All Montgomery County priorities are addressed in the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Click on the links below for Progress Made in 2022-2023.

For the priority area Diseases of the Heart see progress tabs for each program below.

  New Community garden structures.

  Community Health Screenings/Education

The State of the County Health Report 2023 provides community partners, stakeholders, and the general public with an update on the priority health issues identified in the 2020 Community Health Assessment and the strategies implemented to address these issues. The Montgomery County Department of Health and members of the Montgomery County 2020 Task Force collaborated to complete the 2020 assessment. The top three community health priority issues identified were: 

1. Diseases of the Heart 
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
3. Health Equity 

To view the 2020 Community Health Assessment, please visit the Montgomery County Department of Health’s website at www.montgomerycountync.com/departments/health-department. 

The following report includes progress made on each of the three priority health issues as well as demographic, morbidity, and mortality data for Montgomery County and the state of North Carolina. The last section in the report discusses emerging issues for our community in the field of public health that are being addressed.

Montgomery County Department of Health and community partners has worked continuously throughout the calendar year of 2023 to address the health priorities listed in our most recent CHA. Chronic diseases of the heart is still a top health concern for people in Montgomery County, and through community partnerships several health improvement initiatives have been implemented to address them. Heart health has been at the forefront of these initiatives throughout 2023 with new programs being designed to address health risk screenings and blood pressure management.

Staff and community partners have also focused on health improvement initiatives to address the rising use of harmful substances among adults and youth aged individuals.

Community partners and local health department staff continue to address equitable access to care through collaborative group efforts. Health department staff have been able to grow their involvement with a local group operating on a community centered care approach to change. Through this group, initiatives have been put in place to address access to food, heart health, and more.

The clear impact scorecard (found above) outlines the efforts being made by the Montgomery County Department of Health and community partners to address the health priorities identified in the 2020 Community Health Assessment. Use the following links to see up to date information regarding each program and initiative taking place to improve the health outcomes in Montgomery County.

•   All people in Montgomery County live in communities that support healthy lifestyles.
• SU All people in Montgomery County have equitable access to mental health and substance use disorder services.
•   All people in Montgomery County live in healthy, equitable communities that offer complete social, physical and mental well-being to all its residents at all stages of life.

Leading Cause of Death

In Montgomery County, heart disease ranks as the predominant cause of mortality. Its evasive nature, often missed in early stages and usually not presenting with immediate life-threatening symptoms, underscores its profound impact on the well-being of people living in Montgomery County. Heart disease exacts a notable toll on the quality of a person’s life, often with debilitating symptoms that impede daily life. The preventability of many heart conditions elevates the importance of addressing this serious health concern. Compounding the challenge, Montgomery County is a rural community, characterized by limited access to quality healthcare and screening services. This barrier exacerbates disparities in health outcomes and highlights the necessity for bolstered heart health initiatives. Prioritizing interventions at prevention, early detection, and comprehensive delivery of healthcare is paramount in mitigating the burden of heart disease within the community. By addressing these multifaceted challenges, a healthier, more resilient population is fostered to promote the collective well-being of Montgomery County.  

Health Ranking

Montgomery County occupies the 75th position among the 100 counties in North Carolina concerning health factors and outcomes. This inferior ranking correlates with elevated rates of premature mortality, diminished life expectancies, and substandard mental and physical well-being within the community. Contributing to these adverse outcomes are various health behaviors, to include smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, teen pregnancy, and substance misuse. Furthermore, the scarcity of healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians and specialists, worsens these challenges, resulting in outcomes below those reflected at the state and national levels.

Source: Montgomery, North Carolina | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

Emerging issues identified in Montgomery County include the end of the COVID-19 pandemic health emergency by state officials. As the community continues navigating this new post-pandemic era, attention remains fixed on combatting food insecurity. These emerging & evolving issues, representative of the county’s resilience in the face of adversity, draw due attention to the need for action and innovative solutions.

COVID State of Emergency 

The effects of the COVID-19 emergency, despite its ending, will have lasting effects due to reshaping various aspects of social, economic, and healthcare avenues. With the easing of restrictions and the restoration of normalcy, there remains a shortage of healthcare providers in Montgomery County to be addressed. While the reduced strain on resources and healthcare staff is promising, improving access to healthcare for people living in Montgomery County is paramount. The need for preventative care is once again able to be highlighted through the promotion of vaccination campaigns, heart health screenings, and community outreach and education.

Food Insecurity

Amidst the ongoing challenges posed by food insecurity in Montgomery County, light has been shed on the urgency of addressing the issue. Over the past year, our community experienced shifts in food distribution needs and resource allocation to meet the evolving needs of families in our communities. While the work remains unfinished, community partner collaboration has kept the issue as a top priority, with the hopes of ensuring food security for all people living in Montgomery County. Partners remain committed to distributing quality essential foods that are high in nutritional value, keeping the health of our community at the forefront of their mission. 

Montgomery County Department of Health and its community partners made great strides in the calendar year 2023 to start new initiatives related to priority health issues identified in the 2020 Community Health Assessment. Through the partnership with Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and Sandhills Opioid Response Consortium, opioid settlement funds were leveraged to assist with the distribution of Naloxone in the form of harm reduction kits. The designated peer support specialist through the consortium has worked to develop lasting relationships with community leaders, first responders, and people in Montgomery County to ensure that harm reduction kits are widely available throughout the county. Through the scorecard, we are able to showcase how many kits are given out to community members through her work. In addition to providing life-saving doses of naloxone and opioid overdose reversal medication to individuals seeking access to care, the harm reduction kits contain information on recovery resources available as well as necessary test strips for individuals in search of them.

Staff at Montgomery County Department of Health have been able to address key concerns with parents and guardians through the implementation of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). Clinical and non-clinical staff have been trained at MCDH to administer the program to parents and guardians that bring up specific concerns related to their child’s behavior. MCDH staff can assist parents with any child under the age of twelve, but have developed relationships with community organizations that can administer assistance for children outside of the age range.

In addition to providing the triple p program, health education and maternal health staff have worked diligently with the Improving Community Outcomes for Maternal and Child Health (ICO4MCH) collaborative to educate maternal health patients on post-partum depression. Through the use of the mothers and babies curriculum, educators can address common mental health related outcomes for mothers prior to delivery. This program addresses the signs and symptoms of post-partum depression to educate the mother prenatally on what she may experience. Due to the lack of maternal mental health services within the county, any program addressing mental health for our patients has been a priority.

Diseases of the Heart can have many root causes, but one key factor our local Better Together group addressed was the need for physical activity to help boost heart health of the community. After analyzing the need for outdoor physical activity spaces, group members along with community leaders developed a plan to increase the walkability of the community center by developing a walking trail. In early spring of 2023, Better Together was able to build a walking trail in the Brutonville Community for anyone in the county to utilize. This trial has helped with the facilitation of exercise groups and walking sessions with the community center.

Vaping cessation has been a topic of concern for many in the community, especially among the youth in our school system. Montgomery County Department of Health staff along with FirstHealth of the Carolinas educators were able to train in the CATCH My Breath program to help facilitate youth vaping cessation utilizing a nationwide evidence-based program. Facilitation and further training within the school system is a project that is ongoing to bring this information into our local schools.

Throughout this past year the T2 Diabetes program has been paused for Montgomery County. This program addresses healthy lifestyle choices for those that present with pre-diabetes markers. With continued efforts by Montgomery County Department of Health and FirstHealth of the Carolinas, it is our hope to facilitate the year-long class with community members in the future.