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 (WNCHI, 2021).

The following actions have been identified as ideas for what can work for our community to make a difference on mental health in Haywood County.

(A) Actions and Approaches Identified by Our Partners These are actions and approaches that our partners think can make a difference on mental health.

• Action/Approach 1: Continue providing Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training
• Action/Approach 2: Provide Trauma-Informed Care/Adverse Childhood Experiences training

(B) 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 mental health.

• 211 is available
• Mountain Projects, Inc. provides prevention and early intervention services.
• Vaya Health serves those with mental health and substnace use challenges and developmental disabilities.
• Meridian Behavioral Health Services provides mental health and substance use treatment services, working with both adults and children.
• Reach of Haywood County provides services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including an emergency shelter and legal assistance (reachofhaywood.org).
• 30th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance, Inc. - This organization serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
• Kids Advocacy Resource Effort focuses on preventing child abuse and neglect. They also provide advocacy services for survivors.
• Haywood Pathways Center - a non-profit organization that transformed a former jail into a soup kitchen, halfway house and homeless shelter, including a family dorm.
• Haywood Regional Medical Center has a behavioral health unit.
• The Sheriff’s Office operates a tip line. Individuals may report calls about underage drinking and drug use, such as drug parties, or for mental health concerns.

(C) Evidence-Based Strategies These are actions and approaches that have been shown to make a difference on mental health.

• Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)  
• Trauma Informed Care/Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)  
• Mental Health First Aid

Process for Selecting Priority Strategies

Haywood County used the process planning tool "Getting to Strategies: Process Plan" which helped move from health priorities to Community Health Improvement Plan strategies. This tool facilitated priority and strategy discussions with work groups. Seven questions were used to identify Our ideal vision of Haywood County; What in our community would require change to accomplish our vision; What are the most important measures to reflect positive change; Who plays a role in creating change; What past and current strategies work to make positive change; and What we propose to do this Community Health Improvement Plan cycle (questions below). Once all work groups, partners, and community members in attendance agreed on proposed strategies (keeping in mind feasibility, sustainability, level of impact in regard to current resources and capacity) the group voted for their top three substance use and mental health strategies.

• Questions:
  • What are the quality-of-life conditions we want for the people who live in our community?
  • How can we measure these conditions?
  • What would these conditions look like if we could see them?
  • How are we doing on the most important of these measures?
  • Who are the partners who have a role to play in doing better?
  • What works to do better?
  • What do we propose to do?

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

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