Porter Counties for 2012 and 2013:

Lake County Porter County

2012 Induced Pregnancy Terminations 1,010 239

2013 Induced Pregnancy Terminations 762 171

Change -248 (↓ 24.6%) -68 (↓ 28.5%)

Thus, the number of induced pregnancy terminations dropped significantly in both Lake and Porter Counties from 2012 to 2013. 5. Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health A recent (May-June 2012) literature review article in the American Psychologist by Yoshikawa, Aber, and Beardslee drew the following conclusions about the impact of poverty on children: (1) the negative causal effect of poverty on children’s mental, emotional, and behavioral (M-E-B) health has been well established, (2) direct poverty reduction strategies to increase family income have a positive effect on children’s M-E-B health, (3) “Interventions early in childhood and strategies that substantially increase the economic resources available to low income families appear to have stronger impacts on children’s M-E-B health.” (p. 281), and (4) poverty reduction programs should be an essential component in any effort to positively impact the M-E-B health of children. 6. Bilingual Providers/Translators The growing population of Spanish-speakers (discussed above), especially in Lake County, has created an expanding need for bilingual healthcare providers or translators in all medical facilities. 7. Transportation The transportation challenges facing Lake and Porter Counties discussed below combine to limit easy access to healthcare services for many families living in poverty in rural areas not currently served by public transportation. Nutrition Nutritional needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families were addressed in four areas: (1) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (2) the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, (3) free/reduced-cost lunches, and (4) childhood obesity. 1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data from the Indiana FSSA show the following changes in the number of SNAP recipients in Lake and Porter Counties from December 2013 to December 2014.

Lake County Porter County

Dec. 2013 91,975 14,324

Dec. 2014 88,009 13,874

Change 3,966 (↓4.3%) -450 (↓ 3.1%)

Thus, in spite of slowly improving overall economic conditions, the number of residents qualifying for nutritional assistance is still high in both counties. Fortunately, according to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, the number of soup kitchens/food pantries is 100 in Lake County and 13 in Porter County. 2. WIC As cited above, figures from the Indiana Department of Health document the continuing needs for nutritional assistance in both counties. Lake County Porter County

FY 2012 24,046 4,513

FY 2013 22,970 4,278

Change -1,076 (↓ 4.5%) -235 (↓ 5.2%)

3. Free/Reduced-Cost Lunches One consequence of the continuing economic challenges can be seen in the numbers of public school children who qualify for free/reduced-cost lunches. Below are figures from the Indiana Department of Education for the two counties in 2011 and 2013. While there was a slight decrease in Lake County, there was actually an increase in Porter County, in spite of gradually improving economic conditions. Lake County Porter County

2011 47,521 9,018

2013 46,044 9,693

Change -1,477 (↓3.1%) +675 (↑7.5%)

4. Childhood Obesity The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website provides results of the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concerning childhood obesity. Among the most significant findings are: (1) the national prevalence of obesity among children, ages 2-5, has decreased substantially from 13.9% in 2003-2004 to 8.4% in 2011-2012 and (2) there were large differences for all age ranges combined as a function of race/ethnicity, with the obesity percentage "higher among Hispanics (22.4%) and non-Hispanic black youth (20.2%) than nonHispanic white youth (14.1%)". The most recent county-level data on childhood obesity is available from the Indiana State Department of Health for 2011. They estimated that the prevalence of obesity (≥ 95th percentile of body-mass-index-for-age) among children aged 2 to < 5 years for both Lake and Porter Counties was 1115%. The percentage of overweight (85th-95th percentile of body-mass-index-for-age) children in this age group for both counties was 14-17%. The CDC's Institute of Medicine regards schools as a "national focal point" in the efforts to combat childhood obesity, given that many children spend half or more of their waking hours at school and consume as many as 50% of their calories there. Clearly, there is a tremendous opportunity for Head Start and Early Head Start to begin introducing young children to healthy food choices and eating habits.

60 Social Services The social service needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families are addressed in the following six areas: (1) Family Wellbeing, (2) Housing, (3) Subsidized Childcare, (4) Foster Children, (5) Children in Need of Services (CHINS), and (6) Transportation. 1. Family Wellbeing The Family and Parenting Institute (www.familyandparenting.org) published a report by Claire James (March 2009), entitled, "What Do We Know About the Impact of Recessions on Family Relationships." The paper reviewed international research on the impact of past recessions and drew several conclusions that are directly relevant to Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families as the economy in Northwest Indiana struggles to improve and poverty remains stubbornly high, including: (1) "That said, those who would be expected to suffer most in a recession are those with the fewest resources to fall back on. This includes low-income families, particularly those already in debt, one-parent families, and those with few educational qualifications. [emphases added]" (p. 15) (2) The financial stress associated with a recession "affects many who would previously have seen themselves as financially secure, as well as exacerbating the situation of those already struggling to make ends meet." (p. 15) (3) The "family stress model" documents that economic pressures result in emotional distress (anger, irritability, frustration, depression) among adults, which then disrupts relationships between couples and parenting behavior. Disrupted parenting negatively affects children's wellbeing and development, impacting school performance, peer relations, self-confidence, antisocial behavior, depression, and hostility. (4) Strong, mutually supportive couples' relationships within a family unit can function to buffer or mediate the negative effects of recession-related stress on individual adult mental health, parenting, and children's wellbeing and development. Given these research findings, it is clear that Head Start eligible families need counseling/workshops to effectively address the challenges they face. Issues to be covered and emphasized should include: (1) family budgeting, (2) stress management, (3) relating well as couples, (4) effective parenting during times of stress, and (5) family coping strategies. 2. Housing The need for quality, safe, and affordable housing for families living in poverty continues to remain strong in Northwest Indiana. Below are township housing assistance statistics for Lake and Porter Counties for 2012 and 2013.

Lake County Porter County

2012 Housing Assistance Recipients 3,727 2,365

2013 Housing Assistance Recipients 4,290 2,317

Change +563 (â&#x2020;&#x2018; 15.1%) -48 (â&#x2020;&#x201C;2.0%)

Lake County experienced a large 15.1% increase in recipients, while Porter County had a small 2.0% decrease.

61 On February 3, 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a brief preview of the 2013 American Housing Survey results, to be fully released later in the year. Among the disturbing conclusions were: (1) A total of "7.7 million very low-income unassisted families paid more than half their monthly income for rent, lived in severely substandard housing, or both." (2) The figure of 7.7 million is down from the previous record high of 8.5 million in 2011, but still nearly 50% higher than the total for 2003. (3) "This report demonstrates the profound difficulties felt by millions of households struggling to pay their rent. As our economy continues to improve, we need to ensure our budget provides opportunity for vulnerable families living on the margins and restores the harmful cuts to our rental assistance programs due to sequestration", which totaled 67,000 lost housing vouchers in 2013. (4) "Each year, approximately 10,000 public housing units are lost from the affordable housing stock through sale or demolition and many of the nation's public housing apartments are buckling under a $26 billion backlog in capital needs." The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority conducts a Point-in-Time Homeless Count on an annual basis in late January. Figures for homeless families and children ages birth – 5, in Lake and Porter Counties for 2013 and 2014 are provided below.

Lake County Porter County

Families 42 30

2013

0-5 22 33

2014 Families 0-5 46 22 12 21

Changes

Families +4 (↑9.5%) -18 (↓60.0%)

0-5 no change -12 (↓36.4%)

Thus, while there has been no change in the number of homeless young children from 2013-2014 in Lake County, there was a 36.4% decrease in Porter County. The needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families for adequate, affordable, and safe housing will continue as the economy continues to slowly recover and poverty persists. Efforts to address this problem are clearly warranted, at the national, state, and local levels. 3. Subsidized Childcare Data from the Indiana FSSA indicate the following double-digit increases in the number of children receiving subsidized childcare vouchers in Lake and Porter Counties from January 2013 to January 2014, with a substantial number waiting for vouchers in Lake County: Lake County Porter County

Jan. 2013 4,352 (665 waiting) 500 (56 waiting)

Jan. 2014 4,841 (440 waiting) 564 (6 waiting)

Change +489 (↑ 11.2%) +64 (↑ 12.8%)

Quality, affordable childcare is critical in supporting families living in poverty during periods of employment, as well as education and training.

62 4. Foster Children Information from the Indiana Department of Child Services was used by the Data Center at Indiana University Northwest, along with statistics from the American Community Survey, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) to estimate the number of HS and EHS eligible foster care children in Lake and Porter Counties for 2014.

Lake County Porter County

HS-Eligible Foster Care Children 143 88

EHS-Eligible Foster Care Children 215 132

5. Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Information from the Indiana Department of Child Services (November 2014 Practice Indicator Report, published on January 14, 2015) provides data to estimate the number of CHINS, ages birth through 4, in Lake and Porter Counties for November 2013 and November 2014. Lake County Porter County

Nov. 2013 561 35

Nov. 2014 608 34

Change +47 (↑ 8.4%) -1 (↓ 2.9%)

6. Transportation The Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC, www.nirpc.org) published an award-winning 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan and The Regional View – 2014 Year in Review that both include major sections on transportation. Major findings included: (1) while the region has intercity and commuter rail lines, local bus routes, demand response service (i.e. taxi services), and paratransit service, several weaknesses and challenges exist, (2) fixed-route buses only serve selected parts of the region and many economically important and rural areas are not adequately served, (3) although there are multiple public demand response providers (i.e. taxi companies) operating in the region, overall system capacity and coverage are inadequate, (4) continuing funding challenges have resulted in reduced services in existing transportation systems, (5) there are no dedicated regional or county-wide funding sources to provide stable financial support for transportation operations, and (6) expanding services to create a truly regional transportation system that effectively meets population needs will be very difficult. All of these problems pose special challenges for families living in poverty, making it harder or impossible for them to travel in order to meet their medical, educational, and employment needs.

63 Conclusions include:

1. The educational needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families

(1) the need for expanded opportunities for the estimated 2,351 three and four year olds living in poverty who are not able to attend Head Start or other high-quality preschool educational programs due to a lack of funded slots, the estimated 6,051 EHS-eligible children unable to attend Early Head Start or other high-quality programs, and the estimated 2,099 EHS-eligible pregnant women unable to enroll in Early Head Start, (2) the need for high school completion and GED classes for the parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children who do not have a high school diploma, (3) the need for ESL classes for the Spanish-speaking parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children, and (4) the prominent need for relevant job education/training and effective job placement services to overcome persistent barriers to employment as a function of lack of formal schooling, race, ethnicity, and age. 2. Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families have the following healthrelated needs: (1) the continuing high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area in 2013 document the substantial demand for healthcare services among families living in poverty, and the need for healthcare providers who accept Medicaid patients, (2) the persistently high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of healthcare services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, (3) the growing population of Spanish-speaking families, especially in Lake County, has resulted in an increased need for bilingual healthcare providers or translators in all medical facilities, and (4) high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area result in strong demand for medical-necessity vouchers for public transportation to insure access to healthcare facilities. 3. Evidence of the critical and continuing importance of adequate nutrition to Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families can be found in the following statistics: (1) the persistently high numbers of individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (2) the stubbornly high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of nutritional support services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, and

64 (3) the continuing high numbers of public school children who qualify for free/reduced-cost lunches. 4. Head Start and Early Head Start children and families social service needs include: (1) the need for counseling and workshops to effectively address challenges facing families as a consequence of the slow economic recovery and related stresses that negatively impact mental/emotional health, relationships between couples, parenting, and children's wellbeing and development, (2) the need for adequate, affordable, safe housing, (3) the need for additional public and/or subsidized transportation to insure access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and social services, (4) the need for continued support of foster families with young children, (5) the continued need for coordinated social services to deal with the increasing number of CHINS in Lake County, and (6) the continuing need for subsidized childcare to enable parents to participate in educational opportunities, seek and maintain employment, and attend scheduled appointments with healthcare/social service providers. Recommendations 1. Job Training We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing the job training challenge and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council announced their top overall priorities for 2015 (December 9, 2014, p. R2). Their first priority was for a 21st-Century Workforce, calling for the active involvement of business "in the education system, including curriculum development, to help students prepare for available job opportunities". We recommend that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. We discussed this topic with Robyn Minton, VP of Operations at The Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. and regional leader of Indiana's WorkOne program. She is very excited about possible collaboration with Geminus to provide targeted vocational training and funding support to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. She can be reached at rminton@innovativeworkforce.com. Indiana's senator, Joe Donnelly, has called for a "laser focus" to battle the "very true" skills gap facing Hoosiers. He cites examples of companies in Indiana establishing their own training programs (Toyota in Princeton) and closely collaborating with state educational institutions (Jasper Engine &

65 Transmission). Senator Donnelly was also instrumental in securing a federal grant to Purdue Calumet's School of Technology to help address the skills gap. He could be very helpful in identifying funding to support effective job training for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Geminus's role in this process would be as a catalyst and advocate. This initiative would directly address one of the organization's stated priorities for 2016-2017: "Develop MOUs with GED and job skill training partners". Sigmund Freud was the first in a long line of psychologists to recognize the vital importance of work to one's self-concept and self-esteem. In addition to facilitating economic independence for Head Start and Early Head Start families, effective job training/placement would positively impact parent selfperceptions and the home environment for young children. The Geminus Guiding Principles recognize parents "as the first and most important teachers of their children". Clearly, self-esteem and selfconcept are important determinants of teacher effectiveness. Helping parents secure good paying jobs would dramatically benefit everyone. Consistent with the Geminus Strategic Plan, research could be conducted to evaluate the hypothesized positive impact of successful job training/placement on parents, the home environment, and ultimately children. Supportive research findings could significantly contribute to the Geminus goal of becoming a recognized innovative, evidence-based early learning school of excellence. We also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to provide entrepreneurship training to interested Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Additional assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. High School Completion/GED Geminus should continue its efforts to work with community partners to offer high school completion/GED classes to Head Start and Early Head Start parents and encourage their participation. 3. College Education For those Head Start and Early Head Start parents with a desire to pursue higher education, Geminus should continue to collaborate with regional public and private colleges to encourage enrollment/retention and aggressively search for financial aid. 4. ESL Training Given the substantial percentage of Spanish-speaking Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families in Geminus's service area (especially Lake County), continuing efforts to offer ESL (English as Second Language) classes are certainly recommended. Improved facility with English will help families more effectively access healthcare, social services, educational programs, and employment opportunities. Additionally, Geminus can help to focus community attention on the need for bilingual service providers or translators, especially in all healthcare facilities. 5. Medicaid Expansion Given the recently announced expansion of Medicaid in Indiana (estimated to include 350,000 Hoosiers), we recommend that Geminus publicize the news to all HS and EHS families, help families to determine if they are eligible, and assist (directly or indirectly) families in completing the necessary application paperwork.

6. Housing Geminus should continue its support for substantial increases in government funding for public housing and housing choice vouchers. Collaboration with private organizations, like the Northwest Indiana Habitat for Humanity, could provide excellent opportunities for a limited number of HS and EHS families. Geminus could also help initiate a regional effort to upgrade currently available housing units for use by HS and EHS families. For example, according to Realtytrac.com, on February 7, 2015, there were 1,947 foreclosed homes for sale in Lake County and 688 in Porter County. Perhaps Geminus could facilitate the formation of a coalition of local governments, nonprofits, foundations, builders/contractors, and mortgage lenders to begin renovating some of these properties for use by HS and EHS families and seek funding to continue this effort. 7. Transportation In order to meet the transportation challenges facing Head Start and Early Head Start parents, we offer the following recommendations: (1) contact owners of the tax firms in Lake and Porter Counties and request free or reduced-cost tokens for parental transportation, (2) collaborate with WorkOne (Robyn Minton, VP of Operations, rminton@innovativeworkforce.com) to secure vocational training/internships for parents with accompanying transportation support in the form of gas cards or bus passes, and (3) explore local, state, and federal sources for expanded transportation funding for parents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bus passes, taxi vouchers, and/or gas cards. 8. Childcare Vouchers Geminus should continue and intensify its efforts to support increased funding for childcare vouchers. These are essential in supporting HS and EHS parents as they seek employment and educational opportunities. Requirement 5 - Data from Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Families and Community Organizations Serving Young Children Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Assessment Methodology In order to determine the needs of Head Start/Early Head Start eligible children and their families, as perceived by Head Start/Early Head Start eligible parents and community institutions serving young children, a 25-item survey was developed to collect responses from: (1) parents with children enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start - Appendix A, (2) parents with Head Start or Early Head Start eligible children, not enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start, and (3) administrators of community organizations serving young children. Both English and Spanish versions of the parent surveys were available. The surveys consisted of 25 need areas in the following four categories: education/training/jobs - 10 items health - 6 items nutrition - 1 item social services - 8 items Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they felt each need was being met, using a 1-10 scale, from 1 = "Not Met at All" to 10 = "Completely Met".

Geminus administered surveys to parents and agency administrators during the months of October, November, and December 2014. Surveys were completed by parents whose children were enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start. In addition, parents whose children were eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start, but not enrolled, were also surveyed. Finally, responses were collected from administrators of nonprofit agencies that serve young children. A total of 174 surveys were completed by Head Start parents and 60 by Head Start eligible parents whose children were not enrolled in the program. A total of 43 surveys were completed by enrolled Early Head Start parents and 23 by Early Head Start eligible parents who were not enrolled in the program. Survey responses were collected from 17 administrators of community organizations serving young children. Returned surveys were coded, computer-entered, and analyzed using the statistical software package SPSS. Results are reported below for: (1) the two separate samples of Head Start eligible parents (those with children currently enrolled - HS, and those with eligible children not currently enrolled - Non HS), (2) the two samples of Early Head Start eligible parents (enrolled and not enrolled), and (3) administrators of nonprofit organizations serving small children. For each survey item, the mean response on a 1-10 scale, from 1 = "Not Met at All" to 10 = "Met Completely", is reported. Results - Head Start and Head Start Eligible Parents Education/Training/Jobs Means for the 10 items evaluating education/training/jobs needs were as follows: Means Non HS

Need

Childcare/Daycare Preschool Programs Education, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade High School/GED Completion Classes English as Second Language (ESL) Classes Parenting Classes/Assistance Job Training Job Search and Placement Services Good Paying Jobs Income Assistance (welfare, social security, unemployment)

7.6 9.0 9.2

7.0 8.6 8.8

8.5 7.5

8.3 7.3

7.9 6.4 6.3 5.4 7.5

6.6 6.4 6.5 5.6 7.4

Health Mean responses for the six health-related items were: Need

Medical Care

8.9

Means Non HS 9.1

68 Dental Care Mental Health Services Substance Abuse Prevention Services Prenatal Care for Pregnant Women Health Insurance (Medicaid)

8.8 8.2 8.0 8.3 8.9

8.9 8.0 7.4 8.3 9.1

Nutrition The mean for the one nutrition item was 8.4 for HS parents and 8.9 for the Non HS parents. Social Services The eight social services items had means of: Means Non HS

Need

Transportation Marriage and Family Planning Services Clothing Assistance Affordable Housing Legal Services Domestic Violence Services Nearby Churches Neighborhood Recreational Opportunities (parks, playgrounds)

7.2 6.8 7.3 6.8 6.6 7.0 8.5 7.9

7.0 7.1 7.1 6.5 6.5 7.5 7.9 8.1

Results - Early Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Parents Education/Training/Jobs Means for the 10 items evaluating education/training/jobs needs were as follows: Need Childcare/Daycare Preschool Programs Education, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade High School/GED Completion Classes English as Second Language (ESL) Classes Parenting Classes/Assistance Job Training Job Search and Placement Services Good Paying Jobs Income Assistance (welfare, social security, unemployment)

Means EHS Non EHS 8.1 7.9 8.8

7.0 7.6 7.9

8.1 7.5

8.0 7.0

7.7 5.0 5.7 5.7 7.9

7.3 7.6 6.3 3.7 8.2

Health Mean responses for the six health-related items were:

Need Medical Care Dental Care Mental Health Services Substance Abuse Prevention Services Prenatal Care for Pregnant Women Health Insurance (Medicaid)

EHS

Means Non EHS

8.4 8.2 8.3 9.0 8.4 8.6

8.4 8.0 8.7 7.4 8.4 8.4

Nutrition The mean for the one nutrition item was 8.1 for EHS parents and 8.6 for the Non EHS parents. Social Services The eight social services items had means of: Need Transportation Marriage and Family Planning Services Clothing Assistance Affordable Housing Legal Services Domestic Violence Services Nearby Churches Neighborhood Recreational Opportunities (parks, playgrounds)

Means EHS Non EHS 6.3 7.1 7.5 6.5 5.4 7.6 8.6 8.4

5.5 7.1 8.1 5.4 6.9 7.7 8.4 7.9

Results - Community Agencies Education/Training/Jobs Responses for agency administrators to the 10 items related to education/training/jobs yielded the following means: Need Childcare/Daycare Preschool Programs Education, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade High School/GED Completion Classes English as Second Language (ESL) Classes Parenting Classes/Assistance Job Training Job Search and Placement Services Good Paying Jobs Income Assistance (welfare, social security, unemployment)

Mean 8.0 7.8 7.8 7.9 6.2 7.2 6.3 6.0 4.6 6.9

Health Administrator mean responses for the six health-related items were: Need Medical Care Dental Care Mental Health Services Substance Abuse Prevention Services Prenatal Care for Pregnant Women Health Insurance (Medicaid)

Mean 8.1 7.4 7.0 6.8 7.9 7.4

Nutrition The mean for administrators on the single nutrition-related item was 7.4. Social Services Means for agency administrators to the eight social services items were: Need Transportation Marriage and Family Planning Services Clothing Assistance Affordable Housing Legal Services Domestic Violence Services Nearby Churches Neighborhood Recreational Opportunities (parks, playgrounds)

Mean 5.9 6.9 7.1 6.1 4.8 6.6 8.4 6.8

Conclusions Head Start and Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both Head Start samples (HS and Non HS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the HS group was 7.7/10, while that for the Non HS group was 7.6/10. From the perspective of these Head Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs. (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, none of the item means for either the HS or Non HS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". Thus, the survey results did not identify any significant problem areas or weaknesses.

71 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.5/10 for the HS group and 7.3/10 for the Non HS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 25 means on the survey for the HS group was 9.2/10 for "Education, K12â&#x20AC;?, and for the non HS group it was 9.1/10, for both "Medical Care" and "Health Insurance (Medicaid)". (3) For both groups, the lowest item means on the entire survey were for "Good Paying Jobs", 5.4/10 for HS parents and 5.6/10 for Non HS parents. 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met for both groups of parents. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for HS parents and 8.5/10 for Non HS parents. 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (HS = 8.4; Non HS = 8.9), suggesting that family needs in this area were being well met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.3/10 (HS) and 7.2/10 (Non HS), indicating general need satisfaction. Interpretation When interpreting the results of this survey, it is important to note that the sample of parents was not randomly selected. Thus, the sample may differ in important ways from the larger population of Head Start eligible parents in the two-county area. Early Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Early Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both samples (EHS and Non EHS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the EHS group was 7.6/10, while that for the Non EHS group was 7.4/10. From the perspective of Early Head Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs. (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, only one of the item means for the EHS or Non EHS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". For the Non EHS parents, the mean for "Good Paying Jobs" was 3.7. None of the other item means indicated significant problem areas or weaknesses.

72 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.2/10 for the EHS group and 7.1/10 for the Non EHS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 10 means for the EHS group was 8.8/10 for "Education, K-12". For the Non EHS parents, the largest mean was 8.2 for "Income Assistance". (3) The lowest item mean on the entire survey for EHS parents was 5.0 for "Job Training". As mentioned above, for Non EHS parents, the lowest mean was 3.7 for "Good Paying Jobs". 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for EHS parents and 8.2/10 for Non EHS parents. 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (EHS = 8.1; Non EHS = 8.6), suggesting that family needs in this area were being met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.2/10 (EHS) and 7.1/10 (Non EHS), indicating general need satisfaction. Interpretation When interpreting the results of this survey, it is important to note that the sample of parents was not randomly selected. Thus, the sample may differ in important ways from the larger population of Early Head Start eligible parents in the two-county area. Agency Administrators The following conclusions can be drawn from the analysis of agency administrator survey responses. 1. Overall The overall average for the 25 items was 6.9/10, with two means slightly below the scale midpoint: 4.6/10 for "Good Paying Jobs" and 4.8/10 for "Legal Services". The overall item mean for the agency administrator sample was lower than those for the Head Start and Early Head Start eligible parent groups:

Overall Mean for 25 Items

Agency Administrators

HS Parents

Non HS Parents

EHS Parents

Non EHS Parents

6.9

7.7

7.6

7.1

73 Number of Item Means Below 5

Plausible explanations for this difference could include: (1) As mentioned above, the parent samples used in this study may not be representative of the population of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families in the two-county area. The responding parents may be relatively better-positioned, more effectively using existing governmental and community resources, and functioning more successfully. If so, these parents may be more satisfied with the extent to which their families' needs are being met, (2) Agency administrators may be more accurately aware of the full spectrum of families living in poverty, including those at 50% or less of the federally defined income level. These families living in severe poverty may not feel that their needs are being effectively met, and (3) Agency administrators are likely to be more aware of the continuing strong demand for public/human services. 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall mean for the 10 items in this category was 6.9/10, almost two points above the midpoint of the 1-10 scale. (2) The highest rated item was "Childcare/Daycare", at 8.0/10. (3) The lowest rated item (as mentioned above) was for "Good Paying Jobs", at 4.6/10. 3. Health (1) The overall average for the six items in this category was 7.4/10, suggesting that these needs are being met. (2) The highest rated item in this category was "Medical Care", with a mean of 8.1/10. (3) The lowest rated item was for "Substance Abuse Prevention Services" - 6.8/10. 4. Nutrition (1) The mean among agency administrators for the one item addressing nutrition was 7.4/10, indicating reasonable satisfaction in this need category. 5. Social Services (1) The overall mean for the eight items in this category was 6.6/10, well above the midpoint. (2) The largest item mean in this category was for "Nearby Churches" at 8.4/10. (3) The lowest rated item in this category was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Legal Servicesâ&#x20AC;? - 4.8/10.

Combined Groups Analyses of all five respondent groups combined were conducted to draw general conclusions. The overall averages for survey items are provided below. 1. Education/Training/Jobs Averages for the five combined groups on the 10 items related to education/training/jobs were: Need

Mean

7.5 8.2 8.5 8.2 7.1 7.3 6.3 6.2 5.0 7.6

Mean 8.6 8.3 8.0 7.7 8.3 8.5

Mean 6.4 7.0 7.4 6.3

75 Legal Services Domestic Violence Services Nearby Churches Neighborhood Recreational Opportunities (parks, playgrounds)

6.0 7.3 8.4 7.8

The category average was 7.1. 5. Summary (1) The average for the five combined groups for all survey items was 7.5 (with no average below the scale midpoint of 5.0), suggesting general satisfaction across the 25 needs. (2) The three highest rated need categories were: Medical Care – 8.6 Health Insurance (Medicaid) – 8.5 Education, K-12 – 8.5 (3) The three lowest rated need categories were: Good Paying Jobs – 5.0 Legal Services – 6.0 Job Search and Placement Services – 6.2 Recommendations 1. Good Paying Jobs/Job Training/Job Search The lowest rated survey item for all responding groups was "Good Paying Jobs", with similarly low ratings for "Job Training" and "Job Search". We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing these issues and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council announced their top overall priorities for 2015 (December 9, 2014, p. R2). Their first priority was for a 21st-Century Workforce, calling for the active involvement of business "in the education system, including curriculum development, to help students prepare for available job opportunities". We recommend that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. We discussed this topic with Robyn Minton, VP of Operations at The Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. and regional leader of Indiana's WorkOne program. She is very excited about possible collaboration with Geminus to provide targeted vocational training and funding support to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. She can be reached at rminton@innovativeworkforce.com.

76 Indiana's senator, Joe Donnelly, has called for a "laser focus" to battle the "very true" skills gap facing Hoosiers. He cites examples of companies in Indiana establishing their own training programs (Toyota in Princeton) and closely collaborating with state educational institutions (Jasper Engine & Transmission). Senator Donnelly was also instrumental in securing a federal grant to Purdue Calumet's School of Technology to help address the skills gap. He could be very helpful in identifying funding to support effective job training for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Geminus's role in this process would be as a catalyst and advocate. This initiative would directly address one of the organization's stated priorities for 2016-2017: "Develop MOUs with GED and job skill training partners". Sigmund Freud was the first in a long line of psychologists to recognize the vital importance of work to one's self-concept and self-esteem. In addition to facilitating economic independence for Head Start and Early Head Start families, effective job training/placement would positively impact parent selfperceptions and the home environment for young children. The Geminus Guiding Principles recognize parents "as the first and most important teachers of their children". Clearly, self-esteem and selfconcept are important determinants of teacher effectiveness. Helping parents secure good paying jobs would dramatically benefit everyone. Consistent with the Geminus Strategic Plan, research could be conducted to evaluate the hypothesized positive impact of successful job training/placement on parents, the home environment, and ultimately children. Supportive research findings could significantly contribute to the Geminus goal of becoming a recognized innovative, evidence-based early learning school of excellence. We also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to promote entrepreneurship among Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. Legal Services The low satisfaction rating for Legal Services could be a function of availability and/or awareness. To expand the availability of legal services for Head Start and Early Head Start families, we recommend expanding the pool of "pro bono" providers by contacting/recontacting: (1) the Lake County and Porter County Bar Associations to request assistance or recommendations, (2) city and county judges in Lake and Porter Counties to request advice and recommendations, (3) administrators at the Valparaiso University School of Law to request advice and assistance, and (4) individual attorneys and law firms in Lake and Porter Counties to request "pro bono" assistance for parents. Given the national prominence of early childhood education and the strong reputation of Head Start, there may be an excellent opportunity to expand the number of attorneys/law firms willing to provide pro bono legal services to your families. After an expanded list of legal service providers is assembled, it could be copied and distributed through teachers to insure that parents are aware of what is available to them. Short workshops on common legal challenges could also be sponsored to raise awareness.

77 Requirement 6 - Community Resources/Programs That Could be Used to Address the Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Assessment Methodology Community resources/programs that could serve Head Start and Early Head Start children and their families were identified through: (1) reviews of several available community directories and (2) internet searches. Results The most comprehensive directories of regionally available resources/programs are those available from Geminus and the Northwest Indiana Community Action website (http://www.nwi211.com). Conclusions 1. Both Lake and Porter Counties have well-developed networks of public and private resources/programs to address the needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families. The survey data from Head Start and Early Head Start parents (discussed above in Requirement 5) confirmed that respondents felt that their needs were being effectively met by community resources/programs, with the one exception of good paying jobs. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for Head Start/Early Head Start children and families through the provision of direct educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services. 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess organization services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately. Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Organization Support Actively support organizations providing services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels.

78 Conclusions and Recommendations Based upon the results of this Community Needs Assessment, the conclusions drawn and recommendations offered for each of the six federal requirements earlier in the report are summarized in this section. Requirement 1 - Demographic Make-Up of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Families Conclusions 1. The total estimated number of HS-eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Lake County is 3,565, and in Porter County is 581, for a combined total of 4,146. 2. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible children, ages birth to 2, in Lake County is 5,349, and in Porter County is 871, for an overall total of 6,220. 3. The total estimated number of EHS-eligible pregnant women in Lake County is 2,111, and in Porter County is 344, for a grand total of 2,455 in the two counties. 4. Within Lake County, the highest concentrations of HS-eligible children and EHS-eligible children/pregnant women are in the following three townships: North, Calumet, and Hobart. 5. Within Porter County, the representation of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible participants is highest in the following three townships: Portage, Porter, and Center. 6. The racial and ethnic composition of both HS-eligible and EHS-eligible persons is more diverse in Lake County as compared to Porter County. Recommendations 1. Poverty-Proportional Reallocation of Center-Based HS Slots The data collected in this study can be utilized to assist Geminus policy makers in reallocating center-based HS funded slots to the 23 townships contained in the 2-county service delivery area. Table R-1 below provides a summary of the relevant information for Head Start eligible children. For each of the 23 townships in Lake and Porter Counties, the following data are displayed: (1) the estimated number of 3- and 4-year-olds living in poverty and the relative percentage of the total number of 4,146 for the two counties as a whole, (2) the current number of center-based funded students and the relative percentage of the total of 1,308, (3) the projected poverty-proportional (relative percentage of all HS-eligible children living in a given township) number of center-based funded students from Geminusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total of 1,308, and (4) the number of projected, poverty-proportional students, minus the number of current students.

79 Table R-1 Current Allocation and Poverty-Proportional Allocation of Geminusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1,308 Center-Based HS Slots for the 23 Townships in Lake and Porter Counties1

County Lake

Porter

Total 1

Township Calumet Cedar Creek Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of HS-Elig. Children and Pct. of Total

Current No. of HS Funded Students and Pct. of Total

326 (25.0%) 0 0 0 34 (2.6%) 258 (19.7%) 402 (30.7%) 132 (10.1%) 0 0 0 0 88 (6.7%) 0 0 0 0 0 68 (5.2%) 0 0 0 0 1,308

Projected PovertyProportional No. of 1,308 HS Funded Students 328 21 4 1 5 100 629 9 24 3 1 17 30 1 11 1 0 9 60 37 5 1 11 1,308

Projected PovertyProportional No. of Students Minus Current No. -2 +21 +4 +1 -29 -158 +227 -123 +24 +3 +1 +17 -58 +1 +11 +1 0 +9 -8 +37 +5 +1 +11

Estimation procedures generated by Indiana University Northwest Data Center, using 2013 American Community Survey, Lake and Porter County Township, FSSA, and IBRC data.

80 The data in Table R-1 show that the top three Lake and Porter County townships in need of more center-based funded slots for Head Start are: North Township (Lake) Porter Township (Porter) St. John Township (Lake)

+227 +37 +24.

The three townships with the highest numbers of excess center-based funded slots for Head Start are: Hobart Township (Lake) Ross Township (Lake) Center Township (Porter)

-158 -123 -58.

Lake County:

Porter County:

Cities & Towns (≥25,000 pop.) Crown Point East Chicago Gary Hammond Hobart Merrillville Schererville Portage Valparaiso

Unemployment Rate 7.2 11.7 10.5 8.7 9.0 7.8 5.7 7.9 5.8

81 served. Fortunately, exciting new or expanded initiatives are planned for 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the State of Indiana's On My Way Pre-K for Lake County and the substantial expansion of the Geminus Early Head Start program in Lake and Porter Counties. In order for these initiatives to most effectively address unmet needs, we believe that datadriven coordination with current preschool providers is essential. Geminus is uniquely qualified and positioned to provide this coordination leadership. We would like to propose a data-driven analytical framework to assist in these coordination efforts. We will use HS-eligible children to illustrate our recommended approach. It begins with the estimated number of these children in each of the 11 Lake County and 12 Porter County townships. From this total for each township, we will subtract: (1) the number of children enrolled in Geminus Head Start centers within the township and (2) the estimated number of HS-eligible children enrolled in Indiana FSSA Level 3 or 4 (indicators of high quality) preschool providers (based upon a telephone survey conducted by the IU Northwest Data Center in January 2015). After subtracting these two figures, one is left with the estimated number of HS-eligible children in each township who are currently not enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. All of this information is summarized below in Table R-2.

82 Table R-2 Summary of Overall Unmet Needs of Head Start-Eligible Children in Lake and Porter Counties

County Lake

Porter

Totals

Townships

Est. No. of HS-Eligible Children

Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

1,041 66 12 4 17 315 1,994 29 75 8 4 54 96 4 33 4 0 29 191 116 17 4 33 4,146

Current Geminus CenterBased HS Enrollment 326 0 0 0 34 258 402 132 0 0 0 0 88 0 0 0 0 0 68 0 0 0 0 1,3082

Est. FSSA Level 3 & 4 Enrollment

Est. No. of Unserved HS-Eligible Children

19 0 0 0 0 0 4071 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4271

696 66 12 4 -17 57 1,185 -103 75 8 4 54 7 4 33 4 0 29 123 116 17 4 33 2,411

Includes 349 children in the East Chicago School District's Title I preschool program. Does not include Geminus's 60 home-based HS students.

The results in Table R-2 indicate that there are a total of 2,411 HS-eligible children in Lake and Porter Counties who are not being served by high-quality preschool programs. From this total, we would subtract the 60 Geminus Head Start home-based children in various townships, leaving a final total of 2,351. Thus, an estimated 2,351 HS-eligible children are not currently receiving high-quality preschool education, or 56.7% of the total for the two counties of 4,146. They are concentrated in the following three townships: North (Lake) – 1,185 Calumet (Lake) – 696 Portage (Porter) – 123

83 Moving forward in 2015, this information can be useful in guiding the following important decisions: (1) where to locate/relocate centers or programs, (2) where to recruit or develop new FSSA Level 3 & 4 providers, and (3) where to recruit children for new or expanded programs. Again, we believe that Geminus is uniquely positioned to lead and coordinate data-based efforts to optimally serve HS-eligible children in the two-county area. Table R-3 Summary of Overall Unmet Needs of Early Head Start-Eligible Children in Lake and Porter Counties

County Lake

Porter

Totals

Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of EHS-Eligible Children

Est. FSSA Level 3 & 4 Enrollment

1,561 100 19 6 25 473 2,992 43 112 12 6 81 143 6 50 6 0 44 286 174 25 6 50 6,220

24 0 0 0 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 45

Est. No. of Unserved EHS-Eligible Children 1,537 100 19 6 25 473 2,971 43 112 12 6 81 143 6 50 6 0 44 286 174 25 6 50 6,175

Table R-3 provides data for EHS-eligible children, with three columns: (1) the estimated number in each township, (2) the estimated number enrolled in FSSA Level 3 & 4 providers, and (3) the total number of EHS-eligible children who are not being served. From the table, a total of 6,175 children are currently not enrolled in high-quality programs. From this figure, we would subtract the 124 children enrolled in the Geminus Early Head Start program, for a final total of 6,051. Thus, an estimated 6,051 EHS-eligible children are not currently enrolled in high-quality preschool educational programs, or 97.3% of the total. The three townships with the highest figures are: North (Lake) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2,971 Calumet (Lake) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1,537

84 Hobart (Lake) – 473 The distribution of estimated EHS-eligible pregnant women by township is provided below, with a total for the two counties of 2,455. Geminus currently serves 12 women in this category, leaving 2,443 unserved, or 99.5% of the total. County Lake

Porter

Total

Townships Calumet Cedar Lake Center Eagle Creek Hanover Hobart North Ross St. John West Creek Winfield Boone Center Jackson Liberty Morgan Pine Pleasant Portage Porter Union Washington Westchester

Est. No. of EHSEligible Pregnant Women 616 39 8 3 10 186 1,181 17 44 5 2 32 57 2 20 2 0 17 113 69 10 2 20 2,455

85 Requirement 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Other Child Development and Childcare Programs Serving Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children, Including Publicly Funded State and Local Preschool Programs Conclusions 1. There are 335 licensed or registered childcare providers (homes, centers, ministries) in Lake County, with a capacity of 7,727; not including ministries that have unregulated capacities. The total number of licensed or registered providers in Porter County is 46, with a capacity of 1,485. These capacity figures do not include any of the unlicensed/informal providers of childcare or babysitting services, and thus underestimate the total slots available in the two counties. 2. Of the 53 Level 3 and 4 childcare providers (similar in program quality to HS and EHS) in Lake and Porter Counties, 45 (85.0%) responded to the phone survey. The total numbers of enrolled Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children (including the East Chicago School District's Title One program) were respectively, 427 and 45. These figures represent very small percentages of the total number of HS and EHS-eligible children in the 2-county area: 427/4,146 or 10.3% for Head Start and 45/6,220 or 0.7% for Early Head Start. Even when combined with the children enrolled at Geminus, there are still large unmet needs, as discussed in the previous section. In total, it was estimated that 2,351 (56.7%) HS-eligible children are not currently being served. The figure is even higher for EHSeligible children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6,051 or 97.3%. 3. A total of 10 providers in Lake County have earned national accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), as indicated in Appendix A. The figure for Porter County is 3. 4. Of the 46 FSSA Level 3 and 4 providers in Lake County, the frequency in each of four major cities and towns is provided below: Gary - 14 Hammond - 12 East Chicago - 5 Merrillville - 5 Recommendations 1. Coordination to Address Unmet Needs As discussed in the preceding section on Requirement 1, we recommend that Geminus take a lead role in coordinating current services and projected future services in optimally addressing the huge unmet needs of HS- and EHS-eligble children in Lake and Porter Counties. 2. New Funding We recommend that Geminus continue its efforts to aggressively seek state, federal, and private funding to increase the number of HS and EHS children it serves. 3. Upgrade Local Capacity We recommend that Geminus expand its efforts to facilitate upgrading of the 325 FSSA Level 1 and 2 providers in the two counties to Levels 3 or 4. This would help to increase the number of HS-eligible and EHS-eligible children who have access to high-quality preschool educational programs. Hosting a regional conference at IU Northwest to draw attention to the continuing unmet needs in the two-county area and offer hands-on improvement workshops to interested Level 1 and 2 providers could be very helpful.

Requirement 3 - Children (Birth - 4) with Disabilities and Relevant Community Services/Resources Conclusions 1. The estimated number of children with disabilities, ages 0 to 4, in the two-county area is 2,525. Clearly, there is a strong need for disability-related services for these children and their families. 2. Within Lake and Porter Counties, there is a well-developed, easily accessible network of community organizations to serve the needs of young children with disabilities. These organizations are staffed by very dedicated, passionate individuals, committed to their mission of helping children with disabilities. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for young children with special needs and their families through the provision of individualized educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services. 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess agency disability services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately. Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Agency Support We recommend continued active support for agencies providing disability services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels. Requirement 4 - Evidence Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Conclusions include:

1. The educational needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families

87 (3) the need for ESL classes for the Spanish-speaking parents of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children, and (4) the prominent need for relevant job education/training and effective job placement services to overcome persistent barriers to employment as a function of lack of formal schooling, race, ethnicity, and age. 2. Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families have the following healthrelated needs: (1) the continuing high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area in 2013 document the substantial demand for healthcare services among families living in poverty, and the need for healthcare providers who accept Medicaid patients, (2) the persistently high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of healthcare services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, (3) the growing population of Spanish-speaking families, especially in Lake County, has resulted in an increased need for bilingual healthcare providers or translators in all medical facilities, and (4) high numbers of Medicaid recipients in the 2-county area result in strong demand for medical-necessity vouchers for public transportation to insure access to healthcare facilities. 3. Evidence of the critical and continuing importance of adequate nutrition to Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families can be found in the following statistics: (1) the persistently high numbers of individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (2) the stubbornly high number of WIC clients in the 2-county area provides compelling evidence of the continuing importance of nutritional support services for families with young children and pregnant women living in poverty, and (3) the continuing high numbers of public school children who qualify for free/reduced-cost lunches. 4. Head Start and Early Head Start children and families social service needs include: (1) the need for counseling and workshops to effectively address challenges facing families as a consequence of the slow economic recovery and related stresses that negatively impact mental/emotional health, relationships between couples, parenting, and children's wellbeing and development, (2) the need for adequate, affordable, safe housing, (3) the need for additional public and/or subsidized transportation to insure access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and social services,

88 (4) the need for continued support of foster families with young children, (5) the continued need for coordinated social services to deal with the increasing number of CHINS in Lake County, and (6) the continuing need for subsidized childcare to enable parents to participate in educational opportunities, seek and maintain employment, and attend scheduled appointments with healthcare/social service providers. Recommendations 1. Job Training We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing the job training challenge and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council announced their top overall priorities for 2015 (December 9, 2014, p. R2). Their first priority was for a 21st-Century Workforce, calling for the active involvement of business "in the education system, including curriculum development, to help students prepare for available job opportunities". We recommend that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. We discussed this topic with Robyn Minton, VP of Operations at The Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. and regional leader of Indiana's WorkOne program. She is very excited about possible collaboration with Geminus to provide targeted vocational training and funding support to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. She can be reached at rminton@innovativeworkforce.com. Indiana's senator, Joe Donnelly, has called for a "laser focus" to battle the "very true" skills gap facing Hoosiers. He cites examples of companies in Indiana establishing their own training programs (Toyota in Princeton) and closely collaborating with state educational institutions (Jasper Engine & Transmission). Senator Donnelly was also instrumental in securing a federal grant to Purdue Calumet's School of Technology to help address the skills gap. He could be very helpful in identifying funding to support effective job training for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Geminus's role in this process would be as a catalyst and advocate. This initiative would directly address one of the organization's stated priorities for 2016-2017: "Develop MOUs with GED and job skill training partners". Sigmund Freud was the first in a long line of psychologists to recognize the vital importance of work to one's self-concept and self-esteem. In addition to facilitating economic independence for Head Start and Early Head Start families, effective job training/placement would positively impact parent selfperceptions and the home environment for young children. The Geminus Guiding Principles recognize parents "as the first and most important teachers of their children". Clearly, self-esteem and selfconcept are important determinants of teacher effectiveness. Helping parents secure good paying jobs would dramatically benefit everyone.

89 Consistent with the Geminus Strategic Plan, research could be conducted to evaluate the hypothesized positive impact of successful job training/placement on parents, the home environment, and ultimately children. Supportive research findings could significantly contribute to the Geminus goal of becoming a recognized innovative, evidence-based early learning school of excellence. We also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to provide entrepreneurship training to interested Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Additional assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. High School Completion/GED Geminus should continue its efforts to work with community partners to offer high school completion/GED classes to Head Start and Early Head Start parents and encourage their participation. 3. College Education For those Head Start and Early Head Start parents with a desire to pursue higher education, Geminus should continue to collaborate with regional public and private colleges to encourage enrollment/retention and aggressively search for financial aid. 4. ESL Training Given the substantial percentage of Spanish-speaking Head Start and Early Head Start eligible families in Geminus's service area (especially Lake County), continuing efforts to offer ESL (English as Second Language) classes are certainly recommended. Improved facility with English will help families more effectively access healthcare, social services, educational programs, and employment opportunities. Additionally, Geminus can help to focus community attention on the need for bilingual service providers or translators, especially in all healthcare facilities. 5. Medicaid Expansion Given the recently announced expansion of Medicaid in Indiana (estimated to include 350,000 Hoosiers), we recommend that Geminus publicize the news to all HS and EHS families, help families to determine if they are eligible, and assist (directly or indirectly) families in completing the necessary application paperwork. 6. Housing Geminus should continue its support for substantial increases in government funding for public housing and housing choice vouchers. Collaboration with private organizations, like the Northwest Indiana Habitat for Humanity, could provide excellent opportunities for a limited number of HS and EHS families. Geminus could also help initiate a regional effort to upgrade currently available housing units for use by HS and EHS families. For example, according to Realtytrac.com, on February 7, 2015, there were 1,947 foreclosed homes for sale in Lake County and 688 in Porter County. Perhaps Geminus could facilitate the formation of a coalition of local governments, nonprofits, foundations, builders/contractors, and mortgage lenders to begin renovating some of these properties for use by HS and EHS families and seek funding to continue this effort. 7. Transportation In order to meet the transportation challenges facing Head Start and Early Head Start parents, we offer the following recommendations: (1) contact owners of the tax firms in Lake and Porter Counties and request free or reduced-cost tokens for parental transportation, (2) collaborate with WorkOne (Robyn Minton, VP of Operations, rminton@innovativeworkforce.com) to

90 secure vocational training/internships for parents with accompanying transportation support in the form of gas cards or bus passes, and (3) explore local, state, and federal sources for expanded transportation funding for parents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bus passes, taxi vouchers, and/or gas cards. 8. Childcare Vouchers Geminus should continue and intensify its efforts to support increased funding for childcare vouchers. These are essential in supporting HS and EHS parents as they seek employment and educational opportunities. Requirement 5 - Data from Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Families and Community Organizations Serving Young Children Concerning the Education, Health, Nutrition, and Social Service Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Conclusions Head Start and Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both Head Start samples (HS and Non HS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the HS group was 7.7/10, while that for the Non HS group was 7.6/10. From the perspective of these Head Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs. (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, none of the item means for either the HS or Non HS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". Thus, the survey results did not identify any significant problem areas or weaknesses. 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.5/10 for the HS group and 7.3/10 for the Non HS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 25 means on the survey for the HS group was 9.2/10 for "Education, K12â&#x20AC;?, and for the non HS group it was 9.1/10, for both "Medical Care" and "Health Insurance (Medicaid)". (3) For both groups, the lowest item means on the entire survey were for "Good Paying Jobs", 5.4/10 for HS parents and 5.6/10 for Non HS parents. 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met for both groups of parents. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for HS parents and 8.5/10 for Non HS parents.

91 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (HS = 8.4; Non HS = 8.9), suggesting that family needs in this area were being well met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.3/10 (HS) and 7.2/10 (Non HS), indicating general need satisfaction. Interpretation When interpreting the results of this survey, it is important to note that the sample of parents was not randomly selected. Thus, the sample may differ in important ways from the larger population of Head Start eligible parents in the two-county area. Early Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Parents The following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the analysis of the Early Head Start eligible parent survey responses: 1. Overall (1) The parents in both samples (EHS and Non EHS) indicated that their families' needs were being reasonably well met in most areas. The overall average of the 25 item means for the EHS group was 7.6/10, while that for the Non EHS group was 7.4/10. From the perspective of Early Head Start eligible parents, the family support systems in Lake and Porter Counties were functioning effectively to meet their needs. (2) On the 1-10 scale used in the survey, only one of the item means for the EHS or Non EHS groups was below "5", defined as "Met Partially". For the Non EHS parents, the mean for "Good Paying Jobs" was 3.7. None of the other item means indicated significant problem areas or weaknesses. 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall average of the 10 item means in this category was 7.2/10 for the EHS group and 7.1/10 for the Non EHS group, indicating that family needs were essentially being met. (2) The highest of the 10 means for the EHS group was 8.8/10 for "Education, K-12". For the Non EHS parents, the largest mean was 8.2 for "Income Assistance". (3) The lowest item mean on the entire survey for EHS parents was 5.0 for "Job Training". As mentioned above, for Non EHS parents, the lowest mean was 3.7 for "Good Paying Jobs". 3. Health (1) The results strongly suggest that family health-related needs were being effectively met. (2) The overall average of the six item means in this category was 8.5/10 for EHS parents and 8.2/10 for Non EHS parents.

92 4. Nutrition (1) Mean responses to the one item addressing nutrition were high in both groups (EHS = 8.1; Non EHS = 8.6), suggesting that family needs in this area were being met. 5. Social Services (1) The overall averages of the eight item means in this category were 7.2/10 (EHS) and 7.1/10 (Non EHS), indicating general need satisfaction. Interpretation When interpreting the results of this survey, it is important to note that the sample of parents was not randomly selected. Thus, the sample may differ in important ways from the larger population of Early Head Start eligible parents in the two-county area. Agency Administrators The following conclusions can be drawn from the analysis of agency administrator survey responses. 1. Overall The overall average for the 25 items was 6.9/10, with two means slightly below the scale midpoint: 4.6/10 for "Good Paying Jobs" and 4.8/10 for "Legal Services". The overall item mean for the agency administrator sample was lower than those for the Head Start and Early Head Start eligible parent groups:

Overall Mean for 25 Items Number of Item Means Below 5

Agency Administrators

HS Parents

Non HS Parents

EHS Parents

Non EHS Parents

6.9

7.7

7.6

7.1

93 2. Education/Training/Jobs (1) The overall mean for the 10 items in this category was 6.9/10, almost two points above the midpoint of the 1-10 scale. (2) The highest rated item was "Childcare/Daycare", at 8.0/10. (3) The lowest rated item (as mentioned above) was for "Good Paying Jobs", at 4.6/10. 3. Health (1) The overall average for the six items in this category was 7.4/10, suggesting that these needs are being met. (2) The highest rated item in this category was "Medical Care", with a mean of 8.1/10. (3) The lowest rated item was for "Substance Abuse Prevention Services" - 6.8/10. 4. Nutrition (1) The mean among agency administrators for the one item addressing nutrition was 7.4/10, indicating reasonable satisfaction in this need category. 5. Social Services (1) The overall mean for the eight items in this category was 6.6/10, well above the midpoint. (2) The largest item mean in this category was for "Nearby Churches" at 8.4/10. (3) The lowest rated item in this category was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Legal Servicesâ&#x20AC;? - 4.8/10. Combined Groups Analyses of all five respondent groups combined were conducted to draw general conclusions. The overall averages for survey items are provided below. 1. Education/Training/Jobs Averages for the five combined groups on the 10 items related to education/training/jobs were: Need Childcare/Daycare Preschool Programs Education, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade High School/GED Completion Classes English as Second Language (ESL) Classes Parenting Classes/Assistance Job Training Job Search and Placement Services

Mean 7.5 8.2 8.5 8.2 7.1 7.3 6.3 6.2

94 Good Paying Jobs Income Assistance (welfare, social security, unemployment)

5.0 7.6

Mean 8.6 8.3 8.0 7.7 8.3 8.5

Mean 6.4 7.0 7.4 6.3 6.0 7.3 8.4 7.8

95 Good Paying Jobs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5.0 Legal Services â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6.0 Job Search and Placement Services â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6.2 Recommendations 1. Good Paying Jobs/Job Training/Job Search The lowest rated survey item for all responding groups was "Good Paying Jobs", with similarly low ratings for "Job Training" and "Job Search". We recommend that Geminus take a lead role in addressing these issues and the "job skills gap" discussed earlier in this report. Head Start and Early Head Start parents need training and apprenticeship programs that provide the work skills needed by area employers, leading to jobs offering a living wage and an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council announced their top overall priorities for 2015 (December 9, 2014, p. R2). Their first priority was for a 21st-Century Workforce, calling for the active involvement of business "in the education system, including curriculum development, to help students prepare for available job opportunities". We recommend that Geminus enlist the participation and support of regional employers, employer organizations (chambers of commerce), non-profits (WorkOne, The Center of Workforce Innovations), regional educational institutions, concerned political leaders and potential funding sources in formulating high-potential training/apprenticeship programs for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. We discussed this topic with Robyn Minton, VP of Operations at The Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. and regional leader of Indiana's WorkOne program. She is very excited about possible collaboration with Geminus to provide targeted vocational training and funding support to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. She can be reached at rminton@innovativeworkforce.com. Indiana's senator, Joe Donnelly, has called for a "laser focus" to battle the "very true" skills gap facing Hoosiers. He cites examples of companies in Indiana establishing their own training programs (Toyota in Princeton) and closely collaborating with state educational institutions (Jasper Engine & Transmission). Senator Donnelly was also instrumental in securing a federal grant to Purdue Calumet's School of Technology to help address the skills gap. He could be very helpful in identifying funding to support effective job training for Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Geminus's role in this process would be as a catalyst and advocate. This initiative would directly address one of the organization's stated priorities for 2016-2017: "Develop MOUs with GED and job skill training partners". Sigmund Freud was the first in a long line of psychologists to recognize the vital importance of work to one's self-concept and self-esteem. In addition to facilitating economic independence for Head Start and Early Head Start families, effective job training/placement would positively impact parent selfperceptions and the home environment for young children. The Geminus Guiding Principles recognize parents "as the first and most important teachers of their children". Clearly, self-esteem and selfconcept are important determinants of teacher effectiveness. Helping parents secure good paying jobs would dramatically benefit everyone. Consistent with the Geminus Strategic Plan, research could be conducted to evaluate the hypothesized positive impact of successful job training/placement on parents, the home environment,

96 and ultimately children. Supportive research findings could significantly contribute to the Geminus goal of becoming a recognized innovative, evidence-based early learning school of excellence. We also recommend that Geminus consider partnering with regional government agencies (Small Business Development Center) and educational institutions to promote entrepreneurship among Head Start and Early Head Start parents. Assistance could be provided in formulating business plans, securing start-up funding, and beginning operations (perhaps in a business incubator location). The basic premise is, if good jobs are hard to find, start your own company. Current and former Head Start and Early Head Start parents who are successful small business owners could serve as powerful role models and advisors. 2. Legal Services The low satisfaction rating for Legal Services could be a function of availability and/or awareness. To expand the availability of legal services for Head Start and Early Head Start families, we recommend expanding the pool of "pro bono" providers by contacting/recontacting: (1) the Lake County and Porter County Bar Associations to request assistance or recommendations, (2) city and county judges in Lake and Porter Counties to request advice and recommendations, (3) administrators at the Valparaiso University School of Law to request advice and assistance, and (4) individual attorneys and law firms in Lake and Porter Counties to request "pro bono" assistance for parents. Given the national prominence of early childhood education and the strong reputation of Head Start, there may be an excellent opportunity to expand the number of attorneys/law firms willing to provide pro bono legal services to your families. After an expanded list of legal service providers is assembled, it could be copied and distributed through teachers to insure that parents are aware of what is available to them. Short workshops on common legal challenges could also be sponsored to raise awareness. Requirement 6 - Community Resources/Programs That Could be Used to Address the Needs of Head Start and Early Head Start Eligible Children and Their Families Conclusions 1. Both Lake and Porter Counties have well-developed networks of public and private resources/programs to address the needs of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and their families. The survey data from Head Start and Early Head Start parents (discussed above in Requirement 5) confirmed that respondents felt that their needs were being effectively met by community resources/programs, with the one exception of good paying jobs. Recommendations 1. Continued Advocacy Geminus should continue its strong and effective advocacy for Head Start/Early Head Start children and families through the provision of direct educational services and the coordination/assurance of other required social services. 2. Service Monitoring and Reporting As part of its advocacy role for HS and EHS children and their families, we recommend that Geminus develop a short service quality survey that would be used to assess organization services provided to parents and their children. Parents would be asked to complete surveys after receiving services and return them to Geminus. On an annual basis, statistically summarized survey results could be shared with partner agencies in order to recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. Of course, significant problems would be dealt with immediately.

97 Using this data-based approach, Geminus could more effectively monitor the quality of services being provided, initiate improvement efforts, and advocate for children and families. 3. Organization Support Actively support organizations providing services to HS and EHS families in their efforts to identify and access additional funding sources at the local, state, and federal levels.

98 Appendix A FSSA Level 3 and 4 Childcare Providers in Lake and Porter Counties Childcare Provider Charlotte R. Riley Child Center/Purdue University Calumet Creative Kids Care Elka Child Educational Center God’s Christian Academy Heaven Sent Home Day Care

Applicant Name Tamra Bottomlee

PTQ Level 4

Lutisha Johnson Gina Y Hill

Lynel JonesHolloway Heaven Sent Home Day Care

Kinder Care Learning Center #1339 LISA'S SAFE HAVEN DAY CARE & LISA’S SAFE HAVEN II

Melissa Fuller

LISA JOHNSON

MICHELLE'S WORLD OF LEARNING DAYCARE Ms Ann's Celestial Education People’s Day Care

Michelle Townsend

Premier Child Care & Learning Centers Robertson Child Development Center, Inc. SUZETTE CRITTLE-GIBSON Woodland Child Development Center

Address

Phone

2250 173rd St., Hammond, IN, 46323 LAKE

(219) 989-2343

106

46410 LAKE 1953 Georgia Street, Gary, IN, 46407 LAKE 46406 LAKE 46323 LAKE

(219) 887-1565 (219) 882-3552

(219) 977-1915 (773) 216-5778

9735 Prairie Avenue, Highland, IN, 46322 LAKE 46312 LAKE

(219) 922-8220

137

(219) 398-5703

46324 LAKE

(219) 937-9141

Ann Brown

46320 LAKE

(708) 738-8292

Patricia Kelly

46408 LAKE

(219) 980-8707

Darcy L Griffin

(219) 865-5437

252

Joyce Dix

(219) 398-7232

Suzette CrittleGibson, Onique Gibson Nina S DavisBurton

1100 Eagle Ridge Drive, Schererville, IN, 46375 LAKE 4860 Olcott Avenue, East Chicago, IN, 46312 LAKE 46407 LAKE

(219) 883-2145

3027 J.F. Mahoney Drive, Hammond, IN, 46323 LAKE

(219) 844-3603

263

Capacity

163

Accreditation(s) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

National Early ChildHood Program Accreditation (NECPA) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Early ChildHood Program Accreditation (NECPA) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

99 Childcare Provider A Mother’s Gentle Touch AJ’s Angels

Applicant Name Kimberly Stinson Amanda Stark

BeBe's Child Care Bright Beginnings Academy, Inc. Caring Heart, Open Arms, Childcare Ministry Cherie's Garden in the Gates Child Enrichment Center / CEC of Schererville Inc. Children First Learning Center Foundation Children First Learning Center, Inc. Construction Zone, The

Betty Lomax

Marty S Johnson

South Lake Worship Center

Cherie Kelly

Jan Levy

Candace D Ziese

Good Shepherd Day Care Center Grandma Lois TLC In Good Hands Kids Are People, Too! Kids Choice Child Care Kidzone Learning Center, Inc.

PTQ Level 3

Address

Phone

46324 LAKE 46323 LAKE 46402 LAKE 216 East 90th Drive, Merrillville, IN, 46410 LAKE 3440 West 61st Avenue, Hobart, IN, 46342 LAKE

(219) 844-6241 (219) 937-7358 (219) 882-0294 (219) 736-7789

10750 Arbor Lane , St. John, IN, 46373 LAKE 5221 Fountain Drive, Crown Point, IN, 46307 LAKE

(219) 365-9700

(219) 736-5437

195

807 Merrillville Road Crown Point, IN, 46307

(219) 663-3678

109

Heather Goldthorpe

(219) 663-3678

Constance V Pflaum

(219) 696-8218

Rhonda K Hillegonds

(219) 769-3601

213

TreVira Burks

3 3

(219) 554-5577 (219) 844-0065 (219) 588-6510

Caterina BosioRuiz Rolanda Hairston, Delshawn Fergerson Marlene Norris

815 Merrillville Rd. Crown Point, IN, 46307 LAKE 17645 Morse, Lowell, IN, 46356 LAKE 9000 Taft Street, Merrillville, IN, 46410 LAKE 46320 LAKE 46323 LAKE 46410 LAKE

(219) 939-7314 (219) 661-0665

Crystal M South

46409 LAKE 10971 Four Seasons Pl. Suite 500 Crown Point, IN, 46307 LAKE

Capacity

Accreditation(s)

12 12 12 150

(219) 942-0839

Ministry – Capacity not limited by regulations

12 12

100 Childcare Applicant Provider Name Leaping Ayanna Lomax Learners Day Care and Learning Center Learn and Play I Learn and Play II Li’l Tykes Daycare, Inc Little People, Big Hearts Merchants of Hope Enrichment Academy Mind Shapers Home Day Care My Safari Preparatory Academy My School Child Care and Learning Center New Beginnings Christian Child Care Northlake Preschool Academy Pathways Two Secret’s Loving Care SUZE-QUE'S / QUE'S KIDZ II Tender Care TENDER HEART'S The Creative Minds

PTQ Level 3

3 3

Address

Phone

Capacity

46409 LAKE

(219) 980-2766

46323 LAKE 46323 LAKE 46407 LAKE 46404 LAKE 3741 Martin Luther King Drive, East Chicago, IN, 46312 LAKE 46410 LAKE 3931 Broadway Gary, IN 46409 LAKE 7953 East 106th Avenue, Crown Point, IN, 46307 LAKE 46312 LAKE

(219) 844-4133 (219) 844-4133 (219) 977-0820 (219) 944-7257 (219) 398-9810

(219) 736-8387 (219) 884-1970

(219) 662-6350

(219) 397-6028

Decerrie Riley

Shalondra Scott Lisa R Johnson

Mary Campbell Starr Hoskins

Kathleen Hruby

Lisa Johnson

Carlene Reyes

46408 LAKE

(219) 980-0840

Georgie Haskins Stephan Sherrod Suzette Crittle-Gibson, Onique Gibson Phyllis Whaley

46402 LAKE 46320 LAKE 46407 LAKE

(219) 886-2175 (219) 201-1054 (219) 883-2145

Octavia McLaurin

(219) 354-0440 (219) 972-0763 (219) 221-9768

COLEEN LAND

46312 LAKE 46319 LAKE 46404 LAKE

3 3

Accreditation(s)

12 12 37

12 16

12 12

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)

101

Childcare Provider The Learning Ladder Tiny Tots Daycare and Preschool Train Up a Child LLC

Applicant Name Nicole Brewer

PTQ Level 3

Tina Bachan

TRAIN UP A CHILD LLC

Address

Phone

46404 LAKE 46356 LAKE

(219) 944-7336 (219) 696-9923

46307 LAKE

(219) 662-8382

Source: Indiana Family & Social Services Administration Child Care Locator: https://secure.in.gov/apps/fssa/carefinder/index.html

Capacity

Accreditation(s)

102

Childcare Provider Growing Kids

Applicant Name Angela C Reyes

PTQ Level 4

Address

Phone

Ladybugs and Bumblebees Education Station LLC The Learning Tree

Janet Kissinger

Wendy Jenkins

Learning Tree, Too

3400 Campbell St, Valparaiso, IN, 46383 PORTER 46383 PORTER

(219) 462-7777

238

(219) 707-5657

46383 PORTER

(219) 242-8703

Wendy Jenkins

46383 PORTER

(219) 464-8232

Ready to Learn Childcare

Jennifer Quartucci

46383 PORTER

(219) 531-8638

Wee Care Child Development Center, Inc.

Jody Bono

421 Sand Creek Drive, Chesterton, IN, 46304 PORTER

(219) 929-4694

Wee Care Child Development Center, Ltd.

Jessica DePriest

1750 Thornapple Circle, Valparaiso, IN, 46385 PORTER

(219) 462-1214

114

Hilltop Neighborhood House, Inc. LaPetite Academy

Immanuel Lutheran Church Rachel E Mitchell

(219) 477-4222

Little U Academy

Jeannine Hornback

T-N-T Daycare

Theresa Bryson

460 South College Ave., Valparaiso, IN, 46383 PORTER 131 Venturi Drive, Chesterton, IN, 46304 PORTER 751 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, IN, 46383 PORTER 46385 PORTER

Capacity

(219) 983-1757

138

(219) 840-5458

168

(219) 762-5518

Source: Indiana Family & Social Services Administration Child Care Locator: https://secure.in.gov/apps/fssa/carefinder/index.html

Accreditation(s) National Early ChildHood Program Accreditation (NECPA) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Capacity not limited by regulations National Early ChildHood Program Accreditation (NECPA)

103 Appendix B Community Needs Survey

Please help us in conducting a Community Needs Survey for our local Head Start Program. We are interested in how well the needs of your family are currently being met in the specific areas listed below. Please circle your answer on the 1-10 scale from "1 = Not Met at All" to "10 = Met Completely." Please write in any comments you have about each area. No one's name will be associated with any of the information given. Thanks in advance for helping us. Need Areas 1. Medical Care Comments: