In Western North Carolina, mental health and substance use are persistent community health priorities. But navigating care and long-term supports can be complex, confusing and layered with systemic barriers. At the national level, “No Wrong Door” is a framework for making fragmented systems easier for people to navigate. But one regional program in Macon County answers the question: “What does No Wrong Door look like when it is built from the ground up by people responding to the realities of one community?“

In Western North Carolina, mental health and substance use are consistently identified as major community health priorities. But knowing what people need is different from building a system they can actually navigate. In this episode, we speak with Sheila Jenkins from No Wrong Door for Support and Recovery in Macon County, a program that helps people in access long-term services and supports across complex systems, county lines and other potential barriers.

Western North Carolina is facing a sustained mental health and substance use crisis. But improving behavioral health access and outcomes will require more than simply increasing the number of providers. It will require building a system that enables clinicians to stay in community practice, supports patients in accessing timely care, and aligns incentives with long-term health outcomes. In a recent conversation with clinician Lissa Carter, we learned about the challenges and opportunities facing mental health providers—and patients—in our region.