Substance abuse and the related result, Jackson County Residents are Drug Free, are aligned with the following Healthy NC 2020 Focus Areas/ Objectives. 

• Tobacco Use
  • Decrease the percentage of high school students reporting current use of any tobacco product
• Injury
  • Reduce the unintentional poisoning mortality rate (per 100,000 population)
• Substance Abuse
  • Reduce the percentage of individuals 12 years of age and older reporting any illicit drug use in the past 30 days

How would we experience Jackson County Residents are Drug Free in our community?

If Jackson County residents are drug free, we would see youth respecting themselves and others by making healthy choices.  There would be available and affordable resources for mental health services and other support.  We would see a decrease in student absences at schools, STD and STI rates, teen pregnancy, and vaping.  We would experience an increase in teen involvement in local programs and activities and also see a healthier environment through less litter, etc. 

What information led to the selection of this health issue and related result?

Substance abuse originally emerged as a health priority during the 2011 CHA. Topics identified as particularly concerning during the 2018 CHA process were:

• Prescription drug misuse
• Deaths with heroin/fentanyl
• Youth tobacco use (especially e-cigarettes)

In terms of feasibility, the increase of youth tobacco use with the popularity of e-cigarette products has become a main concern of public school officials and families in Jackson County.

In addition to our CHIP strategies, the following progress was made in 2020:

• All Jackson County Public Schools completed the School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation (SHAPE) to determine strengths and areas of improvement in their mental health systems.  For each assessment, a team made up of the school's principal, behavioral health staff, additional pertinent staff, a SHAC representative, and the Director of Student Support Services all met together virtually to complete the tool.  SHAPE looks at the systems across entire school districts and individual schools.  From the results, a mental health curriculum and standard will be put into policy for Jackson County Public Schools, and the School Health Advisory Council will be heavily involved in this policy development and steps forward.  More About SHAPE

In addition to our CHIP strategies, the following progress was made in 2019:

• Working with the school board to evaluate mental health and substance use prevention curriculums provided daily to K-12th grade students, in order to implement evidence-based resources in the future, and include in Jackson County Public School policy.