Families are Safe and Economically Stable (Queen Anne's) (Formerly Stability)
Story Behind the Curve
The LMB seeks to work closely with DHCS and the COC to address housing shortages resulting from the lack of available and affordable housing particularly for the region’s marginalized populations. HUD’s annual count of homelessness in Maryland estimates that homelessness in Maryland has declined overall between 2010 and 2011. On the Mid-Shore of Maryland, homelessness rates by household counts are trending upwards. Reasons for this increase could include the increase in foreclosures, increase in rents that landlords charge because it is harder to own a home, the ongoing difficulty for people to find jobs and, possibly, high substance abuse rates. The LMB plans to address these concerns by implementing strategies like the Open Table Program, support DHCS as they build the Our Haven Homeless Shelter and by supporting other organizations on the Mid-Shore who are working to create families who are financially self-sufficient.
From 2006 to 2011, child poverty rates in Queen Anne’s County trended upward at a rate that was close to that of the State of Maryland. However, the actual percentages in Queen Anne’s County were lower than the State at each data point. The latest data points from 2012, 2013 and 2014 show a decrease from 2011. We believe that the number will continue to trend downward. It is believed that the cause for the increase in child poverty in Queen Anne’s County is virtually the same as the causes for increased rates in Maryland and across the United States. Most of those reasons are related to the “Great Recession” and all that goes along with such an event. Many people lost jobs or were moved to jobs that paid less while expenses increased or stayed the same. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University, low wages and unstable employment leave families struggling to make ends meet. Research shows that poverty can impede children’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, and behavioral problems. Poverty also can contribute to poor health and mental health. Risks are greatest for children who experience poverty when they are young and/or experience deep and persistent poverty. But effective public policies such as providing high-quality early care and learning experiences for children can make a difference. Investments in the most vulnerable children are also critical. The LMB supports these and other initiatives whole heartedly.Strategies to improve these indicators
- Character Counts
- Chesapeake Helps
- Healthy Families
- The Open Tables Program Committee
- Mid-Shore Continuum of Care
- Our Haven Shelter Project
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Citizen involvement in the community and knowledge of services promotes the health and development of children and families.
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