Community Wellness

Mass community education campaigns to prevent COVID-19. Over 5,000 N95 mask kits and over 3,500 at-home test kits were distributed to the public. 

Retained full recognition from the CDC for using the evidence-based Prevent T2 curriculum to promote healthy eating and physical activity. The cohort ending in November 2022 saw 57% of participants lose at least 3% of their total body weight. 

Through 35 community events over 2,200 community members were reached. Event topics included: heart health, physical activity, healthy eating, diabetes prevention, COVID-19, stress management, and smoking cessation. 

Behavioral Health 

Community partners came together to form the Recovery Alliance Initiative to address substance misuse. This initiative not only addresses the prevention of overdoses and deaths but also the needs related to a post overdose.

The annual Embrace Recovery Rally was held in September of 2022. The event had 41 vendors and an estimated attendance of 300 people. 

Through a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, over 150 naloxone kits were distributed to community agencies. 

During two Drug Take Back events, over 600 pounds of medication was safely disposed of in 2022.

Workforce Development

In June of 2022, the health department partnered with Craven Community College to have a Career Coach available on-site at the health department every other week.

After publication of the 2022 CHNA, the NCDHHS Opioid Dashboard was updated with 2021 data. Overdose deaths in Craven County increased from 49.0 per 100,000 in 2020 to 62.7 per 100,000 in 2021. Other Unintentional Injuries is the third leading cause of death in Craven County. Drug overdose deaths are included in deaths related to Other Unintentional Injuries.

According to the CDC, an estimated 3.08 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current use of any tobacco product in 2022, representing approximately one in six high school students and one in 22 middle school students.

Craven County is now seeing vape products used by elementary aged children. 

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a public education program that helps participants identify ,understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This is a 8- hour certification course that helps a layperson assist someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Trillium Health Resources offers this class to professionals and the public at no cost. In 2019, eleven training sessions were held in Craven County. Due to COVID-19, these trainings were put on pause in 2020 and no classes were held until 2022. The Craven County Health Department has been able to renew this effort and 10 individuals were recently trained.