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State: Arkansas
Counties (Census Tracts): Cross (9505), Lee (9702), Monroe
(9501), St. Francis (9601, 9602, 9603)
Population: 27,392
Area Size: 871 square miles
Number of Census Tracts: 6
Poverty Rate (average of all tracts): 37.2%
Other Data:
Eastern Arkansas continues to suffer from the chronic economic distress that emerged from the mechanization of agriculture following WWII. A second economic blow was delivered to the region during the 1980's when much of its manufacturing sector, primarily centered in St. Francis, Phillips and Monroe Counties, declined by nearly half. The resulting out-migration of population helps define the human needs context for the region.
First, since younger persons tend to out-migrate at a much higher rate than older persons, the population of these counties is becoming significantly older despite having higher than average birth and death rates.
Secondly, males, particularly African American males, have been out-migrating significantly faster than females. The age specific female to male ratios change radically in post-high school years.
Three factors underlie the social and health stress in the Target Area: high rates of birth to single mothers and teenagers, low educational attainment, and a growing sense of futurelessness that leads to high risk behaviors.
East Central Arkansas Economic Development Corp. plans to use an incremental approach, with five two-year implementation phases. The first two years will be used for capacity building; precise study of problems, causes, and solutions; detailed analysis of resources, strengths, weaknesses, and human development. There are eight issues in a grouping of three, as follows:
The overriding effort is for the development of people. The community wants to break the cycle of poverty and outmigration. Their key priorities and issues are: improve access to health care and preventive services, improve services to the elderly, increase early intervention and prevention services in alcohol/drug abuse and family violence, improve school-to-work programs, and school retention, decrease teen pregnancies, strengthen early childhood efforts, and develop multi-use youth recreation and cultural enrichment.
The application includes a two-year workplan and a budget, but did not identify the funding sources, specifically. Their physical environment requires an increase in available affordable housing, improved appearance of the community, increased capacity of small town governments, and address water and environmental concerns.
Highlights: There is a two year budget and a ten year budget. The rationale for this methodology for budget preparation is not clearly explained. Therefore commitments will be explained by both budgets. Local, State, and Federal government resources are combined. The application does not define the budgets further.
No commitments are furnished.
Public sector support is evidenced by two letters from congressional state representatives. None of them state that commitments will be forthcoming, but all pledge good wishes. Since all Arkansas community plans are part of the overall Arkansas 10-year strategy supporting EZ/EC communities, estimated funding needs are documented under various program initiatives. However, despite this information, no formal statement of commitment is offered.
Total EZ budget is for $40,000,000. Under the two year budget: $2M for human development, $4.7M for agricultural economic development, $14.8M entrepreneurial and industrial development, and $4M for community development. Under the ten year budget: $5.2M for human development, $5.8M for economic development, and $3.4M for community development. Program specifics are not discussed in the application.
Unable to determine in this application.
Highlights: The applicant furnished several commitment forms to various private enterprises. Because this tactic was taken, no formal commitments are cited.
The goal of this plan is to do the following: (1) Build the capacity of health and human service systems to respond to needs. They plan to develop an HHS committee in each county, and develop a Delta HHS consortium, staff it, and develop a regional parent and child resource center; (2) Early intervention in health and social care needs through health education, screening programs, and implement a lay health advisors program; (3) Increase the availability of primary care services, alcohol/drug abuse prevention, non-institutional services for the elderly, early childhood development services, youth recreation and cultural enrichment services, and adult literacy programs; (4) Increase accessibility of services to smaller communities through development of satellite service sites, and improved transportation; (5) Develop career awareness for children and youth, and provide school-to-work training; and (6) increase the capacity of women to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families through the creation of a regional women's center.
Contact:
| Name: | Robert Cole |
| Address: | 1000 Airport Road |
| Forrest City, AR 72335 | |
| Phone: | 870-630-2005 |
| Fax: | 870-630-2035 |
| Email: | eastarkec@arkansas.net |
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