The following is a release from Snohomish County:

The Snohomish County Human Services Department (HSD) today announced the release of the 2015 Snohomish County Community Needs Assessment (CNA). The CNA is a study of needs and services for households that are low-income in Snohomish County. The CNA is intended to help public and private agencies plan for service delivery, policy changes, and create better awareness of what poverty looks like in Snohomish County. It is critical that Snohomish County understands the needs of its residents and provides the best possible services tailored to those needs.

The needs assessment must be conducted every five (5) years to maintain the Community Action Agency designation.  The most common identified issues were affordable health and dental care; a lack of transportation; limited affordable housing; access to accurate information; and employment that provides a living wage. While these findings indicate the needs in the community have not changed significantly since the previous CNA, it is important to note the progress that has been made from a community and systems approach to addressing poverty.

“This is the most comprehensive and rigorous community needs assessment that I’ve seen in three decades of community action work.” said Mary Jane Brell Vujovic, Human Services Director. “The thoughts and concerns of Snohomish County’s low income residents inform every chapter and will help guide the use of resources in the most effective, efficient, and equitable manner possible.  It is our hope that the wealth of information provided in the assessment will inform decision making by government and non-profits alike regarding the needs of our county’s most vulnerable residents.”

The 2015 CNA may be accessed on the county’s website, here. For questions or comments about the CNA, please email CNA@snoco.org.