SAFFORD — On Monday, the Graham County Board of Supervisors gave the Health Department the go-ahead to apply for $312,000 in grant funding from the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties.
Health Department Director Brian Douglas said that, if the grant is awarded, the funds will be used to hire two contract program health specialists for three years, “To address our Community Health Assessment and our Community Health Improvement Program, and the results and noted issues, which are mental health, substance abuse, nutrition and physical activity.”
The Graham County Community Health Assessment 2019-23 shows that 21 percent of county residents report being in poor or fair health, that the county has a much higher rate of premature death as compared to the state and national averages, and is almost two times the number of fatal auto accidents involving alcohol on a per capita basis.
It also showed that 28 percent of those needing mental health services were not able to get help, and that 30 percent of respondents didn’t know where to go for mental health services.
“The United Way, the hospital, Substance Abuse Coalition, everyone has come together and asked us to do this,” said County Manager Dustin Welker.
