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Duplin County health coordinator details CHIP scorecard; naloxone and school program saw big gains
Summary
Mari Castillo presented Duplin County’s Community Health Improvement Plan scorecard, reporting increased wellness visits, a jump in naloxone kit distributions (673 in 2025 vs. 85 in 2024) and expansion of the ‘Too Good for Drugs’ school program from 67 to 4,000 students.
Mari Castillo, Duplin County health coordinator, briefed the Consolidated Human Services Board on the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan scorecard on Oct. 6, highlighting measurable gains across several priorities including access to care, chronic disease prevention and mental health and substance-use prevention.
The scorecard draws on the county’s 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment and tracks local indicators aligned with the state’s Healthy NC 2030 framework. Castillo said county wellness clinic visits rose from 1,154 in 2023 to 1,571 in 2024, which the department attributed to better promotion, easier access and participation incentives.
“The purpose is to provide assessable primary care, preventative screenings, and health care counseling for county employees,” Castillo said. She also reported strong outcomes in the HealthMapRx chronic-disease program: 91% of enrolled county employees met at least one clinical goal for measures such as A1c, blood pressure or BMI.
On substance-use prevention, Castillo highlighted the county’s naloxone distribution program, which she said aims “to reduce opioid overdose deaths, by increasing access to naloxone in the community.” Castillo reported 673 naloxone kits distributed in 2025 compared with 85 in 2024, and said the department expanded distribution through outreach events, partnerships with fire departments and churches, and naloxone training for community partners.
The health coordinator also described a major expansion of the Too Good for Drugs school curriculum: enrollment rose from 67 students in the pilot year (2024) to about 4,000 in 2025. Castillo acknowledged that measured improvements in knowledge and behavior declined from an initial 100% completion in the pilot to 76% during the larger rollout and listed next steps to improve data tracking, increase parent engagement and implement student reinforcement activities.
Castillo said the scorecard and performance measures will feed into the county’s State of the County Health (SOTCH) report due in December and recommended continued quarterly tracking and strengthened collaboration with community partners.
The board asked how naloxone distribution was being handled; Castillo said most distribution occurs at outreach events and through trained community partners who can distribute kits at local sites.
The department’s presentation included invitations to community events — a Socktober drive and a Nov. 25 foster-care and adult-services bake sale — and urged continued partner support.
