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2022

Every year, volunteers and our staff evaluate how we invest donor contributions to uphold our long-standing commitment of accountability. We addressed on the following topics the past year:

Select a topic to learn more:

Priorities

Indicators

Statistics

Sources

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Priorities

While day-to-day routines on the South Plains have somewhat stabilized after the pandemic, the ripple effects are still being felt. Issues such as youth mental health, inflation, access to affordable childcare, financial stability, and overall safety are worse than they have been in recent history. This has been demonstrated throughout the report as we now have access to data and reports that were not available in 2020 or 2021.
School Readiness
Our goal was to ensure that all children were school-ready by kindergarten and are grade-level readers by 3rd grade.
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Children ages 0-8
  • Summer learning loss
  • Books in homes
  • Volunteer reading opportunities
  • Access to affordable Pre-K
  • Adult literacy
  • United Way Action
  • Conduct a sustainable, long-term community-wide effort to raise awareness of the importance of parents reading to and with their children in early childhood.
  • Build awareness of the need to close the achievement gap between minority and low-income.
  • Establish United Way Start Smart Workgroup.
  • Implement United We Read event.
  • Continue and expand activities that promote the importance of proper social and emotional development to prepare children for school readiness.
Eliminating Trafficking
To eliminate child abuse and sex trafficking in our community, we focused on several key issues. 
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Prevention and awareness
  • Build awareness of the difference between human trafficking and sex trafficking and the scope to which it now exists in the local area.
  • Advocate for more training of professionals and awareness with the general public to recognize and understand how to take action related to sex trafficking.
  • Address the lack of infrastructure of agencies and services currently available in the community that support foster children and foster parents.
  • United Way Action
  • Provide opportunities for parents to learn proper parenting skills and the importance of those skills in breaking the cycle of abuse.
  • Build awareness of the difference between human trafficking and sex trafficking and the scope to which it now exists in the local area.
  • Advocate for more training of professionals and awareness with the general public to recognize and understand how to take action related to sex trafficking.
  • Address the lack of infrastructure of agencies and services currently available in the community that support foster children and foster parents.
Mental Health Resources
Our goal was to provide access to all persons in need of mental health services.
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Substance abuse
  • Homelessness
  • Infant and childhood mental health
  • Substance abuse prevention for youth
  • Adult education and treatment
  • Lack of infrastructure
  • United Way Action
  • Raise the awareness of existing services in order to assist those in need to more easily gain access.
  • Facilitate the formation of a working group of service providers to collaborate on funding opportunities.
  • Advocate for more funding of youth prevention programs within public schools.
  • Continue to advocate for infant and early childhood mental health and better educate and provide skills for parents.
  • Establish United Way Mental Health Workgroup.

Indicators

2020 Born Healthy (Lubbock County)(TDHS)

We reviewed each of the following, respectively:

  • Onset of prenatal care in the first trimester (per 1,000 births) 
  • Percent of babies born with low weight birth
  • Infant death rate (per 1,000 deaths)
2022 School Functioning (Region 17)(TEA)

We reviewed each of the following:

  • Retention (1st Grade), Non-Special Education
  • Retention (Kindergarten), Non-Special Education
  • Graduation Rate 4-Year Longitudinal Completion Rate (9-12)
  • Annual Dropout Rate (9-12)
2022 College Readiness (Region 17)(TEA)

We reviewed the percentage of students at or above criterion in college readiness.

2022 Economics (Lubbock County)

For economics, we reviewed the following indicators:

  • Unemployment rate (Texas Workforce Commission)
  • Percentage of children in poverty (U.S. Census)
  • Percentage of adults in poverty (U.S. Census)
  • Persons without health insurance (U.S. Census)
  • Percentage of adults 25+ with at least high school education (U.S. Census)
  • Percentage of adults 25+ with Bachelor’s degree or higher (U.S. Census)
2022 Community Safety (Lubbock County) (Copy)

We reviewed the following indictors to determine community safety:

  • Rape rate (per 100,000 population)(UCR)
  • Aggravated assault rate (per 100,000 population)(UCR)
  • Family violence rate (per 100,000 population)(UCR)

Statistics

Learn about common issues that Lubbock faces and how United Way stands with our community.

Economically Disadvantaged Children

Research shows growing up in poverty is one of the greatest threats to healthy childhood development. “It increases the likelihood that a child will be exposed to factors that can impair brain development and lead to poor academic, cognitive, and health outcomes.” (Kids Count)
 Region 17 once again showed significant numbers of economically disadvantaged children for the 2020-2021 school year. The current 63.6% rate is consistently higher than the state average of 60.3%. This is not surprising considering poverty has increased and Median Household Income has decreased in Lubbock County over the past five years.

School Readiness

17.55% students were deemed Kindergarten ready in the 2018-2019 school year (out of 5,743 students assessed.)

High-quality preschool programs for 3 to 4-year-olds set children up for success. They lead to higher levels of educational attainment, career advancement, and earnings. Yet the price of infant care today is higher than public college tuition in most states.

The Early Learning Centers of Lubbock are the only childcare centers in Lubbock whose parent fees are based on a sliding fee scale, allowing for quality childcare to all parents and caregivers.

Access to Affordable Childcare

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock sets children up for school and adulthood success through a developmentally based educational program with nutritional, health, and parent involvement components. Each lesson plan is adapted according to age and they are the only center that provides care on a sliding-fee scale. Plus, “after enrolling and being educated on the importance of literacy development, 100% of the parents read to their children at least once a week and all have children’s books in their homes.” (Early Learning Centers)

Educational Success

Economic status, parent and caregiver engagement, access to quality early childhood (age 0-5) education, social emotional learning, mental health, food security, access to healthcare, and so much more. The complexity of addressing these factors can not be the responsibility of one entity. Communities in Schools, YWCA YCARE, Lubbock Boys and Girls Clubs, Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Centers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and several others work together consistently to provide much-needed services to students and families.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

Approximately 3 out of every 5 Texas adults have experienced at least one ACE. (TexProtects)

“Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic early life experiences of child maltreatment or household dysfunction that can have a life-long, mostly negative, impact on children. ACEs can impact an individual’s biology, behavior, health, as well as our state’s budget, economy and future generations.” (Source: TexProtects)
“ACEs can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, as well as life opportunities such as education and job potential. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems (including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death), involvement in sex trafficking, and a wide range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.” (Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Child Abuse & Neglect

Child abuse rates in Lubbock County hit a record low with a rate of 12.8 per 1,000 children in 2020.

However, experts believe this number is grossly underreported through COVID-19 and rates are expected to increase through 2021 and 2022. What many may not know is the top three confirmed allegations of child abuse and neglect for 2021 were Neglectful Supervision (76%), Sexual Abuse (10%), and Physical Abuse (9.5%). Often, neglectful supervision is a result of parental drug use. This is reflected in the case management of CASA of the South Plains. The primary reason for removal for the children they served in 2021 are Child Neglect, Parental Drug Use, and Domestic and/or Family Violence.

Domestic Violence

Lubbock County had more than double the rate of Family Violence (1,496 per 100,000 population) compared to the state average (690 per 100,000 population) in 2018.

The Legal Aid Society of Lubbock’s Family Legal Services program exists to assist disadvantaged families with their legal needs. Of the 1,621 cases they assisted with in 2021, over 70% were victims of domestic or sexual violence. Through their partnership with Women’s Protective Services of Lubbock (WPS), they are able to send an attorney to the shelter twice a week. Beyond this partnership, WPS was able to assist 1,300 individuals through their residential and non-residential programs.

Sex Trafficking

Online Recruitment for sex and human trafficking increased 22% in 2020.

“Recruitment by family members and intimate partners was particularly noteworthy in sex trafficking situations.” For sex and labor trafficking, 42% of victims were brought into trafficking by a member of their own families. However, friends and family were also the access point for help for 40% of identified victims.

Voice of Hope provided services to 550 adults and 213 youth in 2021. 58 individuals were confirmed sex trafficking cases and 26 had a “possible or clear concern” of trafficking.

Mental Health Pandemic

From 2016 to 2020, the number of kids nationally struggling with anxiety and depression jumped from 9% to 12% (7.3 million kids overall)

“Addressing a youth mental health pandemic requires understanding what mental health is. Beyond the absence of illness, it involves the capacity to fully function mentally, be productive, build fulfilling relationships and adapt. For young people, emotional and social well-being are especially important, as is the ability to navigate the challenges of life and realize their potential.” (Kids Count)

Child & Teen Deaths

In 2020, the child and teen death rate was 28 deaths per 100,000 children and youths ages 1 to 19, the highest rate seen since 2008.

The rise reflects a large increase in homicides and drug overdoses. In fact, for the first time ever, firearm-related fatalities are the leading cause of death for children and teens. (Kids Count Databook).

Access to Healthcare

Historically, the amount of people in Lubbock County without health insurance has been significantly lower than the state.

Lubbock Children’s Health Clinic had 10,554 patient encounters in 2021. They provide comprehensive primary health care services for newborns to eighteen years of age in two medically federally designated underserved areas of Lubbock regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

Find Healthcare Services

Lubbock Area United Way partners with non-profit organizations to provide the Lubbock Community with quality healthcare resources for all ages. Explore our community partners to learn more about United Way's programs that support the Lubbock area.

Sources

Sources
2-1-1 Texas South Plains
Axios
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lubbock
CASA of the South Plains
Center for Disease Control
Children at Risk
City of Lubbock
Early Learning Centers of Lubbock
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas
Kids Count 2021 & 2022
Legal Aids Society of Lubbock
Literacy Lubbock
Lubbock Children’s Health Clinic
Lubbock Economic Development Alliance
Lubbock Police Department
Meadows Institute
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Low Income Housing Coalition
Pew Research Center
Polaris Project
Shared Hope International
Texas A&M University — Real Estate Research Center
Texas Department of Family Protective Services
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Department of State Health Services
Texas Education Agency
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Texas Workforce Commission
TexProtects
The University of Texas At Austin
Trafficking Institute
TX Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning
U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics
U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
United for ALICE
Voice of Hope
Women’s Protective Services of Lubbock
Credits
Eugene Wang, Ph.D., Consultant
Devin McCain, Vice President, Community Impact Lubbock Area United Way
Amanda McAfee, Vice President, Marketing & Communications Lubbock Area United Way
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