All Stokes County priorities are addressed in the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Click on the links below for Progress Made in 2022-2023.

For the priority area Mental Health see Progress in 2022-2023 note tabs for each program below.

•   Mental Health & Substance Abuse Liaison/Department of Social Services

For the priority area Substance Use see Progress in 2022-2023 note tabs for each program below. 

• Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) 
• Community Paramedic Program 
• Mental Health & Substance Abuse Liaison/Department of Social Services

For the priority area Chronic Disease see Progress in 2022-2023 note tabs for each program below. 

•   New QuitlineNC

Awaiting for new statistics/data. 

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

• Lack of Affordable Childcare continues to be an issue. 
• Decrease in Drug overdose deaths in 2023. 
• Community Health Worker 
• Medicaid Transformation 
• Increase in seasonal respiratory illness-Covid, Flu, RSV
• New Advisory Board 
• Grant Award
• RSV/FLU/STREP seeing increase in outbreaks.
• Covid-19 continues. 
• Lack of affordable housing due to inflation  
• Economic Inequality/ income gaps

The following are new initiatives in our community in 2023:

• Stokes County Health Department hired a new nurse on staff. Obtained Certificate for Community Health Worker; to work as frontline public health worker for our patients in the community. 
• Medication Assistance Therapy Program initiated. 
• YMCA partnered with Stokes County Women, Infant and Children's (WIC) Program put on pause due to switch over to electronic benefits. Currently vendors are using vouchers and refuse to switch to electronic. 
• Stokes County Health Department hired a new Family Planning Clinic Nurse. 
• Stokes County Health Department started an annual, "Back to School Health Fair" to promote health screenings, back to school vaccinations, free haircuts to all children, free backpacks/supplies, free diapers, and feminine hygiene products. 
• Stokes County Health Department initiated a spring and fall Diaper Distribution at the two WIC locations. 
• Stokes County Medicaid Addiction Treatment Center, "October Road" opened fall 2023. 
• Stokes County Jail partnered with Stokes County Health Department Medication-Assisted Treatment Program (MAT)
• Stokes County Emergency Medical Services- (Community Paramedics) partnered with Community Health Worker at Stokes County Health Department for referrals to MAT Program 
• Stokes County Department of Social Services and Health Department Employees attained Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) 
• Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) has been discontinued at this time. 
• Regal Group INC. started a 60+ Senior Food Bank