COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS
I. AGENCY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Council of Southern Mountains is a private non-profit corporation. The Council is a Community Action Agency that serves
1. To promote and facilitate financial, social, and psychological self-sufficiency.
2. To contribute to the revitalization and resurrection of
3. To empower the participants and/or recipients to take control over their futures.
Programs have been established to assist in accomplishing these goals. The mission of The Council of the Southern Mountains is to develop, promote a broad-based, community driven methodology that will assure social competency and autonomy of
1. Providing services and opportunities that promote self sufficiency;
2. Providing opportunities for community improvement and revitalization;
3. Encouraging
4. Providing services and opportunities in strengthening family and other supportive systems.
The Council of the Southern Mountains services offers families with opportunities and support for growth and change, believing people can identify their own strengths, needs, and interests, and are capable of finding solutions.
The Council’s short term goals are:
- · To continue to provide high quality services;
- · To continue to grow in our collaborations with other social service agencies;
- · To be creative/innovative in ways to enhance services provided to
McDowell County
The Council’s long term goals are:
- · To develop additional community partnerships in order to maximize services;
- · To assist families with life and career development to obtain self sufficiency;
- · To promote program governance that encompasses grassroots leadership
II. SERVICE AREA CATEGORY
McDowell encompasses 539.40 square miles of mountainous terrain and is the southernmost County in
The State of West Virginia Department of Highways’ surface type mileage system shows that
The county seat, Welch, is still the main center of educational, economic, political and civic activity. Unfortunately, the times and economy have changed in the County and most residents travel to neighboring counties and states for grocery, clothing, and major purchases. The coal industry is no longer the dominant industry or the principal employer in County or in
Much of
Existing homes must be conserved and additional housing must be built that creates homeownership opportunities for low and moderate income families, subsidized/public housing for the poor and market rate unites for those who can bear such costs.
III. TRANSPORTATION
Transportation remains a concern considering that there are no major or four lane highways. The roads are narrow, two lane, and winding roads with many single-lane bridges. Some roads are impassable, graveled and rutted by the weather. These roads are considered orphan roads and maintained only by the residents living in the community.
In addition to the tough terrain of the mountains, extreme fuel costs cause hardships for all those with vehicles and those who must arrange transportation through other means.
The Council of Southern Mountains arranges through some programs, transportation for clients to appointments. Also, there is a dependable, affordable and accessible public transportation system. However, the routes are limited to certain areas of the County.
IV. INFRASTRUCTURE-WATER/SEWAGE
The County’s water, sewage, and solid waste facilities remain in poor condition. In all but a few areas, these facilities do not exist at all. Indeed, untreated wastewater is discharged into the
There are four major water;/sewage systems in the County- the City of Gary, the City of Bradshaw, the McDowell County PSD, and the city of Welch. In the Sandy River District of McDowell County, there are currently families that do not have adequate plumbing and sewage. They rely on natural springs and wells for their water source. In many of these homes, bathroom facilities are still not a fixture of the main living area.
V. ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
The meager resources of
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Top Five Employers |
Number Employed |
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707 |
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Wal-Mart Associates |
349 |
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310 |
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Brooks Run Mining |
163 |
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McDowell
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161 |
With an unemployment rate of 8.1%, there are 6,500 people employed in the County. According to the West Virginia Bureau of Employment Programs this is an increase of 180 over the previous total of 6,320 in 2007. As shown in the table below, the employers with the highest average number employed include Service providing industry. The other areas include:
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Type of Employment |
Number Employed |
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Service Providing |
4,990 |
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Private Sector Providing |
3,100 |
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Local/State/Federal Government |
1,890 |
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Good Producing/Mining |
1,260 |
VI. POPULATION DECLINE
The population of the County has steadily declined. According to the 1970 U.S. Census, the population declined from 50,666 to 35,233 from 1960. The population further declined to 27,329 residents in the County in the year 2000. The United States Census Bureau reported that the population growth was behind the rest of the State by 22.4% while the statewide average loss was 0.8%. The U.S. Census Bureau reports a decrease again in the count population since 2000. The estimated figure reported for 2007 is 22,991, a decrease of 4,338 people.
Please see the listing below for the latest Census Bureau statistics on
State & County QuickFacts
McDowell County , West Virginia
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Want more? Browse data sets for McDowell County |
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People Quick Facts |
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Population, 2006 estimate |
23,882 |
1,818,470 |
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Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 |
-12.6% |
0.6% |
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Population, 2000 |
27,329 |
1,808,344 |
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Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2006 |
6.0% |
5.8% |
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Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2006 |
21.9% |
21.4% |
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Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2006 |
15.7% |
15.3% |
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Female persons, percent, 2006 |
52.2% |
51.0% |
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White persons, percent, 2006 (a) |
88.3% |
94.9% |
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Black persons, percent, 2006 (a) |
10.6% |
3.3% |
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American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2006 (a) |
0.2% |
0.2% |
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Asian persons, percent, 2006 (a) |
0.1% |
0.6% |
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Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2006 (a) |
Z |
Z |
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Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2006 |
0.8% |
0.9% |
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Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2006 (b) |
0.6% |
0.9% |
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White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2006 |
87.8% |
94.1% |
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Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over |
75.7% |
63.3% |
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Foreign born persons, percent, 2000 |
0.5% |
1.1% |
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Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000 |
1.4% |
2.7% |
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High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000 |
50.0% |
75.2% |
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Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000 |
5.6% |
14.8% |
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Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000 |
10,180 |
410,781 |
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Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000 |
32.6 |
26.2 |
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Housing units, 2006 |
13,589 |
877,784 |
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Homeownership rate, 2000 |
80.1% |
75.2% |
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Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000 |
5.4% |
12.0% |
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Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 |
$22,600 |
$72,800 |
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Households, 2000 |
11,169 |
736,481 |
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Persons per household, 2000 |
2.42 |
2.40 |
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Median household income, 2004 |
$19,090 |
$33,993 |
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Per capita money income, 1999 |
$10,174 |
$16,477 |
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Persons below poverty, percent, 2004 |
33.0% |
16.2% |
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Business QuickFacts |
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Private nonfarm establishments, 2005 |
324 |
40,7351 |
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Private nonfarm employment, 2005 |
2,919 |
565,4991 |
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Private nonfarm employment, percent change 2000-2005 |
-21.9% |
1.3%1 |
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Nonemployer establishments, 2005 |
564 |
89,872 |
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Total number of firms, 2002 |
931 |
113,087 |
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Black-owned firms, percent, 2002 |
S |
1.3% |
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American Indian and Alaska Native owned firms, percent, 2002 |
F |
0.4% |
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Asian-owned firms, percent, 2002 |
F |
1.1% |
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Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander owned firms, percent, 2002 |
F |
0.0% |
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Hispanic-owned firms, percent, 2002 |
F |
0.6% |
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Women-owned firms, percent, 2002 |
19.1% |
27.7% |
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Manufacturers shipments, 2002 ($1000) |
NA |
18,911,332 |
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Wholesale trade sales, 2002 ($1000) |
D |
10,924,279 |
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Retail sales, 2002 ($1000) |
106,823 |
16,747,900 |
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Retail sales per capita, 2002 |
$4,099 |
$9,277 |
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Accommodation and foodservices sales, 2002 ($1000) |
5,282 |
1,974,851 |
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Building permits, 2006 |
3 |
5,645 |
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Federal spending, 2004 ($1000) |
277,807 |
15,183,4961 |
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Geography QuickFacts |
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Land area, 2000 (square miles) |
534.72 |
24,077.73 |
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Persons per square mile, 2000 |
51.1 |
75.1 |
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FIPS Code |
047 |
54 |
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Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Area |
None |
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VII. POVERTY POPULATION
A majority of
Given the County’s limited resources, education outcomes for residents of the county have not been encouraging. For example, of the County’s population age 25 and older, 50% have a high school education. The high school dropout rate for
According to Kids’ Count, the percentage of children living in poverty has risen from 21.9% in 2000 to 22.6% in 2006. The number of children approved for free and reduced price school meals is 84.6%.
VIII. HEALTH ISSUES
The State Department of Health and Human Resources released data showing
The Council of Southern Mountains currently offers Title XIX MR/DD Waiver services and Aged and Disabled Waiver services to McDowell and Mercer counties as funded by Medicaid. These services includes transportation and self-help training for disabled citizens as well as in-home assistance. As
IX. NEEDS OF
As based on a Community Needs Assessment instrument developed by the Council and distributed throughout the County, in addition to placement on the agency website and Survey Monkey, (copy of survey results attached) a listing of County needs follows:
Number One: Jobs paying a living wage. 65.8% of the survey respondents listed
this as the greatest need for this county.
Number Two: Jobs-Economic Development. 61.6% of respondents listed this as
one of the top five needs of
Number Three: Better Roads were listed third at 56.8%.
Number Four: Improved Educational System came in fourth at 54.1%.
Number Five: More after school/summer recreational programs for children at
39%.
In order to identify the next major community needs, the next five categories by percentage of respondents is listed below:
Number Six: Better Childcare at 34.9%.
Number Seven: Better Recreational Facilities at 32.9%
Number Eight: Improved Infrastructure(Water/Sewage Disposal) at 29.5%
Number Nine: Better/Affordable Housing was next listed at 24.7%
Number Ten: Summer Feeding Program for Youth at 16.4%
The remaining identified needs, by highest percentage were:
Number Eleven: Community Programs to Decrease Teen Pregnancies at 15.1%
Number Twelve: More Post Secondary (College) Classes in the County at 10.3%
Number Thirteen: Improved Cell Phone Reception (For Economic
Development) at 7.5 %
Number Fourteen: Programs to
Number Fifteen: Tourism Initiatives at 2.7%
In regard to the five greatest needs of the individuals surveyed, the following were identified:
Number One: More Money to Help Support Family/Less Debt at 58.7%
Number Two: Better Health Care was answered by 56.6%
Number Three: A Better Job at 39.9%
Number Four: Better Public Transportation at 32.9%
Number Five: Personal Transportation (A Car) 32.2%
The next categories of personal identified needs include:
Number Six: Community Programs to Decrease Teen Pregnancies at 15.1%
Number Seven: More Post-Secondary (College) Classes at 10.3%
Number Eight: Improved Cell Phone Reception for Economic Development at
7.5%.
Number Nine: Programs to
Number Ten: Tourism Initiatives for Economic Development at 2.7%. This
was the final category for individual needs measured.
X. NEEDS IDENTIFIED/NEEDS ADDRESSED
The Council of the Southern Mountains continues to provide training through several programs to interested individuals, in order to address some of the issues and concerns throughout the County. Classes for the Commercial Drivers’ License and Pharmacy Technician are offered at the agency’s Central Office facility. The topics expresses as major concerns include: jobs paying a living wage, economic development, better roads, more recreation programs for children, better recreational facilities, better childcare, improved infrastructure, better housing, and community programs to decrease teen pregnancies. The Council of the Southern Mountains provides information to families in the form of literature, workshops, websites, referrals to available resources through a modified case management intervention strategy.
Information and referrals are also mad available to the community which include, but are not limited to: public transportation, clothing, housing rehabilitation, adult education, housing assistance, tax assistance, utility assistance, family support, delinquency prevention, Had Start services, nutrition, disability assistance, financial management, and substance abuse prevention services.
XI. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Discussion groups, surveys to local elected officials, CSM Board members and the general public were utilized to develop this 2008 Community Needs Assessment. All the respondents were residents of
The percentage of high school graduates was 38.7% while 8.0% were college graduates. 21.3% did not graduate from high school and 2.7 percent had less than an eighth grade education. 3.3% had a graduate degree. 38.3% were married while 30.2% was single. 12.8% were divorced and 16.1% were widowed.
Within the survey group, 54.5% reported a bankruptcy, indicating the economic hardship of the area, while 45.5% reported raising their children in a single parent home. A very large percentage, 72.5% owns their own home while 16.9% rent. Only 2.1% live in public housing and 7.0% report living with family. A large percentage, 75%, report not receiving food stamps while surprisingly 53.3% report no need for weatherization of their homes, leaving 46.7 needing the help. Thirty percent had utilized a food pantry within the past 12 months and 21.3% report they do not have enough food to provide three meals per day in their homes.
In regard to health insurance, 34.7% have Medicare, indicating the age of the survey group, while 31.3 have employer provided insurance. Medicaid had a 19.7% while 6.8% report personal paid coverage. Of the group, 7.5% do not have type of coverage which was a surprising result. However, 61.7% report that at some point, they could not go to a doctor or dentist because they did not have the money.
In reference to financial inquiry, 84.4% presently have a checking account while 51.0% have a savings account. Of those that responded, 49% have a credit card with only 2.8% having filed for bankruptcy in the last 5 years. Again, due to the age percentage of the respondents and number unemployed, 28% did not file tax returns this year. Of those that did, 5.9% file the traditional paper return, 8.5% do their taxes on-line, 20.3% have a friend or relative filing assistance and 24.6% pay a tax preparer to complete their tax returns. Only 12.7% go to a free tax service.
Not surprisingly, due to the percentage of older adults completing the survey and the rate of unemployment and lack of training programs, 90.2% of the respondents Do Not Use Childcare. Of those that did, 56.3% rated their childcare as reliable. Of those that work and utilize childcare, 58.2% related they Stay Home when their children are sick, jeopardizing their employment. In response to what was the most important factor in choosing childcare providers, the response was equally divided, 38.5% between affordability and location.
With present energy costs for home heating skyrocketing, a surprising 88.9% received help last winter to pay for their fuel costs. 31.1% related they had received assistance with their other utility bills as well, i.e., water, sewage, telephone, etc.
People reported by 76.4% margin that their most frequent form of travel was their own car. 87.0% reported their vehicles in working condition yet 75.8% reported some problems with transportation to do grocery shopping, 57.6% to visit doctors/dentists, 45.5% with attending church while only 15.2% had problems getting to work with 12.1 relating maladies with attending school.
In regard to accessing available resources, only 3.1% had called 2-1-1 in the last year meaning 96.9 had no knowledge of the service. Of those that did access the system, 50% accessed the service 6 or more times. The following also links with information access 63.6% have a computer at home and 61.4% percent have access to the internet. Again, passed on the demographics of the survey, a surprising number of 72.4% only used the internet at home while 19.7% used it at work and 7.9% accessed the internet at their local library. A large majority related they used the internet for information/news, 85.5% while 49.4% acknowledged they had used the internet for educational/on-line courses. 32.5% used the web for shopping and 49.4% for entertainment.
Of those surveyed, 79.3% are registered to vote while 63.2% actually voted within the last year.
Finally, the respondents that reported utilizing Council of the Southern Mountains services in the past, the following was shown:
- · Food Pantry 61.2%
- · Utility Assistance 32.9%
- · Weatherization Assistance Program 29.4%
- · Foster Grandparent Program 25.9%
- · Retired and Senior Volunteer Program 11.8%
- · Referral Services to Other Providers 8.2%
- · Mentoring Children 5.9%
- · Aged and Disabled Waiver 1.2%
- · Title XIX Waiver 1.2%
The final part of the survey asked if people would like to have assistance or learn more about services at the Council of the Southern Mountains, 100% of the respondents entered their name, city and state.
XII. ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF MCDOWELL
The Council of the Southern Mountains is available to assist families with their individual needs. Various programs are offered to citizens in
The Council of Southern Mountains currently offers programs that assist families with educational opportunities, emergency services including utility assistance and food, tax assistance, summer youth activity programs, income enhancement services, wholesale and co-op programs, weatherization, nutrition, mentoring for at risk youth, disaster preparedness, independent living services, aged and disabled Medicaid services and senior services. These services continue to enhance the lives of
The results of this Community Needs Assessment will be the basis for the upcoming Strategic Plan Board of Directors Retreat to be scheduled this fall.
XIII. USING COMMUNITY RESOURCES—MEETING THE NEEDS OF
FAMILIES
The following is a list of locations providing possible trainings and/or counseling programs for individuals through agency programs and/or collaborators:
Literacy
Stress/Time Management
Communication Skills
Problem Solving
GED Preparation
Child Abuse/Neglect
Domestic Violence
Computer Literacy
Job Readiness Skills
Financial Management
Health
Nutrition
Problem solving
Job Search/ Career Counseling
Railroad Safety
Breast/Cervical Cancer Prevention
Driver Education
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Child Care Certification
Mental Health
Child Abuse/Neglect
The following is a list of location providing possible trainings and/or counseling programs for individuals:
The Council of the Southern Mountains
Stop Abusive Family Environments, Inc.
Southern Highlands Mental
Southern West Virginia Community and
XIV. Conclusion
The Council of Southern Mountains provides quality programs and makes a difference in the County. To meet the needs of the changing society and the population shift, the agency continues to strive to fill in the gaps to meet the needs of
SOURCES OF DATA/INFORMATION
The Council of the Southern Mountains
US Census Bureau
Workforce
Interviews
Staff Comments
Community Surveys
