IntroductionIntroduction

Baton Rouge Region (Region 2)Baton Rouge Region (Region 2)

East Baton RougeEast Baton Rouge Pointe CoupPointe Coupéée e West Baton Rouge West Baton Rouge Iberville Iberville East Feliciana East Feliciana West Feliciana West Feliciana St. Helena St. Helena Livingston Livingston Tangipahoa Tangipahoa

Baton Rouge RegionBaton Rouge Region

PARISHPARISH East Baton RougeEast Baton Rouge Pointe CoupPointe Coupéée e West Baton Rouge West Baton Rouge Iberville Iberville East Feliciana East Feliciana West Feliciana West Feliciana St. Helena St. Helena Livingston Livingston Tangipahoa Tangipahoa

POVERTY RATEPOVERTY RATE 21.9 %21.9 % 28.2% 28.2% 20.9% 20.9% 27.5%27.5% 25.7%25.7% 15.4%15.4% 33.0%33.0% 14.3%14.3% 27.0%27.0%

Regional Team Members & OrganizersRegional Team Members & Organizers

DSS/OFSDSS/OFS DHH/OPHDHH/OPH DPSC/P&PDPSC/P&P LDOLLDOL LSU LSU DOEDOE CAHSDCAHSD BRECBREC Family RoadFamily Road

WBR Community Action Agency & Parish CouncilWBR Community Action Agency & Parish Council St. Helena Health Unit and Substance Abuse CenterSt. Helena Health Unit and Substance Abuse Center Iberville Parish Government & Town of St. GabrielIberville Parish Government & Town of St. Gabriel Livingston Parish Sheriff Dept. and Springfield Head Livingston Parish Sheriff Dept. and Springfield Head

StartStart EBR Councilman Charles Kelly , St. Paul Catholic EBR Councilman Charles Kelly , St. Paul Catholic

Church, Zachary Councilman Wayne CarterChurch, Zachary Councilman Wayne Carter Pointe Coupee Parish Council, Health Unit & Pointe Coupee Parish Council, Health Unit &

Wurtele FoundationWurtele Foundation W. Feliciana Police JuryW. Feliciana Police Jury E. Feliciana Health Unit & School Board, 21E. Feliciana Health Unit & School Board, 21stst Century Century

Community Learning Ctr., & Feliciana Family Community Learning Ctr., & Feliciana Family OutreachOutreach

Tangipahoa Parish Government, LWIA Tangipahoa Parish Government, LWIA

Priority Community Conversation Issue Priority Community Conversation Issue AreasAreas

1. Enhancing Education

2. Enhancing Employment & Economic Development

3. Enhancing Community Assets

4. Enhancing Family Assets

Education Issues & SolutionsEducation Issues & Solutions8 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Education as a primary concern.8 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Education as a primary concern.

IssuesIssues Options for students who do Options for students who do

not intend to pursue post-not intend to pursue post-secondary educationsecondary education

Increased Early Education Increased Early Education opportunities for all childrenopportunities for all children

Lack of Parental Involvement Lack of Parental Involvement

Multigenerational Low Multigenerational Low Literacy LevelsLiteracy Levels

Improve LEAP ScoresImprove LEAP Scores

SolutionsSolutions Reinstate dual track curriculum: Reinstate dual track curriculum:

Industrial Arts/Vocational Ed Industrial Arts/Vocational Ed Business/Industry sponsored Business/Industry sponsored

Career/Job Fairs & Job Career/Job Fairs & Job ShadowingShadowing

Open enrollment for Head Open enrollment for Head Start/LA 4 regardless of incomeStart/LA 4 regardless of income

Mandatory parent/teacher Mandatory parent/teacher meetings w/ flexible hoursmeetings w/ flexible hours

Parental Liability for TruancyParental Liability for Truancy Outreach/Home VisitsOutreach/Home Visits Adult ed at local sites after hours Adult ed at local sites after hours

and weekendsand weekends After school tutorial & enrichment After school tutorial & enrichment

at all schoolsat all schools

Employment/Economic Development Employment/Economic Development Issues and SolutionsIssues and Solutions

5 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Economic Development as a primary concern. 5 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Economic Development as a primary concern.

IssuesIssues Relevant Job TrainingRelevant Job Training

Attract New Attract New Business/IndustryBusiness/Industry

SolutionsSolutions Use local public projects to train Use local public projects to train

youths and adults & school based youths and adults & school based training for youthstraining for youths

Volunteer RetireesVolunteer Retirees Funding through local taxesFunding through local taxes Incumbent Worker ProgramIncumbent Worker Program Seek federal/private grants Seek federal/private grants Tailor training to skills needed by Tailor training to skills needed by

local business/industrylocal business/industry Ensure “portable credentials” Ensure “portable credentials”

accepted by multiple employers in accepted by multiple employers in an industryan industry

Tax incentives for businesses Tax incentives for businesses involved in supporting training involved in supporting training programsprograms

Community Assets Community Assets Issues and SolutionsIssues and Solutions

2 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Community Assets as a primary concern.2 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Community Assets as a primary concern.

IssuesIssues Lack of accessible and Lack of accessible and

affordable health treatment affordable health treatment facilitiesfacilities

High rates of substance High rates of substance abuse and suicideabuse and suicide

Lack of wholesome activities Lack of wholesome activities for youthfor youth

Lack of transportation within Lack of transportation within and outside parishand outside parish

Resource NetworkResource Network

SolutionsSolutions Utilize available space in Utilize available space in

Parish Health UnitParish Health Unit Mobile Health UnitsMobile Health Units Interagency Service GroupsInteragency Service Groups Community & faith based Community & faith based

programs to promote healthy programs to promote healthy choice for youthchoice for youth

Local carpool programs, Local carpool programs, local van services, vehicle local van services, vehicle ownership programsownership programs

Resource directory available Resource directory available on-line and in hardcopyon-line and in hardcopy

Family Assets Issues and SolutionsFamily Assets Issues and Solutions 3 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Family Assets as a primary concern. 3 of 9 parishes in Region 2 chose Family Assets as a primary concern.

IssuesIssues Consumer Education How Consumer Education How

to Manage Moneyto Manage Money

Available Affordable Available Affordable HousingHousing

SolutionsSolutions Financial Literacy seminars in schools, Financial Literacy seminars in schools,

churches, worksites, libraries, etc.churches, worksites, libraries, etc. Outreach to local restaurants, clubs, Outreach to local restaurants, clubs,

salons, etc. salons, etc. Mandatory money mgt. courses in Mandatory money mgt. courses in

middle and high schoolsmiddle and high schools Outreach IDA and EITC programsOutreach IDA and EITC programs Establish Local Housing Committee Establish Local Housing Committee

and info networkand info network Enforce Housing Authority and Section Enforce Housing Authority and Section

8 tenant rules (reform HA) 8 tenant rules (reform HA) Renovate adjudicated properties for Renovate adjudicated properties for

safe housingsafe housing Local CDCsLocal CDCs– Builders Adopt a NeighborhoodBuilders Adopt a Neighborhood

Potential Challenges to ImplementationPotential Challenges to Implementation

Lack of “old-fashioned Lack of “old-fashioned values”values”

Ignored needsIgnored needs Closed communities/mindsClosed communities/minds Fear of changeFear of change Lack of community/ Lack of community/

business awareness & business awareness & concernconcern

Turf IssuesTurf Issues PoliticsPolitics Parish vs. Regional Parish vs. Regional

PrioritiesPriorities NaysayersNaysayers Complacency/IgnoranceComplacency/Ignorance

Lack of hope and Lack of hope and motivationmotivation

Fast-paced lifestyles/timeFast-paced lifestyles/time Fear of stigma/Negative Fear of stigma/Negative

attitudeattitude Lack of resourcesLack of resources Lack of transportationLack of transportation Lack of child careLack of child care Lack of staffing sourcesLack of staffing sources Lack of funding sourcesLack of funding sources Predatory LendersPredatory Lenders

Opportunities to Leverage Existing Opportunities to Leverage Existing ResourcesResources

Government Government Legislature Legislature CollaborativesCollaboratives Financial InstitutionsFinancial Institutions Business Groups Business Groups

(Chambers, Rotary)(Chambers, Rotary) Education SystemEducation System LANO/CABLLANO/CABL MediaMedia

Community and Faith Community and Faith Based OrganizationsBased Organizations

Business/IndustryBusiness/Industry StudentsStudents RetireesRetirees TaxpayersTaxpayers General PublicGeneral Public You & MeYou & Me

S.T.O.P. Action StepsS.T.O.P. Action Steps(Solutions to Overcome Poverty)(Solutions to Overcome Poverty)

Publicize the STOP initiative to community at Publicize the STOP initiative to community at large to solicit interest, recruits, & volunteers large to solicit interest, recruits, & volunteers

Assemble a regional committee of committed Assemble a regional committee of committed members from each parish to develop long term members from each parish to develop long term regional plan regional plan

Develop a strategic plan for each parish based Develop a strategic plan for each parish based on Priority Needs and Solutions on Priority Needs and Solutions

Set specific, measurable goals to be attained Set specific, measurable goals to be attained within timeframes within timeframes

Monitor progress regularlyMonitor progress regularly Consider new ideasConsider new ideas CommunicateCommunicate