Mitchell County, North Carolina

1
Mitchell County,North Carolina

• 2008 State of the County Health Report

Toe River Health District
Prepared by the
Mitchell County Health Department Mitchell
Community Health Partnership
2
Health Priorities From the 2007 Community Health
Assessment

• IILEGAL DRUG USE
• JOB OPPORTUNITIES
• CHRONIC DISEASE

With the help of the Mitchell Community Steering
Committee, these top three priorities come into
view from the top ten issues from the Mitchell
County Community Assessment Survey.
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ILLEGAL DRUG USE

• High School Dropout Rate was extremely high
  (current year average of 39.0)
• Lack of Drug/Alcohol Treatment Resources in
  community
• Disparity due to lack of jobs
• Multiple deaths related to drug use in community
• Lack of Recreation for youth

4
JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Major industries closed, resulting in increased
  unemployment
• People are currently working for low wages and no
  benefits
• Cant afford health care and prescription
  medicines
• Lack of Education

5
JOB OPPORTUNITIES Continued

• Increasing property and house values are making
  homes unaffordable for lower and middle class,
  resulting in an increased number of foreclosures.
• Young adults and families have to move out of
  area to find jobs.
• Shifting demographics as older people moving into
  county and young adults moving out to find jobs.
• Over half (52) of Mitchell County School
  students are enrolled in the free and reduced
  lunch program.

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CHRONIC DISEASES (Stroke, Diabetes, Heart
Disease, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Other
Cancers)

• Lack of adequate transportation
• Health insurance and prescription medication not
  affordable
• Lack of education on healthy lifestyles
  (nutrition fitness)
• County population consist of high number of
  senior citizens that have multiple diagnoses.

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REVIEW OF MAJOR HEALTH INDICATORS FOR MITCHELL
COUNTY
Relay For Life 2008 Survivors Lap
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TOP TEN LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN MITCHELL COUNTY
SCHS North Carolina Data Book 2008 Ranking,
Number of Deaths, and Unadjusted Death Rates per
100,000 Population
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TOP TEN HOSPITAL DISCHARGE RATES FOR DISEASES,
INJURIES, AND DISABILITIES IN MITCHELL COUNTY
SCHS North Carolina Data Book 2008 Inpatient
Hospital Discharge Rate Data per 1,000 POP by
County
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OTHER HEALTH RELATED INFORMATION SIGNIFICANT TO
MITCHELL COUNTY
Ranked based on estimated percentage of
residents who lack health insurance, with lower
numbers implying higher rates of health insurance
coverage.
SCHS Data Book 2008 for Teen Pregnancies,
University of Chapel Hill The NC Institute of
Medicine for all Uninsured Data, U.S. Census
Bureau Local Dept. of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity for all other state and county level
statistics.
11
STATUS OF THE SELECTED PRIORITIES AT THE END OF
2008

Special Olympics use Appalachian Trail for
Fundraiser
Local Hikers Finish Appalachian Trail
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ILLEGAL DRUG USE

• Mitchell County Transportation travels to the
  Marion Methadone Clinic
• The transportation van travels to clinic three
  times a week (or as needed) with approximately
  ten patients.
• Mitchell High School graduation rate rising
  because of implementation of the Freshman
  Academy.
• Mitchell High School has been awarded a 95,032
  grant to help students address social issues that
  can affect school success, including poverty,
  drug and domestic abuse, and pregnancy. The
  program will focus on students already identified
  in its Freshmen Leadership Academy, students who
  may fail a class, students with several
  discipline referrals, ESL (English as a Second
  Language) students, and students who are
  experiencing social issues that may put them
  at-risk of dropping out.

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Mayland Community College offers low cost to no
  cost courses for those who have lost jobs because
  of the impact of multiple industry closings in
  the community.
• Employment Security Commission offers assistance
  for people who are seeking a new career due to
  industry closings.

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CHRONIC DISEASE(Stroke, Diabetes, Heart Disease,
Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Other Cancers)

• Discuss offering healthy menu options with
  restaurant owners/managers
• Health Promotion Coordinator will provide support
  with information and materials, such as recipe
  evaluations for key nutrition facts to be
  published on the menu along with the healthy
  choice.
• Discuss Tobacco-Free environments with restaurant
  owners/managers
• Health Promotion Coordinator will provide
  supporting information and materials for local
  restaurants, such as door static clings and
  framed certificates to promote being a
  Tobacco-Free environment.

15
CHRONIC DISEASEContinued(Stroke, Diabetes,
Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Other
Cancers)

• Three Month Health Promotions Campaign in
  Mitchell County
• Health Promotion Coordinator and MCHP Steering
  Committee work together to promote education
  about concerns by partnering with restaurants and
  schools
• Informational Flyers and table toppers are placed
  in participating restaurants and schools.
• Billboard is placed in well visible area of town.
• Topics this year have included Portion Size,
  Diabetes, and Mindful Eating over the Holidays.

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CHRONIC DISEASEContinued(Stroke, Diabetes,
Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Other
Cancers)

• Walking Trails Measured Marked throughout
  Mitchell County.
• Health Promotion Coordinator and MCHP Director
  partnered to measure and mark all local walking
  trails to promote physical activity among
  citizens.
• A total of four walking trails have been
  completed one in which was created, measured,
  and marked.

Buladean School
Mitchell High School
Riverside Park
Mitchell Senior Center
17
CHRONIC DISEASEContinued(Stroke, Diabetes,
Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Other
Cancers)

• Runaway Cancer Campaign for Breast Cancer
• Local runner ran a half marathon to raise money
  for local organizations/programs associated with
  cancer prevention.
• The fundraiser total was over 3,000, all the
  money remained in the county being distributed to
  several organizations/programs.
• Mitchell County Transportation travels to Marion
  YMCA with elderly citizens for water aerobics.
• The transportation van travels to the facility
  every Tuesday and Thursday, taking approximately
  6 people.

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CHANGES IN MITCHELL COUNTYS ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AFFECTING HEALTH

• New well prices were implemented with a flat rate
  of 260.
• Because of economic changes, local Christian
  Ministry (Shepherd Staff) discontinued all
  services except food and fuel assistance.
• Because of the rising cost of oil, many residents
  of Mitchell County are seeking assistance and/or
  alternative forms of heat.
• Mitchell High School strives to be added onto
  city water lines because of drought conditions.
• In the past, local high school has closed because
  of low water levels.

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NEW EMERGING HEALTH ISSUES

• Rabies still an ongoing issue for Mitchell County
  
• Mitchell County has no place for fitness and
  indoor recreation
• Dental Care for those who are uninsured or
  underinsured
• Mental Health Care struggles with access to
  services and issues with adults that are
  uninsured or underinsured

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NEW INITIATIVES

• Davita Dialysis Center
• Opened January 1, 2008 offering in-center
  hemo-dialysis treatments. The facility has
  served a total of 51 patients, with a current
  case load of 13 patients.
• Blue Ridge Regional Hospital (BRRH)
• Because the local doctors office are affiliated
  with BRRH, they changed the office name to
  reflect that affiliation.
• Senior Solutions Project
• The Mitchell County Senior Center is heading up
  this project in their efforts to become a Center
  of Excellence.
• The project addresses the needs of elderly
  citizens of Mitchell County.

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NEW INITIATIVESContinued

• Efforts for an Assisted Living Facility
• The application for an Assisted Living Facility
  has been resubmitted to the state. A decision is
  pending. The facility will offer 80 beds, with
  24 of them specifically allocated to a special
  care unit treating patients with Alzheimer's or
  other related dementia. Private rooms,
  semi-private rooms, and suites will make up the
  facility.
• The capital cost of the facility is set at 5
  million. It is estimated that the facility would
  need five acres of property to build the adult
  care home, and the prime spot being currently
  considered is at the corner of Hwy. 226 and Hwy.
  19E at Highland Avenue in Spruce Pine.
• Fifty full-time employees at an annual payroll of
  1 million will be needed to staff the home. The
  home, if approved, is projected to be licensed
  and operating in October 2010. A decision will
  be made on the project no later than Dec. 23,
  2008
• New Fire Department
• The town of Spruce Pine has a new fire department
  located on Bell Street.
• Car Seat Training Project
• The project goal is to increase the proper use of
  car seats, including booster seats for the
  children of Mitchell County.
• The project will include increasing the knowledge
  of the NC Law concerning child restraints and
  booster seats for our children, and provide
  instruction to parents concerning installation of
  car seats.

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NEW INITIATIVESContinued

• SIDS Counselors
• Mitchell County now has two SIDS Counselors, who
  have received Babys Easy Safe Sleep Training
• SIDS counselors conducted outreach to 25 agencies
  within the county.
• New Group Home Grand Opening
• Grant amount received 250,000, funds were
  used to construct Winterstone, an eight-unit
  supportive housing project targeted to very low-
  and low-income disabled and mentally impaired
  individuals in Spruce Pine. The grand opening of
  Winter Stone Group Home was in the Fall of 2008.

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DISSEMINATION OF SOTCH

• The report will be disseminated in the following
  ways
• Presented to the Toe River Health District Board
  of Health
• Presented to the Mitchell Community Health
  Partnership Steering Committee
• Distribution to Mitchell County School Nurses
• Distribution to doctors nurses at Blue Ridge
  Regional Hospital
• Distribution to Mitchell County Senior Center
• Posted on the Mitchell Community Partnership
  Health Website
• http//www.mitchellcommunityhealthpartnership.org
  /
• Posted on the Toe River Health District Website
• http//www.intranet.trhd.org/

All citizens of Mitchell County can access this
report on these websites by visiting the local
libraries in Bakersville and Spruce Pine.
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CONTACT INFORMATION

• Community members are encouraged to join the
  Mitchell Community Health Partnership, a
  partnership of concerned citizens working
  together to improve the quality of health in
  Mitchell County, which meets quarterly. Several
  community task force meetings are designed
  throughout the year to gain citizen input and
  support. Community opinions are welcomed and
  actively sought through surveys and listening
  sessions. For more information please contact
• Jessica S. Farley
• Health Promotions Coordinator
• Mitchell County Health Department
• 130 Forest Service Drive, Suite A
• Bakersville, NC 28705
• 828-688-2371 ext. 34
• jessica.farley_at_trhd.dst.nc.us

Toe River Health District
MCHP