The "Story Behind the Curve" helps us understand why the average number of days of poor mental health among adults 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 are work in our community and beyond that influence this issue in our community.

• Nearly 71% of adults reported that they remain hopeful, even in difficult times (2024 WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, WNC Health Network, Inc. [Item 64]).
• Over 62% of adults always or usually have someone to rely on for help if needed.  2024 WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, WNC Health Network, Inc. [Item 62]
• Strong partnerships with mental health providers 

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

• Over eight percent of adults were often/sometimes threatened or harassed in the past year. (2024 WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, WNC Health Network, Inc. [Item 70])
• Over 15% of adults reported considering suicide in past year, a figure that has increased since 2021 (2024 WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, WNC Health Network, Inc. [Item 66]).  
• Over 22% of adults were unable to get needed mental health services in the past year (WNCHN, 2024).

We are keeping an eye on number of individuals  reporting more than seven days of poor mental health in past month as a way of telling us how we are doing as a community in addressing poor mental health and strides to build a community with increased access to trained mental health providers. We have also identified other data that is not currently available, but that we would like to develop to help us monitor progress on this result:

• Indicator 1: number of individuals who access mental health programs
• Indicator 2: the number of those individuals who accessed mental programs and remain in programs when indicated