Join us as we continue our exploration of the WNC Health Policy Initiative's collaborative study, “Lessons Learned from the Healthcare Response to Hurricane Helene” with researchers Alex Mitchell and Soni Pitts as they examine how healthcare leaders in Western North Carolina responded to the crisis.

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at how this research study was developed, including the study’s design, the methods used to collect data, and the process by which researchers sought to answer questions about healthcare system readiness, communication, and coordination during the hurricane response to inform rural disaster preparedness and public health practice. 

In this episode of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Chris Cooper, distinguished political scientist from Western Carolina University, to unpack the forces shaping health policy in North Carolina. From the role of lobbying and interest groups to the legislative process behind health-related bills currently on the table, Dr. Cooper offers a look into how policy is made, and offers insights into how you can effectively advocate for the issues that matter most.

Facing a dramatically shrinking healthcare workforce, Western North Carolina has identified innovative ways to support and expand the influence of a key role for increasing access among those most vulnerable and most often left behind - Community Health Workers.

North Carolina, like the rest of the United States, is facing a massive healthcare workforce shortage. With the state in need of nurses, caregivers, behavioral health specialists, physicians, and public health workers, a number of initiatives across the state are seeking to increase our healthcare workforce. 

While some collaborations are looking big picture…in WNC…other initiatives are exposing students to the healthcare field and are building pathways for those students to enter that workforce. One program led by the North Carolina Center for Health & Wellness (NCCHW), Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and the Dogwood Health Trust, in partnership with a number of universities in that region, have connected students to the critical field of healthcare with the Student Health Ambassador (SHA) program.

Join us on April 13, 2024 for the Western North Carolina site of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ 10th Annual Women’s Health Awareness Conference, featuring FREE health screenings, health education sessions, healthy living sessions, and health resources, plus exhibitors from many regional community partners who support women’s health in WNC. Hosted at MAHEC’s Biltmore Forest campus in conjunction with the WNC Health Policy Initiative.

Emma Olson, Associate Director of the NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW), presented a short film depicting the impact and experiences of community health workers (CHWs) across Western North Carolina as a Lightning Talk at The Imagining America 2023 National Gathering: Radical Reckoning – Invoking the Elements for Collective Change.

Radon occurs naturally all across Western North Carolina, and can pose serious health risks. Learn more about your radon risks by visiting the North Carolina Radon Program website.

Radon isn't just a problem for homes with basements - it can show up almost anywhere. Learn more about your risks and steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.