The Caldwell County Department of Health is currently conducting its triennial Community Health Assessment.
The assessment aims to identify and evaluate the factors that affect the health of county residents and to identify any needs in human resources, according to a press release from the Health Department. This information will allow public health officials and community partners to identify and address key issues affecting the health of residents.
The assessment is split up into nine sections. It starts by asking users to answer general demographic questions about themselves. The following eight sections ask users to answer questions on key community concerns: housing and homelessness, food security, substance abuse, tobacco and mental health, transportation, access to medical care, emergency preparedness and aging population.
The health assessment conducted in 2022 revealed that substance abuse, mental health and transportation were the leading issues affecting people’s health and well-being in Caldwell County.
Through these findings, public health officials and local partners created plans to address these issues, according to the report. The community health assessment in 2017 indicated that there was a need to address mental health concerns. The Caldwell County Health Department, Caldwell UNC Health, RHA Health Services and other community-based partners came together to combat the stigma behind mental health and offer more resources to address mental health, according to the 2022 CHA Report.
For anyone without internet access, physical copies of the survey can be picked up at the Caldwell County Health Department, Caldwell County Main Library and specific locations throughout the county, according to a press release from the health department.
