One in six Jefferson County children younger than 18 lives in poverty, according to a report that will go before the county’s Board of Health on Thursday.
In fact, the Community Health Assessment Update states that county poverty rates among children and adults ages 18-34 are higher than state averages, and that Medicaid pays for more than 50 percent of all births in the county.
The report is based on information gathered during the 2000 Census and singles out Port Townsend, Port Hadlock and Irondale, Port Ludlow, Marrowstone, Brinnon and Quilcene.
Of the 25,953 people who live in Jefferson County, 16,084 live in those six areas.
The report looks at the West End as a single county division.
‘Pockets of poverty’
“What we see in the report is significant pockets of poverty,” said Dr. Thomas Locke, Jefferson County’s medical officer.
“What we really encourage is the community to look at the problem using accurate and up-to-date health information, and use that information to set priorities on what things to do.”
Dr. Chris Hale will deliver the report to the Jefferson County Board of Health, which meets Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend.
Locke said he expects board members will use most of the meeting to discuss the report’s findings.
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