How much does it really take to be economically self-sufficient in Louisiana? See self-sufficiency figures for each of Louisiana's 64 parishes in the The Louisiana Self-Sufficiency Standard (371 Kb).

The Self-Sufficiency Standard measures how much income is needed for a family of a given composition in a given place to adequately meet their basic needs—without public or private assistance. While the federal poverty line is based upon the cost of a single budget item (food), the Self-Sufficiency Standard is based upon the expenses families typically incur--food, child care, transportation, housing, health care, and taxes. It also takes into account the fact that families' expenses vary by location, age, and the number of adults in the household.

You can read more about promising practices and policies that help families attain self-sufficiency at the Six Strategies website. The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Louisiana was compiled by Agenda for Children, the University of Washington School of Social Work (http://www.washington.edu), and Wider for Women (http://www.WOWonline.org). You can download a copy of the report in Adobe PDF format here: The Louisiana Self-Sufficiency Standard (371 Kb).

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