Despite the challenges due to COVID-19 in 2020, Catawba County Public Health and our partners were able to: 

• Adopt Results-Based Accountability
• Transition Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPS) from paper-based to web-based documents
• Set up results, indicators, strategies, and performance measures in Clear Impact Scorecard
• Link to the HNC 2030 Scorecard to create greater awareness of population accountability
• Adapt the CHA, CHIP, and SOTCH process to reflect COVID-19's impact on Catawba County

Catawba County declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 18, 2020. Catawba County has had over 19,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 300 deaths. Catawba County Public Health updates our COVID-19 dashboard daily at https://www.catawbacountync.gov/county-services/public-health/coronavirus-19/. 

Catawba County COVID-19 Case Update: 5/27/2021 

Retrieved on 5/27/2021 from https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard/cases-demographics.  

Catawba County Vaccination Update: 5/27/2021

Retrieved on 5/27/2021 from https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard/vaccinations. 

Community Health Advocates

• For some people in Catawba County, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges and for others has created new barriers to health and wellbeing. Because of the unique challenges families are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic surrounding housing, nutrition, childcare and more, NCDHHS (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) awarded grants to organizations in hopes of rapidly deploying community health workers in communities throughout the state.
• Catawba County Public Health (CCPH) was selected as a recipient of the community health worker grant, which has allowed CCPH to bring six Community Health Advocates to Catawba County. These Community Health Advocates are responsible for connecting people affected by COVID-19 to medical and social support resources, including diagnostic testing, primary care, case management, nutrition assistance, behavioral health services and financial assistance.
• Catawba County’s Community Health Advocates help facilitate telehealth visits, point community members to health and/or social resources and provide advocacy on behalf of individuals and the community.
• The Community Health Advocates are working in coordination with contact tracers and community-based organizations to identify and assist individuals who need help accessing medical or social services, finding a safe location to isolate, or connecting with other COVID-19-related assistance. Because these workers are most successful when they can deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services, CCPH has ensured that there is a diverse blend of workers who are able to meet these varied needs.

Throughout 2020, the Chronic Disease Work Group, Behavioral Health Work Group, and the Catawba County Food Council met monthly to develop Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPS). The planning process was extended to the end of 2020 and by the end of the year all three work groups had started action planning and preparing for the upcoming year. The work groups anticipate new strategies will begin implementation in 2021. 

In January and February 2021, all three work groups paused to allow Catawba County Public Health and our healthcare partners to focus all of their efforts to supporting the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The work groups picked back up with action planning in March 2021. Action plans for the Chronic Disease Work Group, Behavioral Health Work Group, and Catawba County Food Council are available in the Work Group Action Plan folder. The work groups' action plans are fluid and are being updated monthly as the work group and/or subgroups meet.