[Wilkesboro, NC] – Wilkes Health, in collaboration with various agencies and community partners, has released the Wilkes County Community Health Needs Assessment Report for Wilkes County. This report identifies public health priorities and provides a foundation for work that will take place in the following years.
The Community Health Needs Assessment Report is published every three years in partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist | Wilkes Medical Center, The Health Foundation, and Wilkes Health. Many local agencies, including Wilkes Partnership for Children, Wilkes County Schools, Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office, Town of North Wilkesboro, Town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes County Government, and many various nonprofits and organizations contribute to the report. The Community Health Needs Assessment Report follows an assessment process involving the community to identify and analyze community health needs and assets, prioritize those needs and then implement a plan to address significant unmet needs.
“The Community Health Needs Assessment Report provides results from a community input opinion survey and review of community data which includes income, poverty, employment, community safety, housing, behavioral health, and more. The information is used to guide the work of local health departments and community partnerships to address community concerns and monitor progress toward projected goals.” Said Rachel Willard, Wilkes County Health Director.
The health priorities below highlight key areas that community coalitions within Wilkes County will focus on and work to improve the next few years.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse
- Obesity and Chronic Disease
- Access to Care
- Tobacco and Smoking
The completion of this comprehensive report completes the first phase in the Community Health Needs Assessment process. The next phase include developing of Community Health Improvement Plans that will guide work to the health priorities in Wilkes County.
What Can We Do Together to Improve Our Community’s Health?
- Health begins where we live, learn, work, play, and pray. Take action in building our neighborhood to be safe and healthy.
- Being healthy takes a community. Attend a Mental Health First Aid training and join local community groups that work to support mental health systems.
- Your opportunity for health starts long before you need medical care. Sign up for your local Women, Infant & Children (WIC) program through Wilkes Health.
- The opportunity for health begins in our families, neighborhoods, schools, and jobs. Participate in worksite wellness programs, utilize the community playgrounds located at our elementary schools, or take a walk on our greenway.
- Your neighborhood, visit to the local ballpark or job shouldn’t be hazardous to your health. Support tobacco-free policies.
- Health starts—long before illness—in our homes, schools, and jobs. Investing in our mothers and children is investing in our future.
- Live active, eat local vegetables and fruits.
Together, we will work toward a healthier Wilkes County.
To view the Community Health Needs Assessment Report for Wilkes County, visit Wilkes Health’s website.
For additional information about Wilkes Health or other community resources and health-related data, please call us at 336-651-7450. For more information, visit our website at www.WilkesHealth.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
To access the report and video presentations please click the links below, or view the documents and videos under our Community Interest tab, under Health Reports:
2021 Wilkes County Community Health Needs Assessment Report
Presentation #1- Overview
Presentation #2- Health Status
Presentation #3- Healthcare Resources
Presentation #4- Economic Stability
Presentation #5- Education Access and Quality
Presentation #6- Social, Environmental, and Community Context