Introduction and Vision

Healthy Cabarrus Mission: United through partnerships, we commit our time, talents and financial resources to create a healthy community and hopeful future for all.

With an understanding of social determinants of health, Healthy Cabarrus recognizes that an individual’s health is determined by more than just their physical well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person’s health is impacted by access to social and economic opportunities; the resources and support available within their homes, neighborhoods, and communities; the quality of schools; the safety of their workplaces; the cleanliness of their water, food, and air; and the nature of their social interactions and relationships².

Social determinants of health are issues far too complex for one group or agency to solve alone. While Healthy Cabarrus does not provide direct services to the community, it provides ongoing support to community partners by guiding community strategy development, identifying resources, and helping to create evaluation measures.

Leadership, Partnerships and Collaborative Process

Cabarrus Health Alliance, along with Healthy Cabarrus’ seven-member Executive Committee, made up of external community stakeholders, oversees the CHNA process and ongoing community collaborative efforts. The 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment began by identifying key community members, known as Key Informants, who shared valuable insights into the health challenges facing our county. Their input was essential in assessing community needs and developing a plan to enhance the well-being of residents.

The CHNA team included data from the focus groups conducted by Blue Cross Ignite. The Cabarrus Health Alliance and Atrium Health Cabarrus invited Blue Zones Ignite to Cabarrus County. This company has collaborated with over 50 cities across the country to help communities improve their environments and promote healthier, longer lives.

The Blue Zones team collaborated with residents, stakeholders, and local organizations in Cabarrus County, including Cabarrus County Schools, Atrium Health, Eli Lilly, and the Cabarrus Health Alliance, to conduct focus groups aimed at assessing community needs and opportunities. These discussions offered valuable insights into the county’s challenges and strengths, laying the groundwork to strengthen its commitment to health and foster a shared vision for a vibrant and inclusive future.

The CHNA team also incorporated data from the Cabarrus Chamber's Education and Workforce Development Summit. As part of this collaborative event, the Chamber provided insights from Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City schools, as well as data on childcare affordability and accessibility, a regional housing study, and other key community issues.

Community Key Informant Sector Representation

Theoretical Framework and Model

Healthy Cabarrus embraces the population health model to enhance community well-being. The County Health Rankings (CHR) model is built on population health theory, which recognizes that many factors shape community well-being. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, researchers at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) created the CHR model to highlight how improving these factors can make communities healthier places to live, learn, work, and play. The model acknowledges that disease and disability have complex, multifactorial causes. Both Healthy People 2030 and Healthy North Carolina 2030 use this approach to guide their health improvement efforts. The population health model views health outcomes as a combination of length of life (mortality) and quality of life (morbidity). It uses traditional data sources for these measures while also including information on social determinants of health (SDOH). The model attributes health outcomes to four key areas: health care, health behavior, physical environment, and social determinants of health. This comprehensive perspective helps communities address root causes and create healthier, more equitable environments.

In addition, Healthy Cabarrus follows the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s eight-phase Community Health Assessment (CHA) process. This systematic approach ensures a comprehensive evaluation of the county’s health needs and priorities.

1. Establish CHNA Leadership Team: The Healthy Cabarrus Community Key Informant represents a diverse group of community sectors, such as the business sector, social services, community members, faith leaders or representatives, as well as transportation and housing experts.

2. Collect primary data: Primary data collection involved gathering community input through data provided by Blue Zones Ignite and results from a key informant survey. These sources captured the voices and experiences of residents and stakeholders, providing critical insights into community health needs and priorities.

3. Collect secondary data: secondary data was gathered from local, state, and national sources. This included data on social determinants of health, offering a broader context for understanding the factors influencing health outcomes in Cabarrus County.

4. Analyze and interpret county-level data

5. Determine health priorities: The CHNA (Community Health Needs Assessment) team has decided to maintain the health priorities identified in the previous cycle. This decision reflects a strategic approach, recognizing the need for continuity as we prepare to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment in 2025. Additionally, the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many strategies and action plans, delaying progress in addressing these critical areas. By continuing with the existing priorities, we aim to build momentum, strengthen initiatives already in progress, and ensure that the community’s most pressing health challenges are addressed effectively and sustainably.

6. Create CHNA document.

7. Disseminate CHNA document: Distribute throughout the community by reaching out to media outlets, conduct and participate in community meetings and share findings with key stakeholders.

8. Develop Community Health Improvement Plans: Plan to address health priorities identified in the CHNA and how progress will be measured in the short- and long-term.

To find previously submitted action plans and progress to date on the 2020 priority needs, please visit www.healthycabarrus.org and review Cabarrus’ annual State of the County Health Report (SOTCH).

Next Steps

The Healthy Cabarrus Community Needs Assessment Team presents this report as a call to action. The CHNA process is designed to inform community stakeholders and members about their collective and individual roles in creating a healthier community for the residents of Cabarrus County. The results of this report will be shared throughout the community via multiple communication platforms and channels.

Cabarrus Health Alliance is one of 10 local public health departments in the Central Carolina Community Collaborative, which aims to amplify local community voices through the needs assessment process. Collectively, the group is working on the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment, sharing resources, and following a coordinated timeline.

The CHNA (Community Health Needs Assessment) team has made a strategic decision to retain the health priorities identified in 2020, focusing on the ongoing and critical health needs of Cabarrus County residents. These priorities—housing, mental and behavioral health, and early childhood education and development—remain essential in promoting community well-being. This decision reflects a deliberate and thoughtful approach, emphasizing the importance of continuity as the 2025 assessment progresses with strong support from community partners.

1. Housing (CHNA pg. 19, 57)

2. Mental and Behavioral Health (CHNA pg. 19, 66)

3. Early Childhood Education and Development (CHNA pg. 19, 47)