1. 1 READY BY 21 TASKFORCE Harford County Department of Community Services Local Management Board Kick-Off Meeting September 7, 2010

2. 2 Ready By 21 Taskforce The Action Plan is intended to benefit all youth Four benchmark areas are emphasized: Education Employment Health Housing 2

3. 3 What does this mean for Harford County? A focus on how we will translate and implement the Maryland Children Cabinet’s Ready By 21 Action Plan in Harford County A review of our youth data Participation by agencies and organizations interested in our youth 3

4. 4 Harford County Demographics Harford County is….. 7th largest Maryland jurisdiction 242,514 population estimate, 2009 4.3% of Maryland’s population of 5.7M Significant population growth over the past 30 + years Population growth slowed in 2000 and likely will continue to grow at a slower rate Source: MD Department. Of Planning, Planning Data Services, March 2010 4

5. 5 Harford County Age Distribution Under 5 years 6.0% 5 to 19 years 21.3% 20 to 44 years 33.2% 45 to 59 years 22.7% 60 to 74 years 11.7% 75 to 84 years 3.9% 85 years and over 1.1% Harford’s population distribution mirrors the U.S. and Maryland populations, and other nearby Maryland counties, with one exception. In Baltimore County, a larger percentage of the population was age 65 and over, and smaller percentages existed in the other age categories. 5 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

6. 6 Age Data 6 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey: 1-Year Estimates

7. 7 Percentage of Population Ages: Birth to 19 Years 7 65,878 Youth Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey: 1-Year Estimates

8. 8 Where Our Youth Live: Top Five Zip Codes of Youth Under 21 8 Source: Claritas 2009 Demographic Update, Maryland

9. 9 Where Our Youth are the Most Visible: Top Five Zip Codes by Percent 9 Source: Claritas 2009 Demographic Update, Maryland

10. 10 A System of Care Comparison Harford County’s Youth 10

11. 11 Risk Indicators for Our Youth Education Poor academic performance Truancy Dropout Employment Lack of high school diploma Lack of employment Health Teen pregnancy Substance abuse Mental illness Housing Out of home placements Homelessness 11

12. 12 Education: Academic Performance 2009 Status and Performance of Grade 11 Harford County Students on the High School Assessment (HSA) Source: Maryland Report Card, 2010

13. 13 Education: Truancy Students with high rates of absenteeism, or excessive truancy, are at greater risk of school dropout, pregnancy, delinquent activity and substance abuse. High Schools with the highest rates of absenteeism in 2009 – Havre de Grace – 32% – Aberdeen – 29% – Edgewood & Joppatowne – 27% 13

14. 14 Source: MD State Board of Education 2010 Education: Truancy

15. 15 Education: Graduation Rates 15 Source: Maryland Report Card 2009

16. 16 Source: 2009 MD Report Card Education: Graduation Rates

17. 17 Education: Dropout Rates 17 Source: 2009 Maryland Report Card

18. 18 Source: 2009 MD Report Card Education: Dropout Rates

19. 19 Employment: Educational Attainment, Harford County Source: Claritas 2009

20. 20 Employment: Unemployment Rate Unemployment rate: the number of unemployed as a percent of the labor force. The labor force does not include those under 16 years of age, retirees, institutionalized individuals, and those persons not actively seeking employment. Source: Maryland Dept. of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, Career and Workforce Information

21. 21 Health: Teen Pregnancy 21 Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Report, DHMH Live Birth Rates Per 1000 Age 15-19 2000-2008

22. 22 Health: Teen Pregnancy Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Report, DHMH

23. 23 Health: Youth Substance Abuse Harford County seniors report using cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, heroin, LSD and Ecstasy at rates higher that the state. – 52% of seniors reported consuming alcohol within the past 30 days – 27% of seniors reported using marijuana – 26% of seniors reported using cigarettes Source: 2007 MD Adolescent Survey 23

24. 24 Source: Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy 2009 Health: Youth Substance Abuse

25. 25 Source: Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy, 2009 Health: Youth Substance Abuse

26. 26 Juvenile Drug/Alcohol Arrests as % of Under 18 Population 2009 Source : Harford DJS, U.S. Census, Claritas Health: Youth Substance Abuse

27. 27 In FY2009, 1,882 children (birth to age 17) were served by the public mental health system in Harford County. 135 new child & adolescents clients served Children & adolescents made up 45% of all consumers Among Harford County’s youth: – 81% required outpatient services – 11% psychiatric rehabilitation programs – 5% inpatient services – 1% residential treatments – 1% hospitalization Source: Harford County Office on Mental Health, 2009 27 Health: Mental Health Consumers Age 0-17

28. 28 Source: Harford County Office on Mental Health 2009 Health: Mental Health Consumers Age 0-17

29. 29 Source: Harford County Office on Mental Health Health: Mental Health Consumers by Age, 2007-2009

30. 30 Housing: DSS Child Out of Home Placements, 2009 30 Source: DHR Child Welfare Results Report 2009 & American Community Survey 2006-8 % of Population Under 21

31. 31 Source : Harford County DSS Housing: Foster Care Placements, 2009 % of Population Under 21

32. 32 Source: Harford County DSS Housing: Foster Care Placements, 2009

33. 33 Housing: DJS Out-of-Home Placements April 2008-December 2009 33 Source: Harford County DJS, 2010

34. 34 Housing: Homelessness Source: Annual Survey on Homelessness Services in Maryland, the Department of Human Resources/Community Services Administration, Office of Transitional Services

35. 35 Housing: Homelessness Source: Annual Survey on Homelessness Services in Maryland, the Department of Human Resources/Community Services Administration, Office of Transitional Services

36. 36 What Do Youth Have to Say? Transition-Age Youth Needs Assessment (Dr. Diane Hall, Towson University, 2008) – Web-based “Youth Activities Survey” elicited 142 responses from youth ages 14-21 representing all major zip code areas within Harford County Youth want more activities (sports, movie night, video games, arts & crafts) Transportation and cost were noted as reasons youth do not participate in available activities Youth are interested in learning a trade that could become a job (auto repair/maintenance, website design, computer tech, hair stylist, building/construction) – Department of Juvenile Services focus group, 18 male youth Need more accessible and safe activities for older youth Boredom in school is reason youth are absent or drop out Lengthened class times and decreased hands-on learning activities contribute to boredom

37. 37 Harford County Public Library Teen Survey (March, 2008) – Paper survey completed by 1,450 youth from Aberdeen Middle and High Schools, and youth who visited the Aberdeen library branch Particular interest in sports, movies, video games and computers Lack of transportation was a barrier to accessing current programming What Do Youth Have to Say?

38. 38 What Do Youth Have to Say? Community Needs Assessment (Delinquency Prevention Policy Board, 2006) – Seven focus were conducted in Aberdeen, Bel Air, Edgewood, Havre de Grace and Joppatowne – 243 youth ages 4-30 participated (some over 18 because they had become parents as teens) Greatest challenges teens face: drugs and alcohol, fighting, bullying, violence and gangs Youth requested parents and other adults need to “talk to us, care for us, honor us and pay attention to us” Adults need to re-establish trust in order to build and maintain good relationships Youth need to be an example to others, acknowledge mistakes, lend help to others and offer encouragement Youth need to be more comfortable saying no to peers

39. 39 Discussion by Stakeholders How are we doing? What are we good at? What are our barriers? Do we have communities in Harford County that are better off? Do we have communities in Harford County that are worse off? 39