Single mothers in Douglas County regularly endure overlapping struggles to find housing, food and health care, according to a report produced by the county, KU and a handful of other local agencies. 

The Douglas County Thrives project is a part of the county’s community health plan. It involved research, surveys and community outreach, which were compiled into a report focused on the experiences of households headed by single women earning below the basic cost of living but above the federal poverty level that determines eligibility for federal aid. 

Researchers presented their work to Douglas County commissioners during a work session Wednesday. 

The researchers gathered 94 stories from residents across the county, mostly women and a large number of single parents.

About two-thirds of survey participants reported earning less than $30,000 per year, and 34% of that group reported earning less than $10,000. All participants reported earning less than $75,000 per year.

The report said many of these households are navigating multiple challenges — including finding housing, food and child care — at the same time. Many families said they feel stuck in a situation where earning more money can trigger a benefit cliff, where they lose more in public assistance than they gain in wages.

For instance, some individuals may say “‘I got a raise at my job, I’m working more hours, and now I don’t qualify for my housing voucher,’” said Brett Martin, vice president of community impact with the United Way of Kaw Valley. “That should be heartbreaking to us in our communities.”

In addition to financial burdens, half of the survey participants said they struggled with mental health challenges. 

Families said the most helpful and often utilized resources during the last year were food banks and the SNAP federal food assistance program. 

The project used open-ended prompts, surveys and community engagement, a model designed to help communities navigate complex social issues, according to Jenny Welch Buller with the KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research.

The project was completed with assistance from about a dozen local partners including Just Food, the Ballard Community Center and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.  

Welch Buller showed a couple specific stories of single mothers who shared their financial struggles, attempts to protect their children from those impacts and support received from community organizations. 

One goal of the report is to highlight actions government and community leaders can take to support single female-headed households. 

The report highlighted a couple possible actions. It encourages government and nonprofit leaders to pursue increased income stability and reduced cost burdens for families, including through direct assistance programs for single parents. 

The report also recommends finding ways to simplify access to services, including by reducing eligibility requirements and wait times. It says strengthening coordination and cooperation between services could help address overlapping challenges. 

Prioritizing housing stability and affordability was another goal, including by creating low-barrier housing and options that recognize fluctuating wages. 

“For us to have this data is really important and, I think, provides an opportunity for us and Douglas County to restructure some of these systems,” Martin said. “We’re not going to change the federal poverty level at this point. But we do have influence in local communities to be able to think creatively about how to restructure and reimagine some of these systems.”

County Commissioner Erica Anderson asked about what conversations need to happen now to get the ball rolling on some of these ideas. 

Jill Jolicoeur, assistant county administrator, said they can find time to have a follow-up meeting. Anderson said she didn’t need a follow-up, but wanted to ensure the organizations were being supported and the necessary meetings were happening. 

Commissioner Shannon Reid encouraged organizations to use the report as a way to pursue other funding opportunities.  

The report was supported by a $24,000 grant from the International City/County Management Association. 

Here’s the complete report and slides from the agenda (click here to open it in a new tab):

20260218-Douglas-County-Thrives-Pdf-compressed

Cuyler Dunn (he/him), a contributor to The Lawrence Times since April 2022, is a student at the University of Kansas School of Journalism. He is a graduate of Lawrence High School where he was the editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Budget, and was named the 2022 Kansas High School Journalist of the Year. Read his complete bio here. Read more of his work for the Times here.

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