FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bobbi Thomas-Bailey, Executive Director
(304) 252-6396
bobbi@rccaa.org
Raleigh County Community Action Association
Releases 2013 Community Needs Assessment
Beckley, WV – Raleigh County Community Action Association (RCCAA) conducted a community
needs assessment in order to determine causes of poverty in Raleigh County and mobilize resources in
a plan to meet community needs. The results of the community needs assessment are now being
released.
In May 2013, RCCAA enlisted the assistance of Kingery and Company, LLC, to conduct a county wide
needs assessment. The project included surveying residents, interviewing community stakeholders,
conducting secondary data research, facilitating an analysis retreat to prioritize the issues, and providing
a summary report with key findings and recommendations.
RCCAA engaged members of the community in the needs assessment process. This took place in the
formation of a Needs Assessment Steering Committee comprised of internal RCCAA staff and external
community stakeholders. External stakeholders included representatives from: City of Beckley, United
Way, FMRS, DHHR, The Dream Center, Salvation Army, Beckley-Raleigh County Health Department,
United Bank, Access Health, Commission on Aging, YMCA, Memorial Baptist Church, and Birth to Three.
The Steering Committee served to set direction, assist with the collection of primary data, monitor
progress, and analyze results.
"It was important that we involved a diverse group of community representatives to participate in the
community needs assessment process. RCCAA is proud to lead the way in identifying needs and taking
action to make life better for the individuals and families in Raleigh County." stated RCCAA Executive
Director, Bobbi Thomas-Bailey.
Since RCCAA is an anti-poverty organization, it was important to use community action poverty indicators
as the foundation on which to build the needs assessment. With guidance from the WV Community
Action Partnership, the statewide association representing 16 community action agencies, and the Office
of Economic Opportunity, the following poverty indicators served as the primary and secondary data
collection issue areas: Employment, Education, Housing, Health, Nutrition, Use of Income,
Transportation and Emergency Situations. The supplement indicator that was also used was
Children’s Needs.
As part of a one-day debriefing retreat with the Needs Assessment Steering Committee, a paired
comparison technique was used to analyze the survey results and secondary research to prioritize the
issues that are most needed in Raleigh County. Below are the results of the retreat, which includes the
top issues identified and a list of action plans that will be used to help meet the needs of those in the
community.
RALEIGH COUNTY ACTION PLAN
Issue #1: HEALTH
Action Plan:
 RCCAA has applied for a grant to hire four individual personal assistants to enroll eligible
individuals into Medicaid and private market place under the Affordable Care Act. Also applied to
be Community Assisters to enroll eligible people to Medicaid.


Provide educational opportunities to promote awareness of the options currently available and
becoming available in the near future.
Increase the number of FQHC’s offering dental services in the area and educate/encourage
private dentists to accept Medicaid/CHIPS, and educate clients about the importance of keeping
appointments so they are not released by doctors/dentists.
Issue #2: TRANSPORTATION
Action Plan:
 Increase awareness about RCCAA public transportation by sharing success stories and
testimonials from current clients that use the transportation.
 Provide education seminars to the public on money management issues including credit repair,
budgeting and wants vs. needs.
Issue #3: EMPLOYMENT
Action Plan:
 Initiate training for basic employment skills and educate individuals on the locations for GED
training.
 Research and possibly create a “Junior Achievement Program”.
 Promote information about available jobs and resources to current RCCAA clients.
Issue #4: CHILDREN’S NEEDS
Action Plan:
 Develop a fee for service program to offer family development services (case management) to
members of the county to assist them in developing realistic goals and a detailed plan to achieve
those goals.
 Provide regular seminars, to the public, on topics that affect families with children such as
budgeting, meal planning, resources available in the community, etc.
 Use previously established partnerships with agencies such as WorkForce WV and the Academy
of Careers and Technology to connect community members to job training. In addition, create
new partnerships with other agencies offering job skills training.
The final report was shared with the Needs Assessment Steering Committee in advance of the public
release. Steering Committee members were asked to share the report with their own organizations and
other groups in an effort to mobilize community resources to address needs beyond that of RCCAA. For
a copy of the full Community Needs Assessment report please visit www.rccaa.org.
--30—
Raleigh County Community Action Association is a private, non-profit organization that empowers individuals and
families to reach their highest levels of social and economic self-sufficiency, while identifying and eliminating the
causes of poverty. RCCAA is part of the Community Action Partnership which is an alliance of nonprofit private and
public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America's War on Poverty.
Community Action Agencies help people to help themselves in achieving economic security.