Reports and PapersSuburbanization of PovertyA LINC report, Suburbanization of Poverty in KC Area School Districts, shows growing poverty in Kansas City area school districts. Increases in free and reduced lunch percentages (by district and individual school, 2000 to 2006) show poverty becoming more concentrated in the Kansas City, Mo. School District as enrollment declines, while inner ring suburban school districts experience significant increases in both number and percentage of poor students. The same basic data is shown in a table Enrollment and Poverty Trends in KC area school districts that covers enrollment and poverty for each school year since 2002.

Missouri TANF White Papers
In January 2003, Nancy Dunton with the KU School of Nursing completed the third project out of four studying Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients since the legislation took effect in July 1997. As a result of a comprehensive survey of TANF stayers and Leavers, Dunton and staff produced policy briefs discussing effects of barriers, exemptions, the recession, and work requirements on the success of participants receiving TANF benefits and those who left the TANF rolls under the current legislation.

This study was a joint venture with the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Local Investment Commission. These briefs provide useful information to inform the current debate over new TANF legislation.

		Many Barriers Hinder Economic Outcomes (21.3K | 4pgs)
		Barriers and the Time Limit (19.6k | 5pgs)
		The Current Recession Will Likely Increase Missouri TANF Rolls (35.6k | 5pgs)
		Recipientsí Work Barriers Pose Risk to Stateís Ability to Meet Work Requirements (20.6K | 4pgs)

		MRI Study on the Status of Persons Leaving Welfare
		The following chapters are from a series describing the current economic well being of individuals who left welfare in Missouri in the fourth quarter of 1996. The results are based on in-depth interviews with nearly 1,000 welfare leavers. The purpose of this study is to assess the movement of these families toward economic self sufficiency, two years after exiting state welfare rolls. Individual reports, based on the survey, will be issued during 2000 on these topics:
		Employment and earnings Total household income and poverty status Continuing use of public assistance Child care use, food insecurity and health insurance coverage A detailed methodology of the survey instrument Cross-chapter summary of finding.
		This ongoing study is part of a federal evaluation project funded by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. The reports are prepared by Midwest Research Institute for the Missouri Dept. of Social Services through the Local Investment Commission.
		Chapter 1: Employment and Earnings of Former AFDC Recipients in Missouri (416k | 40pgs) This report is the first in a series describing the current economic well being of individuals who left welfare in Missouri in the fourth quarter of 1996. It focuses exclusively on the employment status and earnings of former recipients. The results are based on in-depth interviews with nearly 1,000 welfare leavers.

Chapter 2: Household Income and Poverty  (96.5k | 34pgs) This is the second of several reports that look at welfare leavers in the state of Missouri. This report focuses on the household income, household composition, and poverty status of former recipients. The results are based on in-depth interviews with nearly 1,000 welfare leavers.

Chapter 3: The Continuing Use of Assistance by Former Missouri AFDC Recipients (102k | 33pgs) This report is the third in a series describing the current economic well-being of individuals who left Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) in Missouri in the fourth quarter of 1996. It focuses on receipt of government assistance, including use of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); Food Stamps; Medicaid; public housing; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); and child care assistance.

Chapter 4: The Continuing Use of Assistance by Former Missouri AFDC Recipients (84k | 28pgs) This report describes various types of insecurity among former Missouri recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) two and one-half years after exit. In particular, it addresses child care arrangements, medical insurance coverage, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and telephone service.

Chapter 5: The Use of Community-Based Emergency Assistance Among Kansas City Welfare Leavers (64k | 22pgs) This report examines the relationship between the use of public and private assistance for a group of individuals from the Kansas City area who exited the AFDC system in the fourth quarter of 1996. It examines the question of whether leavers turn to private assistance as they exit welfare, as well as whether leavers who use private assistance have increased their reliance on the community.

Eastern Jackson County Health Assessment (102k | 35pgs) LINC, the Eastern Jackson County Community Health Improvement Project (CHIP), Jackson County United Way and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation ? hosted a series of community meetings in November 1998 in eastern Jackson County, for a team of visitors from the federal government and the State of Missouri. The purpose of this report is to summarize the information shared during community discussions, and to provide a document from which the partners involved in the process can begin to build specific next steps to address the issues that emerged from the discussions.

KCQIC Guidelines

In an effort to help improve the overall health status of the Kansas City area community, the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC) has introduced locally produced, evidence-based medical guidelines for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, heart failure, and depression.

A collaboration among the local medical community, health care plans and carriers, the KCQIC grew out of the Community Health Assessment Report released in May 2000 by the UAW-Ford Kansas City Community Health Care Initiative. LINC participates in the consortium.

		Asthma (103k | 2pgs)
		Heart Failure (79k | 1pg)
		Depression (102k | 1pg)
		Adult Diabetes (80k | 1pg)

Performance Reports
The Local Investment Commission (LINC) is pleased to share these performance reports on what LINC and its community partners are doing to improve the lives of children and families in the Kansas City, Mo. area.

The reports were submitted to the state of Missouri in March 2002. Viewing requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

		Core Result: Adults Working. (110k | 1pg)
		Core Result: Children Succeeding in School. (169k | 1pg)
		Core Result: Healthy Children and Families. MC+ for Kids Enrollment. (106k | 1pg)
		Core Result: Healthy Children and Families. Immunization Rates for Children. (105k | 1pg)

The Effects of Welfare Reform on Private Emergency Assistance (45k | 19pgs) The first product of an innovative data sharing project involving the Local Investment Commission, the Missouri Department of Social Services, the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, and Midwest Research Institute. March 12, 1998

Employer Training Manual (82k | 31pgs) This welfare-to-work employer training manual provides business and management with resources necessary for the labor market of today. It includes an overview of welfare reform as it relates to the world of work; including tax incentives, training development funds, support systems and retention strategies. The manual was developed by a working group of community representatives including SPRINT, Kauffman Foundation, Local Investment Commission (LINC), Missouri Division of Family Services, and other employers within the metropolitan area. A more extensive training manual is available by contacting the LINC office.

Increasing the Mental Health & Social Service Capacity of ASNA (12k | 4pgs) A progress report on the efforts of The Alternative School Network Association (ASNA) discussing the need and concept of an alternative school network to build strategic alliances with mental health and social service providers.

Measuring the Impact of Caring Communities in Jackson County (30k | 6pgs) January 1998 survey of each of the Jackson County Caring Communites sites reflecting observations about "the difference that Caring Communities has made in their communities."

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (24k | 7pgs) Why is it being discussed? What CHIPs means for Missouri and Kansas City? Click here to see a brief overview of the CHIPS program as presented at the May 1998 LINC Commission Meeting. Click here for links to more CHIP information.

MC+ for Kids Fact Sheet (34k | 2pgs) MC+ for Kids, part of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), is a health insurance program for children. What is MC+ for Kids? What are the goals? Who is eligible? What are the benefits? How much does it cost?

Community Standards for Quality Early Childhood Care and Education: Executive Summary (66k | 4pgs) In March of 1997, LINC and the Metropolitan Council on Child Care (MCCC) convened a committee of volunteers to draft quality standards for the greater Kansas City community. This document represents a culmination of efforts to gather input from the 8 county bi-state area. It reflects local citizens's feelings and aspirations about what constitutes quality in early care and education.

		MAP Scores at LINC sites (104K | 1p)
		The LINC Data and Evaluation team has compiled five years of MAP test data for 61 LINC Caring Communities schools in the Kansas City, Mo., Independence, North Kansas City, Fort Osage and Hickman Mills school districts.