Community Assets Mapping - Spotsylvania area
My locality of interest includes Spotsylvania County and the surrounding Fredericksburg area. From looking at the demographic breakdowns of different schools in SCPS, there is a high number of students with low income and several students who reported being homeless in the past school year. Additionally, overall scores in the different schools in the county had passing rates lower than the national average, and many were decreasing from the previous school year. Students with the highest chronic absenteeism in many schools also included those who are economically disadvantaged and those with disabilities.
Community Assets Map
Educational Services
Rationale: Many schools have seen decreasing performance throughout the school years; providing educational services can help students receive supplemental help they may not be getting in the classroom. Additionally, students with IEPs have been impacted by the cut of the Charting My Path to Future Success program by the DOGE. This program was assisting 91 different high school students in SCPS by providing one-on-one and small group sessions, mentoring, and year-round tutoring. With these supports now gone, the students and families of students with IEPs may be in need of other educational services.
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Provides tutoring in math, reading, and writing. Also offers affordable payment plans, making it a viable option for families of lower income. STEM summer camps or after-school programs are also offered. College preparedness is another focus, not just on prepping for college entrance exams, but also life as a college student through their Advanced Study Skill curriculum.
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Rivermont School provides an educational environment for students with disabilities and mental, emotional, or social difficulties. Through individualized programming and specialized support, students with differing abilities are better supported in their learning. Transitional programming is provided to not just help students plan for life outside of school, but gain the tools and skills necessary for this transition. It could be helpful for some families, however, it is a contained school, so it may not be for every student/family.
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Through the library, HelpNow online tutoring services are provided. HelpNow provides services for all ages, including adult learners. Tutoring and homework help services are also provided in Spanish, along with a Language Lab that provides live help for ESOL students. The library’s eParachute platform assists in finding college majors and careers that match your skills and interests.
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The Arc is an organization aimed at helping individuals with disabilities throughout the lifespan. The organization provides resources to individuals and families with disabilities, advocates for public policies supporting individuals with disabilities, and has established programs to directly work with and assist people with disabilities. Part of their resources and services is their Future Planning 101 tool, designed to help families and students with IEPs think through the transitional period into adulthood. Nearby locations include Arc Stafford and the Arc of North Central Virginia.
Physical Health Sites
Rationale: When thinking of physical health, I also imagine taking into account physical health as another essential part. Many schools in the county, ranging from elementary to high school, have requested support for food assistance, solidifying it as a critical need for the families in the community. With economically disadvantaged students making up so much of the population, it can also be helpful to families to know of the different affordable clinics or recreational spaces in the area.
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The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank helps to connect people in need with groceries, meals, pantries, and more. The different programs they run include feeding families, feeding children, and feeding seniors. Their feeding families program includes food pantries, TEFAP for families that qualify, order ahead, and mobile pantries. Different apps and maps are also available to quickly find where and when these different services are available.
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Living Water Community Clinic provides services such as medical, dental, mental health, and spiritual care at no cost. These services are provided to uninsured or underinsured adults.
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Central Virginia Health Services is a non-profit community health center that provides care to people with limited access to the health services they are in need. They offer accessible and affordable medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services.
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The YMCA offers a variety of different services, including before and after-school care for younger students, YMCA day camps, youth sports, and activities for children with special needs. The Y also has income-based membership, making all of its resources more accessible to economically disadvantaged families. Nearby YMCA locations include Rappahannock Area YMCA and the Spotsylvania Family Branch YMCA
Social/Emotional Health Services
Rationale: Emotional services may be particularly helpful for students, as recent violent events in the community could have remaining impacts on students. These events include two separate shootings, one of which took the life of an SCPS high school student. These two events could be stirring a mix of emotions among the community at large and particularly among young people. This could include fear of gun violence and general feelings of not being safe while at school or out in the community. There could also be fear and anger from racial prejudice that has been argued in the case of the high school student. Considering the large African American population in the Spotsylvania area, this potential impact should be given serious consideration. Social services can provide great resources to the families in the area who are economically disadvantaged. Both social and emotional services can help students and families feel safer and more secure in the community, possibly helping school performance and attendance.
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The Rappahannock Area Community Service Board provides many different mental health services, an area of focus being child and adolescent services. These services include individual and family therapy, crisis services, medication management, and intensive care coordination. They also provide local resources outside of the organization.
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Empowerhouse is an organization that supports the survivors of domestic violence and raises awareness of domestic violence. Services include 24-hour residential shelter and transitional housing, crisis intervention and advocacy, court advocacy, and risk assessment and safety planning. One of the services they provide is support groups for teens to help recognize warning signs of abuse in their relationships and how to maintain healthy relationships.
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Micah Ecumenical Ministries provides housing support to individuals experiencing homelessness. Nine individual congregations in the downtown Fredericksburg area take part in the services provided by Micah, including bagged lunches, shower locations, dinners, employment support, and shelters. Micah also shares resources and other services provided by the community.