COMMUNITY FACTORS SUPPORTING HEALTHY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:

FRESNO COUNTY

Presentation OverviewThis presentation aims to help communities identify issues and strengths and build evidence to support community change efforts by:

•Highlighting key community factors that support healthy youth development;

•Providing data for your county on these factors;

•Providing information to help you prioritize issue areas to address in your community.

Presentation Outline1. What community factors support healthy youth

development?2. Explanation of county rating system3. County profile4. Community factors• Education and school climate• Health and food environment5. Summary of county priorities

What community factors support healthy youth development? Research tells us that communities can play an important role in supporting healthy youth development by:

•Providing supportive educational environments where youth have opportunities to participate and engage and are prepared for higher education;

•Building trusting and cohesive neighborhoods where youth participate actively in organizations and activities;

What community factors support healthy youth development? (continued)•Ensuring access to needed resources, including access to nutritious food and health services;•Promoting community norms which discourage substance use and decreasing access to alcohol, drugs, and tobacco;•Addressing bullying and violence in school and in the community. More information on these topics and why they matter for youth is provided throughout the presentation.

County Rating SystemGreen = HEALTHY Your county is doing well on this measure compared to most other counties. It is in the top 25% of CA counties on this measure.

Yellow = LOW PRIORITYYour county is doing better than many CA counties, but has room for improvement. It is in the top of the middle range, between the top 25%-50% of counties.

Orange = PRIORITYNeeds attention. Most counties are doing better than your county on this measure. It is in the bottom of the middle range, between the lowest ranked 50%-75% of counties.

Red = URGENTRequires urgent attention and action. Almost all counties are doing better than your county on this measure. It is in the bottom 25% of counties.

Fresno: County Profile

Race/Ethnicity PercentWhite 32.7%Black/African American 4.8%Asian 9.3%American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.6%Hispanic/Latino 50.3%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1%Other 0.2%Two or more races 1.8%

• Total Population: 930,450• Males: 50% Females: 50% • 16.8% between the ages of 10-19

Fresno: County ProfileEconomic Profile:– Median family income: $52,071– Families below poverty line: 16.3%

• Families with related children under 18 years: 23.8%– Unemployment rate: 18.4%

Social Profile:- Households with one or more people under 18 years: 44.6%- Percent with high school degree or higher: 72.6%- Percent with bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.4%- 55.6% Owner-occupied housing, 44.4% Renter-occupied

This presentation includes data on community factors in the following areas

1.Education and school climate

2.Health and food environment

EDUCATION AND SCHOOL CLIMATE

What percent of High School Students Drop Out?Lowest county rate

Highest county rate

Percent of High School Drop Outs

Why does high school dropout rate matter?Students who drop out of high school are more likely to:

• Use drugs and alcohol• Get involved in criminal activity and be imprisoned• Become teen parents• Be unemployed and receive public assistance

Percent of Truant students in CA and FresnoLowest county rate

Highest county rate

Why does school attendance matter?

Frequent absence is linked to:• Low school connectedness• Academic failure and dropping out of school• Substance abuse• Gang involvement and criminal activity

Percent of students reporting high connectedness to school

Why does school connectedness matter?• School connectedness increases resilience (the

ability to thrive despite adversity)

• Students who feel connected are less likely to have social and behavioral issues at school or abuse substance abusers

• They are more likely to succeed academically

Blum, R. W. 2005. Protective Factors in the Lives of Youth: The Evidence Base. World Bank HDNCY Youth Development Lecture Series US National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health

Percent of students who feel adults at school have high expectations of them

Why do adults’ expectations of students matter?

• High standards from teachers and other adults and higher self-expectations of academic achievement increase school connectedness.

• Consistent communication that youth can and will succeed improves academic performance

Percent of Students who report to have many opportunities for meaningful participation in school

Why do opportunities for participation matter?

• Increases school connectedness

• Improves problem solving, communication, and analytical skills

• Young people with active roles in organizations and communities tend to have fewer problems (such as academic failure and substance use) and be lifelong citizens

Percent of students who feel safe or very safe at school

Why does student safety matter?Physical and emotional safety is crucial for student learning and well being.

• Fosters the academic and social interactions needed for success in school: feeling unsafe hinders students’ development, concentration, and learning.

• Students who feel safe in school are more likely to feel connected to their school

Percent of students who currently consider themselves to be members of a gang

Why does gang involvement matter?•Threatens youth safety

•Increases involvement in violent crime and selling drugs

•Schools with more gang members have more violence

•When female youth are part of gangs they are at greater risk of sexual assault

Percent of youth who have experienced bullying over the past year

Why does bullying matter?Bullying compromises students’ safety and can have many harmful effects. Youth who are bullied are more likely to :

• Be depressed and think about or attempt suicide• Have behavior problems at school and difficulty learning• Experience extreme anxiety

Education and school climate overview

Drop out rate URGENTAttendance URGENTConnectedness PRIORITYExpectations PRIORITYParticipation PRIORITYSafety PRIORITYGang Involvement LOW PRIORITYBullying PRIORITY

HEALTH AND FOOD ENVIRONMENT

Lowest county rate

Highest county rate

Food Access: Number of Grocery Stores per 1000 people

Lowest county rate

Highest county rate

Food Access: Percent of households with limited access to grocery stores

Food access: Food deserts in Fresno County

Highlighted areas are classified as food deserts by the USDA.

Food deserts in and near the city of Fresno

Why does food access matter?• A lack of healthy options can lead to poor diets and

serious health problems such as obesity or diabetes.

• Urban areas with limited access generally have higher levels of racial segregation and income inequality.

• Low-income households with limited access may be more prone to food insecurity—not having enough food for active, healthy living.

Percent of 7th grade Students at a Healthy WeightHighest county rate

Lowest county rate

Statewide Rate

Fresno

Students who are at a healthy weight: 7th grade by race/ethnicity

Afr Amer Asian Caucasian Filipino Hispanic/Latino

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%FresnoCalifornia

Why does being at a healthy weight matter?

Youth at a healthy weight are less likely to develop health problems and have weight problems as adults.

• They are at greater risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, and type 2 diabetes•Youth in high-poverty neighborhoods are at greater risk•Rates of obesity and overweight are particularly high in African American and Latino communities

Percent of students who perceive alcohol as very/fairly easy to obtain

7th grade 9th grade 11th grade 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

34%

60%

72%

36%

62%

74%

FresnoCalifornia

Percent of students that perceive cigarettes as very/fairly easy to obtain

7th grade 9th grade 11th grade0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

32%

58%

71%

31%

57%

72%

FresnoCalifornia

Percent of students who perceive marijuana as very/fairly easy to obtain

7th grade 9th grade 11th grade0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

23%

52%

68%

23%

52%

69%

FresnoCalifornia

Percent of students who observe messages about not using alcohol, tobacco or drugs

Cigarette use Community Norms: Peer Disapproval of Cigarettes

Why do community norms and accessibility of alcohol, drug and cigarettes matter?

Perceiving that their community feels it’s okay to smoke, drink, or do drugs, and easy access to them can increase youth substance use. Youth substance use is linked to:

• Social and emotional difficulties• Sexual activity• Violence and criminal activity• Academic problems

Health and food environment overview

Food Access PRIORITYHealthy Weight PRIORITYAccessibility of drugs, alcohol, and cigarette PRIORITYSubstance use community norms LOW PRIORITY

Drop out rate URGENTSchool Attendance URGENTSchool Connectedness PRIORITYExpectations at School PRIORITYSchool Participation PRIORITYCommunity Participation PRIORITYSafety PRIORITYGang Involvement LOW PRIORITYBullying PRIORITYFood Access PRIORITYHealthy Weight PRIORITYAccessibility of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes PRIORITYSubstance use community norms LOW PRIORITY