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.

On September 26 Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, destroying homes, businesses, roads, and entire towns. Recovery has been ongoing in intervening months, but there are still years - perhaps decades - of recovery ahead of the region.

Policymakers and communities in Western North Carolina need to think and plan strategically when it comes to restoring housing in a fair and equitable way across a region already struggling with wage, housing and resource disparities. In today’s podcast, we hear from Andreanecia M. Morris, New Orleans housing advocate and Executive Director for HousingNOLA, about what Western North Carolina can learn from the lessons of communities who’ve fought hard to come back from similar disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, to ensure that our region is able to truly “build back better” by creating a housing environment that is WNC Strong, both for the immediate future and in perpetuity.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina faces not only the physical and economic challenges of recovery, but also the pressing need for a renewed focus on the state’s already strained early childhood education infrastructure. Childcare teachers are the workforce behind the workforce, enabling families to return to work, businesses to reopen, and vital services to resume. As communities rebuild, it is essential that legislators prioritize policies that strengthen childcare resources to support families’ and businesses’ recovery in Western North Carolina and ensure statewide economic stability and growth.