Caldwell County health educators outline CHA findings, prioritize mental health, transportation and cost-of-living

Caldwell County public health educators Bree Flanagan and Tyler Wunderlick summarized findings from the county’s recent community health assessment (CHA) and said the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) will focus initially on mental-health and substance-use services, transportation access and cost-of-living concerns.

"A CHA... it stands for community health assessment. It's basically our way of looking at what's going on in the community health wise," said Tyler Wunderlick, explaining the department used existing data, surveys and focus groups to produce the assessment. The presenters said the CHA was developed with local partners, compiled into a written document and submitted to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for review; the department approved the submission.

The CHA relied on a mix of digital and paper surveys and targeted focus groups to reach a range of residents. The presenters said the department convened groups for teens and teen parents, limited-resources individuals, Spanish-speaking residents, government staff and seniors to gather varied perspectives. The health educators noted that, while they sought a diverse cross-section, the assessment cannot represent every resident.

The assessment identified the three highest-priority problems raised by respondents: "substance use, homelessness, and then mental health," the presenters said. Other recurring concerns included poverty, transportation limitations, health-care access, child-care shortages and food access.

Presenters described concrete barriers residents reported: limited or no local public transit that makes it difficult for seniors, low-income residents and people with mobility restrictions to reach specialists and appointments; insufficient shelter capacity and long wait lists for housing and recovery programs; high child-care costs and limited evening/second-shift options; and a shortage of mental-health providers. The CHA also recorded access obstacles such as some providers not accepting certain insurance, language barriers and documentation challenges for programs such as Medicaid.

The health department used partner input and a ranking process to narrow CHIP priorities to three areas: mental-health and substance-use services, transportation, and cost-of-living measures tied to housing and food access. "We're not saying we have the end-all be-all answers to these things," Bree Flanagan said, adding the department will pursue incremental, feasible steps to improve services and awareness rather than promise comprehensive solutions.

As immediate next steps, the presenters said they will post the CHA document and accompanying data visualizations on the health-department webpage, continue partner work through a community action workgroup, and focus outreach on improving residents’ knowledge of available services. They promoted the United Way 211 line as a resource for people seeking help and encouraged residents to contact the health department directly. The presenters also noted the department’s monthly TV series that provides service overviews to the public.

The health educators said they expect to complete the CHIP toward the end of the year and to publish the plan for public review. They closed by inviting feedback and questions from the community and offering contact options for follow-up.