The "Story Behind the Curve" helps us understand why the data on the percent of adults with more than 7 days of poor mental health per month is the way that it is in our community. When we understand the root causes of our community problems, we have a better chance of finding the right solutions, together.

What's Helping? These are the positive forces at work in our community and beyond that influence this issue in our community.

• Provider personnel who truly care
• Support from religious organizations
• Celebrate Recovery Group
• Mountain Community Health Partnership clinics and counseling services
• Medicaid expansion in North Carolina
• Local human service agencies that timely connect clients with appropriate resources
• Providers who focus on health as a whole, including behavioral health
• Willingness of agencies to collaborate
• Increased access to mental health management techniques in schools
• Increased use of mindfulness/medication practices to deal with stress

What's Hurting? These are the negative forces at work in our community and beyond that influence this issue in our community.

• Lack of follow-up/ follow-through care
• Difficulty connecting clients to needed resources
• Stigma around mental health
• Financial barriers and poverty
• Lack of transportation
• Lack of available resources
• Programs exist but they aren't being utilized
• Not enough mental health providers locally and frequent turnover of providers
• Lack of telehealth options
• Lack of behavioral health education within the school system
• Lack of social connection opportunities for youth, teens, and adults
• Lack of community support
• Lack of information and education and awareness of the deep impacts of trauma
• Inconsistent use of prescription medications, particularly antidepressants
• Territoriality amongst agencies, people working in silos, political divisions

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

• Local Primary Care Providers
• Local Mental Health Providers
• Mountain Health Community Partnership (MCHP)
• Partners Aligned Towards Health (PATH)
• Yancey County Department of Social Services (DSS)
• School Counselors
• Mitchell Yancey Substance Abuse Task Force (MYSATF)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Churches & Faith Communities
• RHA
• Drug Court
• County Recreation & Community Fitness Centers
• Community Paramedic & EMS
• VAYA Health
• Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Group

The following actions have been identified by the Healthy Yancey coalition and community members as ideas for what can work for our community to make a difference on Behavioral Health.

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

• Cooperation between law enforcement, EMTs, hospital emergency room departments, and DSS
• Access to more hobbies/ outdoor activities for kids who may not be involved in school organizations
• More groups and community hobbies for adults
• Problem-solving sessions between involved agencies and providers focused on typical or frequently encountered scenarios
• Follow up after crisis by trusted person who can encourage change and be sure local resources are connected with the individual or family in need
• Nutrition counseling
• Access to health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, etc.
• Education around mental health in school

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 Behavioral Health.

• Mitchell-Yancey Substance Abuse Task Force exists to address substance use
• Multigenerational play/exercise area
• Activities at the Senior Center
• Volunteer and active opportunities, like walking shelter dogs
• Continued funding of school counselors
• Mountain Community Health Partnership (MCHP) behavioral health counselors and outreach, including peer counselors
• Community Health Workers
• Community paramedic program
• Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Group
• Access to Narcan
• Celebrate Recovery Group
• Partners Aligned Toward Health (STOP grant, Drug Free Communities grant)
• Home Remedies Program
• Empowering Youth and Families programs (for middle school families)
• Mountain Challenge
• SafePlace
• Hope House
• RHA Mobile Crisis
• Opioid settlement planning
• Blue Ridge Partnership for Children

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