The State of Indiana is looking to give a better picture of how where you live impacts your health and well-being. The Family and Social Services Administration announced the launch of its Hoosier Health and Well-Being Atlas this week. For the past two years, those who apply for various assistance programs online through the FSSA have also been given an optional survey, with 10 questions about various social needs.
For the most part, the biggest concerns in Starke and Pulaski counties mirrored those of the state as a whole. Of the 937 Starke County households who completed the survey, 441 reported not having enough money for food at some point in the past year. Meanwhile, 469 said they didn’t engage in regular exercise at least three times a week, and 185 worried that they might not have stable housing in the next two months.
The trend was similar in Pulaski County, where 205 of the 422 respondents said they hadn’t had enough money for food in the last 12 months and 189 said they didn’t get regular exercise.
The FSSA says it’s using the data to make sure its programs align with Hoosiers’ current needs. They note that the information can also be used by local communities to identify emerging needs and proactively address them.
