Households with incomes below the poverty line face many challenges. They find it difficult to meet their living expenses and to make health a priority. In the United States, good health is closely linked to having a job that provides employer sponsored health insurance. Prolonged unemployment increases the likelihood that individuals will earn lower wages or face more periods of unemployment throughout their lives.
Hope Rising Lake County partners will target poverty and unemployment through the umbrella priority of Community Outreach and Education.
“People are not making enough money to be able to use their healthcare insurance.”
—Practice Manager
Root Cause Analysis of Health Challenges in Lake County
Being employed does not necessarily mean that families are able to meet their basic living expenses, including health costs.
Youth and Poverty and Unemployment
Youth who are not in school and are not employed face both short- and long-term barriers to career success. Young people who lack financial stability may be forced to postpone major life decisions such as purchasing a home or starting a family. Economic prospects for youth can be improved by increasing high school graduation rates, increasing access to post-secondary education, and providing career counseling services to students as well as youth who have either completed or dropped out of school.