AG 2003 04 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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II. Conditions within the County Families on Worll First in Cabarrus County are experiencing problems that were not surfacing du '~r~g the previous planning period. Since the gradual economic decline in 2002, Md the rapid drop following 9/11, the unemployment rate has increased causing more difficulty for those families who have the least job experience, most undesirable work records, and are most at risk for welfare dependency. Wi~ an unemployment rate of 4.1% in June of 2001, it peaked in January 2002 at ~i. 1%. The July 2002 rate is currently at 5.7%, down somewhat, but still higher th~ Cabarrus County has experienced in recent years (Source: Centralina Work~brce Development Board). The current population of the county is 131,063 (Source: 2000 Census), and it is experiencing rapitt growth. This being coupled with several layoffs, closings, and downsizing by initustries in the county have caused the Work First population to suffer. They have, so far, been able to secure jobs, through the New Focus diversion program, but have not been able to secure the best paying jobs. The influx into the jol~ market by experienced steady workers, who are unemployed, has caused empld~ers who are hiring to turn to them, rather than the sometimes unknown factor ia hiring Work First recipients. One of the larger~employers in the county, Pillowtex, which has hired Work First recipients in the l~ast, has been under bankruptcy, and is only presently coming out from under that. Corning has experienced devastating layoffs this past year, and the impact on__- the job market from their layoffs has caused the Work First recipients to once again be at the "bottom of the heap". As of August 1, 3002, the Work First population in Cabarms County was 272, with 203 of these!being child-only cases. The adult caseload totaled 69, and only 15 of this number were able-bodied. If the economy d0es not improve rapidly during the next several months, and high unemployment rates drag on into 2003, it will be our task as the administrators of the Work First prbgram to work toward better preparation of recipients, through education, training, and social work support. This will be necessary to not only keep afloat with ~ur Work First population, but to even make inroads into further reductions iff the adult population on Work First. We in Cabarrus County have faced greater challenges. In 1995, we had a Work First population of 1,013. As of August 2002, it is at 272, a 73.15% decrease. Planning Process A. Planning Committee