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Building and Grounds Status Report <br />Page 10 <br /> <br />the local board and/or director in relation to the facility, other facts with a correlation are <br />addressed. <br /> <br />The unemployment rates in the department's coverage area is high. For August, 2004, <br />based on Virginia Employment Commission data, the unemployment rate in Martinsville <br />City was 17.5%, fu'st in the state; whereas, Hem'y County's unemployment rate was <br />12.3%, third in the state. These local rates are significant compared to the <br />Commonwealth of Virginia at 3.7°/., and the United States at 5.4%. There is a direct <br />correlation between unemployment and the demand for social services, especially in the <br />areas of nutrition (Food Stamp Prognun), maintenance (Temporary Assistance,to Needy <br />Families) and medical needs (Medicaid). <br /> <br />With the significant increase in unemployment in the area in the past four plus years, a <br />caseload comparison is given for review: <br /> <br /> And <br /> Aueus~ 2004 Aueust. 2000 Percentage <br /> <br />Public Assistance: 14,608 8,549 + 6,059 or 70.9% <br />Services: 1,092 973 + 119 or 12.2% <br />Total: 15,700 9,522 + 6,178 or 64.9% <br /> <br />These 6,178 more cases now are being served without any negligible increase in staf~ <br />and within the same spatial quartets. Recent United Sta~es Census population figures <br /> <br /> <br />