Community Wellness Program was identified by CHA Prioritization Team as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, that has a reasonable chance of making a difference in the obese and overweight population in our community. This is a new program in our community.

The priority population/customers for this community wellness program are obese/overweight children and adults, and the community wellness program aims to make a difference at the individual behavior and environmental change level. Implementation will take place in Graham County, NC.

The partners for this Community Wellness Program include:

This program has not started due to shortage in staffing at the Health Department. More work to come in 2023. 

The Community Wellness Program did not begin in 2023 due to a high turnover in staffing. The Health Department did begin a 5 day a week clinic with a Nurse Practitioner in August 2023. Many of the patient's seen in clinic do have health issues and it is being addressed in the clinic visits. Our Nurse Practitioner is able to refill medications so that the patient does not miss any doses and has time to follow-up with their Primary Care Provider (PCP). While the Community Wellness Program did not officially start, the issue of obesity and heart disease is being met with medical care in our 5 day a week clinic. There has been an uptick in wellness panels being ordered and drawn in our Laboratory and our Clinic Nurse Practitioner is helping to address obesity and heart disease when patient's are unable to get in to see their PCP. Also, a Fitness Center Taskforce was created in 2023 to start the planning process of getting a Fitness Center here in Graham County. We hope to continue this process to help our obese population and those who also have heart disease.