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Highlights
- The majority of childcare slots are located within the city of Cortland as are the majority of places of employment. (Table PD-1)
- Cortland’s rate of children in foster care is higher than the upstate average as shown on Table PD-4.
- Cortland’s rate of children living below poverty is higher than the upstate average. (Table PD-5)
- Fewer high school graduates from Cortland County intend to enroll in college compared to those from upstate NY or NYS as a whole. (Table PD-6)
- More students in this county drop out of high school compared to the upstate average (Table PD-8).
- Cortland County has one of the highest rates of Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) cases in the state. (Table PD-9 and Map PD-1)
- The survey done every 5 years by the Area Agency on Aging indicates that the aging population of Cortland prefers to stay in their own homes and drive their own cars. They want to be able to secure the necessary services to enable them to continue to do so. Reasonable access to health care and prescription drugs was mentioned most frequently. (PD-10)
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The Ideal
Community residents in focus groups, community visioning, and surveys indicated their “ideal” conditions for themselves, their families and their community. The ideal in Cortland would be that everyone participate in life long learning and community service (volunteer) opportunities. Schools could have community service as a vital part of their curricula.
School children should have small schools, fewer pupils per classroom and improved teaching. There should be a variety of things to do after school. Each child should be healthy and have the knowledge, skills and resources to prosper in society. Children should read frequently and be read to. Parents would like more flexible workdays so that they can tend to their children’s needs. The school day and business day should conform.
Senior citizens want to remain independent and mentally active and families want to be emotionally and financially secure. There need to be more adult day care, childcare, after-school programs and summer programs for youth.
In looking at priorities for the community, several focus groups said that, “young people are our future,” and therefore as many educational resources as possible should be available to them. Prevention and intervention efforts are more effective at younger ages compared to remediation later on. Major efforts should be made to attract our sons and daughters back to Cortland after college graduation.
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Significant Findings - Childhood
Early emotional and mental development will affect how well later learning takes place. Cortland County is fortunate to have an array of day care providers and Head Start programs, the staff of which recognize the importance of such early childhood investment.
Children need to develop specific external and internal assets that become their building blocks to healthy futures. External assets are positive developmental experiences that support and empower youth, establish boundaries and encourage the constructive use of time. Examples of these assets are positive family support, good adult role models, and high expectations from the community. Internal assets are internal strengths and values that young people need to guide choices and priorities. These include the development of core values, such as honesty, caring, sense of purpose, etc. The more assets one possesses, the fewer risk behaviors are expected.
In November 2001, a focus group with 6 youth from the Youth Center and STEPS/TASA of Catholic Charities who had dropped out of school revealed the following:
- Three of the six were pregnant or parenting.
- Five of six had family members who had dropped out of school.
- More slots were needed at the alternative school – 3 students turned down for lack of space.
- Several were involved with drugs and/or alcohol and rehab. One was in rehab in order to get her children back.
- Biggest challenges – get and hold a job, stay sober and drug free and get a diploma.
- They felt that they didn’t fit in.
- Three of six reported a diagnosis of a learning disability.
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Significant Findings - In Betweens
Life long learning is fostered in a multitude of ways in Cortland County. SUNY Cortland, BOCES, and Tompkins Cortland Community College provide formal opportunities for continuing education. Despite the fact that individuals are working more hours now than in previous decades, some balance needs to be achieved between work, learning and leisure. Learning new things encourages the development of our full potential as human beings, enhances our memory and forestalls the aging process. By participating in athletic, spiritual, cultural, and community service activities, we are fuller persons.
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Significant Findings - Senior Citizens
The Cortland County Area Agency on Agency (CCAAA) periodically conducts a needs assessment. Their Long Range Planning Committee of the Older Americans Act Advisory Council used numerous sources to help determine community priorities for the aging population.
At a Public Hearing at the Senior Citizen Annual Enrichment Day on October 18, 1999, 180 participants identified three top issues:
1. Prescription drug coverage and health insurance
2. Transportation on nights and weekends
3. Care in their later year
The most important services identified by those seniors were: flu shots, homecare services, the Senior Center and home delivered meals. As a point of interest, all those in attendance were registered to vote.
At the same time a survey was distributed at the Senior Centers throughout the County. From these data and other sources the Long Range Planning Committee determined that CCAAA priorities for the next four years would be:
- A coordinated and affordable health care system -- particularly community-based long-term care services, e.g., a single point of entry for long term care
- Affordable, but high quality, home repair and maintenance
- Access to needed services, including transportation
- Respite care
- Expansion in programs that will alleviate loneliness and foster social interaction and stimulation
A recent Duke University study shows that 8 of 10 elderly Americans are able to take care of themselves. The rate of disability among the elderly had dropped for the first time below 20%. Americans are living longer and living better the researchers say. Improved medical care, diet, exercise and public health advances have all contributed to a more vigorous and healthy old age. (Cortland Standard 5-8-01)
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Positive Development Questions We Need To Ask
Are parents/guardians involved in their children's learning?
Do they read out loud to their children?
Do we have affordable, quality day care?
Do our children have the necessary assets to grow up healthy, caring and competent?
Are they achieving in school?
Do we have positive values?
Does the community participate in life-enriching activities?
Are we adequately caring for our elderly generation?
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