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Public health programs report: barber‑shop outreach logged 3,700 conversations; Connected Care received 263 referrals in year two
Summary
Public health staff updated commissioners on Healthy Conversations (barber‑shop outreach) and Connected Care, reporting thousands of survey 'conversations', blood‑pressure screenings and hundreds of referrals; staff requested ongoing support for program tracking and coordination.
Cumberland County public‑health staff briefed commissioners on two outreach programs on Nov. 13: Healthy Conversations, a barber‑shop health‑education initiative, and Connected Care, a cross‑agency case‑management program.
Sheena Butler, health education supervisor, said Healthy Conversations enrolled 20 barbers in year two, with roughly 3,700 completed surveys (‘conversations’) and 573 blood‑pressure screenings performed at barber‑shop health stations. The program uses a behavior‑change framework and reported outreach at 26 events; staff noted improvements in participants’ self‑reported physical activity, blood‑pressure monitoring and health advocacy. The program received a North Carolina Association of County Commissioners award for innovation and continued media attention.
Sanquis (Sanquez) Graham, local public‑health administrator, described Connected Care as a low‑barrier, countywide case‑management program that works with DSS, community partners and the NC Care 360 referral platform. In its second year, the program received 263 referrals from county residents via NC Care 360, connected approximately 1,642 community members through outreach, and provided financial assistance to 116 families for housing or utilities. Graham highlighted client success stories where case management connected families to specialty clinics and grant funding.
Commissioners praised the programs and asked for additional follow‑up on enrollment pathways for NC Care 360, program tracking improvements, and staffing needs. Staff said they will continue quality‑improvement work and pursue expanded partnerships and funding to sustain tracking and incentives for barber participation.
