Mental health is connected to issues that include suicide deaths, substance use, depression, anxiety, physical activity, and employment. However, residents have limited options for treatment and counseling options, especially for those who have lower incomes, no insurance, or transportation issues. Interest in youth mental health is growing, but there is still much work to be done in this area.

• 10% of county residents reported that their typical day is extremely or very stressful
• 19% of county residents reported 7+ days of poor mental health in past month
• 20% of county residents reported currently taking medication or receiving treatment for mental health

Partners in our Community Health Improvement Process:

• TC STRONG
• Transylvania Regional Hospital
• Veterans Administration
• Blue Zones Project - Brevard
• CARE Coalition
• Transylvania County Schools
• Sharing House / Transylvania Christian Ministry
• Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
• WNC Healthy Impact

Partners with a Role in Helping Our Community Do Better on This Issue:

• NAMI Transylvania
• Providers: Meridian, Blue Ridge Health, RHA, Mountain Counseling, Hendersonville Pediatrics
• Transylvania Regional Hospital & Mission Health Partners
• VAYA Health
• Brevard Academy, Mountain Sun Community School
• School nurses
• Potential funding sources (e.g. Pisgah Health Foundation, Dogwood Health Trust)
• Faith community
• Sports coaches & extracurricular leaders
• Businesses (e.g. barber shops and salons)
• Social service organizations
• Law enforcement and school resource officers
• EMS and first responders
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The following actions have been identified by our team and community members as ideas that can work in our community to make a difference on improving mental health.

Actions and Approaches Identified by Our Partners These are actions and approaches that our partners think can make a difference on mental health.

• Destigmatization
• Community education and awareness
• Create opportunities for connection and interaction (youth-focused events, neighborhoods)
• Advocate for mental health funding to increase provider ratios
• Support for vulnerable/at-risk teens, single parents,
• Intentional relationship-building/mentoring
• Explore sense of purpose and build opportunities for empowerment
• Whole-family programs, support for parenting
• Assure basic needs are being met
• Normalize accessing therapy - like a yearly checkup
• Support for justice-involved individuals
• Help people know how to respond to a mental health crisis
• Innovative mental health resources like equine therapy, art therapy, respite care

What is Currently Working in Our Community These are actions and approaches that are currently in place in our community to make a difference on mental health.

• Embedded therapists on-campus in public schools
• Behavioral health staff at Blue Ridge Health and Hendersonville Pediatrics
• Community support groups - some meeting again in person
• Social-emotional learning in some preschools and public schools; alternative school certified as trauma-informed school
• Blue Zones Project - Brevard holding purpose workshops
• CIT certified law enforcement officers (some)
• TC STRONG activities underway to address awareness and destigmatization

Evidence-Based Strategies These are actions and approaches that have been shown to make a difference on mental health.

What Community Members Most Affected by Mental Health Say These are the actions and approaches recommended by members of our community who are most affected by mental health.

• Stigma prevents people from seeking needed care. Some youth say their parents dismiss their concerns or won't allow access to care.
• People don't know where to go for help or how to navigate the system.
• Healthcare providers are reporting more visits related to mental health.
• Emergency department personnel and law enforcement report being frustrated from dealing with issues beyond their "scope" and have asked for resources to address mental health.
• Teachers and schools have been traumatized by threats and complaints. They are reporting more behavior problems and impaired coping skills.
• Young people report feeling under immense pressure, from themselves, their peers, their parents, and society.
• Some community members are well-connected with good social support. Others are dealing with social isolation, loneliness, and lack of resources.

Process for Selecting Priority Strategies

The Transylvania County CHA team worked with community members to better understand the story and root causes behind mental health concerns and identify potential strategies including evidence-based strategies, what is working in other communities, and ideas generated by people who are most affected by the issues. Public health staff met with the TC STRONG steering team (including student delegates), faith-based representatives, healthcare providers, and other concerned community members to select strategies based on feasibility, impact, alignment with community values, and focus on addressing one or more root causes. Public health staff also worked with project leadership to help develop performance measures to help us know if people are better off because of the implementation efforts and will be involved in evaluating ongoing implementation efforts and making changes when needed.