2010 MCHENRY COUNTY HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

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HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCHUniversity of Illinois at Rockford

FOCUS GROUPS

Methodology

DESCRIPTION

• Eleven focus groups with 104 participants

• Discussion topics addressed overall quality of life with focus on health and human service needs in McHenry County

GROUPS • At-risk Youth• Hispanics• Homeless Persons• Low Income• Parents of Individuals with Mental

Illness• Persons with Developmental

Disabilities • Persons with Mental Illness• Seniors• Unemployed Workers• Veterans• Young Adults

Community Problems 2006 and 2010

• Rapid Growth and Development• Congestion, noise, gridlock• Several FG pleased new developments did not

proceed• Lack of Public Transportation System

• Affects access to medical care, jobs, human services, community activities

• METRA an asset but limited: no weekends, too few trains, not accessible from every community

• PACE and Dial-A Ride expensive but not efficient or reliable. Bus service lacking

Community Problems and Issues 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

• Lack of decent paying jobs with more people losing their jobs• Manufacturing jobs leaving county• Temp to hire becoming more of the norm• Curtailment of development reduces jobs• Need more sophisticated online job search and

tracking systems• More employment opportunities and job

training programs needed for youth

Community Problems and Issues 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

Lack of Affordable Housing• Prices decreasing but still unaffordable due to

job losses and stricter lending requirements• Need more affordable housing options• Focus groups report limited assistance from

McHenry County Housing Authority

Community Problems and Issues 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

• Access to Healthcare for Uninsured and Public Aid Recipients

• Persons with medical cards cannot find medical specialists to accept them

• Calls to numerous MDs before finding one who will accept them as a patient

• Family Health Partnership Clinic provides good service but lengthy wait times for appointments

• Problems getting prescriptions and vision care • Veterans experience lack of spousal and family

health insurance coverage

Community Problems and Issues 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

• Access to Affordable Dental Care• More difficult than access to affordable health

care• Experienced by veterans and homeless• Extractions over fillings or crowns

Community Problems and Issues 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

Problems noted less often in 2010 than 2006• Need for additional youth activities • Lack of affordable child care due to fewer people

in workforce. Concerns about lack of funding for pre-school education and reductions in Head Start/Early Head Start

Additional Community Problems and Issues – 2010

Noted by at least four focus groups• Gangs more prevalent• Foreclosures, drop in home values along with

higher taxes• Coordination needed among food banks• Growing number of immigrants not integrated

health and human service system and face language barriers in getting care

Additional Community Problems and Issues – 2010

• Lack of services for adults with developmental disabilities over age 22

• Decreasing air quality in county• No hospital Level 1 emergency room so serious

cases airlifted out of county• Jail inmates waiting for treatment• Inequities in court system based on income

Health and Human Service Gaps 2006 and 2010

• Bilingual Agency Staff• State and local agencies have hired more

bilingual staff and translators• Still a deficit in bilingual therapists and mental

health counselors

• Affordable Child Care• Fewer mentions based on fewer people working• Mentioned by veterans and unemployed

Health and Human Service Gaps 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

Services for Mentally Ill Individuals• Decreased mental health funding from State so

decreased services, including mental health and recovery specialists, peer support programs, and stigma reduction

• Waiting time to see mental health professionals at least a month

• Lack of dual diagnosis services for persons with both mental illness and developmental disabilities

Health and Human Service Gaps 2006 and 2010

Services for Mentally Ill Individuals (con’t)

• No local inpatient psychiatric services for children or adolescents. Children and their families must travel a distance for these services

• Focus group members report a lack of mental health assistance in school systems

Additional Health and Human Service Gaps – 2010

Noted by at least eight focus groups• More effective information and referral

• Gathering information about service availability and eligibility is difficult

• More publicity about services needed• Accessible and affordable medical, dental,

vision and prescription services

Specific Gaps Noted by Certain Focus Groups – 2010

Better job searching and tracking technology

• More technical assistance needed from employment office staff. Current service good but more sophisticated tools needed in current job market

• Ways to follow up on electronic employment applications needed as well as skills for the online job application environment

• Does not preclude need for more job networking groups and job coaches

Specific Gaps Noted by Certain Focus Groups – 2010 (con’t)

• Local rehabilitation facility for prevention and treatment of alcohol and drugs

• Lack of dialysis services• Medical testing done for veterans at local hospitals

rather than far away VA facilities; more efficient disability claim process for veterans

• 24-hour Immediate Care not just 24-hour ER services• Supportive housing for adults with developmental

disabilities• Medical advocates to coordinate care among medical

specialists

Experience With Health and Human Service Agencies 2010

BASIC COMMENTS• Staffs of health and human service agencies in

McHenry County experienced, helpful and effective

• Major difficulties in getting appointments, eligibility requirements, and amount of paperwork need to qualify for various programs

Experience With Health and Human Service Agencies 2010

• Crisis Line (Family Service and Youth Service Bureau)

• Family Health Partnership Clinic

• Family Service and Community Mental Health Center of McHenry County

• Food Pantries (FISH and others)

• Hospitals and emergency rooms

• McHenry County College

• McHenry County Department of Health

• McHenry County Park Districts

• PACE Bus Service/Dial-A-Ride

• Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services

• Youth Service Bureau

Services receiving most extensive use

Barriers To Receiving Health and Human Services 2006 and 2010

Lack of Awareness of Available Services• Citizens lack accurate, up-to-date information

about services and eligibility• Inefficient referral process – citizens sent from

person-to-person in seeking services• Online searches for services are a resource but

referral specialists available by phone to help in times of stress would also be beneficial

Barriers To Receiving Health and Human Services 2006 and 2010 (con’t)

•Eligibility Requirements• Lack of health insurance• Specialists refusing to take medical card• PUNS – minimal new services for persons with

developmental disabilities• Inefficient disability claims process for veterans

•Lack of Transportation•Too Many Services in Woodstock Only

Barriers To Receiving Health and Human Services 2010

Barriers mentioned by at least four focus groups• Language barrier experienced by increasing

number of immigrants• Cost of services• Decreased state funding reduces programs

offered

McHenry County System of Health and Human Services – 2010

STRENGTHS• Agencies collaborate and work together• Staffs respectful and helpful, doing a good job

with the resources available• Good variety of services

McHenry County System of Health and Human Services – 2010

WEAKNESSES• Lack of accessible, up-to-date, centralized

information source about service availability and eligibility requirements. Especially important as McHenry County is divided into many communities

• Delays in receiving services due to reduced resources and funding, e.g., for medical, mental health, dental, vision, prescriptions, and developmental disabilities

McHenry County System of Health and Human Services – 2010

WEAKNESSES (con’t)• Concerns about sustainability of comprehensive

mental health system for children established through the Family Care grant to McHenry County 708 Board

• Lack of responsiveness by McHenry County Housing Authority

• Lack of effective public transportation system to improve access to jobs, health care, activities

McHenry County System of Health and Human Services – 2010

DUPLICATION• Lack of coordination and cross screening among

county food banks• Duplication not necessarily bad given lack of

public transportation• Duplication might be needed to adequately serve

people in different parts of the county

Top Findings Focus Groups 2010

• More effective information and referral system

• Extensive and affordable public transportation system

• Access to affordable medical, dental, vision, prescription services for Public Aid recipients, uninsured, many seniors

• Decent paying jobs

• Affordable housing

• Growing number of immigrants with language barriers in getting services

• Services for mentally ill individuals, esp. local psychiatric and rehab facilities

• Coordination among food banks to ensure efficiency and prevent duplication