Community Focus Report outlines blue ribbons and red flags in Springfield and Greene County

The Springfield and Greene County community has made advances in mental health services and awareness, but available child care is a growing challenge.

These are among the findings of the newly issued Community Focus Report, a biennial report card that outlines successes, called blue ribbons, and challenges, or red flags, within Springfield and Greene County. The report was released this morning in a presentation to stakeholders at the Efactory.

The report has 11 focus areas and blue ribbons and red flags are highlighted below in each category. 

Information in the report comes from committees composed of local subject-matter experts, according to Community Foundation of the Ozarks officials, one of five agencies that lead the report effort. Collaborating with CFO are Junior League of Springfield, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Springfield-Greene County Library District and United Way of the Ozarks.

The effort also involves more than 100 volunteers and was led by facilitators Jonathan Groves, chair of Drury University’s Communication Department, and Lynne Meyerkord, a member of the CFO board of directors and executive director of AIDS Project of the Ozarks.

Community health

Mental health is seeing improvement in terms of services, awareness and community support, the report states. Greene County has one mental health provider for every 230 people, outpacing Missouri’s ratio of one provider for every 410 people.

Additionally, the report notes strides in destigmatizing mental health issues through work of Burrell Behavioral Health, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and other agencies.

Overdose deaths are declining to 37.1 per 100,000 population in 2023 compared to 47.5 per 100,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, 35 times more Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, is available in the community compared to 2018.

Red flags are suicide mortality, which rose from 15.9 per 100,000 population in 2004 to 22.1 in 2021; sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, with new infections at 8.2 per 100,000 people in 2021, versus 4.5 in 2017; and child abuse and neglect, with a rate of 8,529 children impacted for 100,000 children in 2023 in Greene County – much higher than Missouri’s rate of 5,909 per 100,000.

Early childhood

One of the most pressing challenges outlined in the report is available child care. The report identifies child care slots serving only 59% of infants and toddlers ages birth to 2. There are 2,859 slots available and 4,813 children in that age group needing care, meaning 41% of children through age 2 who need child care do not have it.

The problem does not exist for preschool, where there are 234 more slots than needed for ages 3-5. District pre-K slots are short by 320, or 20%.

Blue-ribbon areas include the development of new facilities to support children and families; these include the CASA Clubhouse, supporting 2,093 families; the Greene County Family Justice Center, supporting 1,133 households; and The Arc of the Ozarks Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center.

Citizen participation

Voter participation in Greene County elections was measured by the Greene County clerk’s office at only 15% in April 2024, with low turnout identified as one of the report’s red flags. The November 2022 general election tallied 50% participation, down from 85% in November 2020, which had the advantage of being a presidential election year. The report touted an improvement in voter access as a blue ribbon, with the clerk’s office offering five Election Day central polling locations – making Greene County the first in the state to offer more than one.

Other red flags were identified in the area of board and commission participation and polarization, expected to increase during the 2024 election season.

Arts and culture

Blue ribbons were noted by the report in the areas of audience engagement, collaboration and regional travel for cultural experiences.

Red flags are funding challenges, which organizations must diversify; human capital, with many arts organizations experiencing turnover from retirement, burnout and career shifts; and physical infrastructure, with arts facilities not keeping up with growth in demand.

Business and economic development

The chief blue ribbon noted is a climate of economic strength and consistent growth. Historically low unemployment rates coupled with a parallel increase in population indicate a robust local job market and company expansion, the report states.

The city’s office market has been resilient, with a vacancy rate of 4.6%, compared to a national average of 13.9%.

Other blue ribbons are identified as a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs, startups and young professionals and strong support for public education.

Red flags are continued need to address wages – though Springfield’s average wages have increased by 80% over the past 20 years – as well as a skilled labor shortage and redevelopment challenges.

Education

Blue ribbons identified in the report are a collaborative culture, partnerships with community organizations and an increasing graduation rate. In 2003, the graduation rate for Springfield Public Schools was 83.2%; in 2023, it was 96.5%.

Red flags are an achievement gap by race and income factors; social challenges, including poverty, hunger, trauma and unsupported mental health issues; and difficulty recruiting and retaining critical support staff.

Housing

Blue ribbons are civic engagement and collaboration, response to blighted properties and initiatives to increase homeownership.

Red flags are shortages of accessible, affordable and safe housing.

The report identified 49% of renters as cost burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their household income toward housing; this was also true for 17% of homeowners.

Natural environment

Blue ribbons are a generally healthy natural environment, stable and established nonprofits focused on nature and long-term regional plans that take environmental concerns into consideration.

Red flags are the regional drinking water supply, outdated and inefficient garbage collection and uncertainty surrounding state legislation.

Public order and safety

Blue ribbons are community collaboration, awareness and responsiveness to mental health and enhanced use of technology.

Red flags are gun-related crimes, substance-use issues and staffing shortages.

Recreation, sports and leisure

Blue ribbons are community collaboration, trails and connections, and sports tourism.

Red flags are greenspace preservation, obesity and stable, long-term funding.

Transportation

Blue ribbons are continued trail development, City Utilities of Springfield transit offerings and traffic safety efforts.

Red flags are traffic safety, community support for public transit and funding for maintenance of existing trails and sidewalks.

More coverage of the Community Focus Report will appear in the Oct. 14 issue of Springfield Business Journal.