Community needs assessment highlights poverty issues

The population of Crook County is growing and the community is doing better than state averages when it comes to unemployment, food insecurity and household income, according to an assessment that was presented to the Crook County Medical Services District Board of Trustees last week.

However, according to Jody Shields of Align, which conducted the Community Needs Assessment in this area, low-income households are still experiencing issues with finding employment at a livable wage, affording healthcare and housing.

The assessment is used to calculate the amount this county will be allocate...