SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT POWERPOINT ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS For this assignment, you will need to create a 7 slide (minimum) – 12 slide (not including title and reference slide) narrated PowerPoi

sOCIAL eNVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT pAPER 9

Social Environment Assessment Paper: Hopkinsville, KY

Jordan Ogden

Department of Social Work, Liberty University

Author Note

Jordan Ogden

I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Correspondence regarding this submission should be addressed to

Enter Jordan Ogden, [email protected]

Social Environment Assessment Paper: Hopkinsville, KY

Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is a small city located in the western part of Kentucky. Although small in comparison to major cities in Kentucky, it is rich in history and community pride. Hopkinsville serves as the county seat of Christian County and is home to approximately 30,813 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Hopkinsville encompasses both city and county limits, covering most of Christian County. The city is known for its long-standing agricultural heritage of tobacco farming. Hopkinsville is a city that balances small-town charm with challenges such as poverty, crime, and limited access to healthcare, which are typically associated with larger urban areas. While the city offers key resources like the Pennyroyal Center for Mental Health Services, Challenges like poverty, homelessness, and limited access to healthcare persistently affect residents. For social workers, understanding the environment in which they serve is essential. This paper will provide an overview of Hopkinsville’s demographics, examine the city’s strengths and challenges in mental health services and poverty, and explore the employment opportunities for social workers in the community.

Environment/Community Overview

The racial composition of Hopkinsville is diverse, with 60.9% identifying as White, 30.9% as African American, 6.1% as two or more races, and 5.8% as Hispanic or Latino (NeighborhoodScout, 2023). The median household income in Hopkinsville is about $47,428, which is lower than the state average in contast, the per capita income is $26,815, roughly 80% of that in the Clarksville, TN-KY Metro Area (Census Reporter, 2023). While the city has its advantages, economic and social challenges persist. A thorough grasp of local demographics, economic conditions, and crime rates enables social workers to tailor their services to meet the specific needs of the Hopkinsville Commnity. By doing so, social workers can better advocate for policies and programs that cater to the specific needs faced by Hopkinsville residents

Identified Needs

One of the major challenges in Hopkinsville is accessing mental health services. While the city is home to the Pennyroyal Center, a comprehensive mental health facility offering services such as counseling, substance abuse treatment, and crisis intervention, barriers remain for many residents (Pennyroyal Center, 2023). Financial constraints and lack of health coverage prevent some individuals from receiving necessary mental health care, with about 10.2% of Christian County residents being uninsured (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Furthermore, poverty is a critical issue in Hopkinsville, with 23% of the population living below the poverty line (AreaVibes, 2023). To gain further insight into the needs of individuals with mental health, a 911 dispatcher in Hopkinsville provided firsthand observations on community challenges. The dispatcher explained that, while there are resources available, the follow-up or aftercare often receives inadequate attention upon discharge from any of the three hospitals that offer mental health services. This issue contributes to the homeless population in the community and raises the number of crime/911 calls due to the large number of individuals with a mental health disorder who are no longer receiving care. Hopkinsville has only one homeless shelter and one shelter for women of domestic abuse, leaving many people to find a place on the streets. She also mentioned a lack of mental health training among public servants, which can hinder the level of care that diagnosed and undiagnosed community members receive (A. Adams, personal communication, April 2, 2025). Economic hardship leads to various social challenges, including limited access to healthcare, food insecurity, and increased crime rates. For some community members, poverty and crime are all that they know and have become a part of their lives. There is a need for family-friendly activities in the area, outside of chain restaurants and public parks. The Highland Spring Specialty Clinic emphasizes the benefits of spending time together as a family, which can improve mental health, help children perform well academically, lower the risk of behavioral problems, and promote adaptability and resilience (Thatcher, 2025). The Hopkinsville community seems to have a revolving door of repetitive behavior and generational poverty; therefore, taking time to build influential activities can help support the future of our children. Resolving these matters requires a multi-faceted approach, including community-based initiatives and strategies that encourage economic stability and access to healthcare, but also the continuation of care..

Identified Resources

In light of the obstacles, Hopkinsville has several resources aimed at mitigating social issues. The Pennyroyal Center offers mental health services, including support for people with substance abuse and developmental disabilities (Pennyroyal Center, 2023). Even more than that, organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Hopkinsville-Christian County Community and Development Services offer programs to address poverty through food assistance, job training, and housing support (NerighborhoodScount, 2023). Three hospitals provide mental health services as well. Cumberland Hall Hospital has provided mental health services to children, adolescents, military personnel, and adults in the Hopkinsville community since 1987 (Cumberland Hall | Behavioral Health | Hopkinsville, KY, 2023). Western State Hospital is an acute adult psychiatric hospital that is operated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The hospital serves the western 34 counties in Kentucky. However, all referrals for admissions come from one of the four Community Mental Health Centers in the four regions of Western Kentucky (Western State Hospital, 2021). The third hospital in the Hopkinsville area is Jennie Stuart Hospital, a regional hospital with a Behavioral Health part of the hospital. They are a regional hospital but have a Behavioral Health part of the hospital. They offer inpatient treatment for those experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, or mania (Behavioral Health 2024). The Hopkinsville Christian County Public Library also provides resources such as career planning and computer access to the community (Hopkinsville Christian County Library, 2025). These organizations play an essential function in improving the standard of living for many residents by providing much-needed services and resources. However, continued investment in these programs and expansion of services are necessary to accommodate the increasing demand for support in mental health and economic stability.

Where Social Workers Work

References (begin on a new page)

Areavibes. (2023). Hopkinsville, KY crime rates. Hopkinsville, KY Crime Rates: Stats & Map. https://www.areavibes.com/hopkinsville-ky/crime/

Behavioral health. Jennie Stuart Health. (2024, December 27). https://www.jenniestuarthealth.org/services/hospital-based-medical-services/behavioral-health/

Census profile: Hopkinsville, KY. Census Reporter. (2023). https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US2137918-hopkinsville-ky/

Crime rate in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (KY): Murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. Crime in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (KY): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. (2023). https://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Hopkinsville-Kentucky.html

Cumberland Hall Hospital | Behavioral Health | Hopkinsville, KY. (n.d.). https://cumberlandhallhospital.com/

Department for Community Based Services. Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. (2023). https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/Pages/default.aspx

Home. (2025). https://www.christian.kyschools.us/

Hopkinsville, KY demographic data. NeighborhoodScout. (2023). https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ky/hopkinsville/demographics

Pennyroyal Center. (2023, November 13). https://www.pennyroyalcenter.org/

Services. Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library. (2025). https://hccpl.org/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJdRAZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHjKplfJw_tS0_OCDECimIjIIZKENtXvwjceFwSJcUPCZlJ0KuCE7pMGFnlqM_aem_pUXqOoBD15wza30Z5tAbkQ

Thatcher, T. (2025). The top ten benefits of spending time with family. Highland Springs Specialty Clinic. https://highlandspringsclinic.org/the-top-ten-benefits-of-spending-time-with-family

U.S. Census Bureau quickfacts: Hopkinsville City, Kentucky. (2023). https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hopkinsvillecitykentucky/POP060210

Western State Hospital. (2021). http://westernstatehospital.ky.gov/