Click on each program/ strategy below to find and review 2023 progress/ updates in the individual“Progress in 2023” note tabs. 

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

•   Community Linkage to Care

•  Community Needs Assessment research study

•  AVOID School Anti-Vaping Curriculum

•  Justice-Involved Communicable Disease Vaccine and Education Program

•  START (Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team)

•  PORT (Post-Overdose Recovery Team)

Obesity and Heart Disease

•  Health and Wellness Fair

•  Blood Pressure Monitoring Referral Program

•  Community Wellness Program

The following represent significant morbidity and mortality changes in our community.

• Graham County
  Age Group	Rank	Leading Cause of Death	# Deaths	Death Rate
  00-19	1	Congenital anomalies (birth defects)	1	10.2
  		Suicide	1	10.2
  20-39	1	Motor Vehicle Injuries	3	33.3
  		Other Unintentional injuries	3	33.3
  	3	Cerebrovascular disease	2	22.2
  40-64	1	Cancer - All Sites	31	219.2
  	2	Diseases of the heart	21	148.5
  	3	Suicide	8	56.6
  65-84	1	Cancer - All Sites	73	839.0
  	2	Diseases of the heart	61	701.1
  	3	Chronic lower respiratory diseases	26	298.8
  85+	1	Diseases of the heart	43	3713.3
  	2	Cancer - All Sites	18	1554.4
  	3	Chronic lower respiratory diseases	11	949.9

• NC Opioid Dashboard

These are the new or emerging issues in our community in 2023 that were not identified as priorities in our CHA.

• Graham County Urgent Care closure

• WIC Formula Shortage/Recall on Gerber Soothe Formula

• The number of STD visits at the health department increased in 2023 with 41 visits. This was an increase from 2022, which was 20 visits. The communicable diseases must commonly seen for are the following: 

  • Chlamydia

  • Gonorrhea

The following is information on new/ paused/ discontinued initiatives or activities in our community in 2023:

• Health Director resigns and new Interim Health Director began March 2023.

• Health Department now offers non-primary care clinic 5 days a week.

• Health Department starts a Fitness Center Taskforce to begin working on getting a Fitness Center in Graham County.