Your Voice Matters: Help Shape the Future of Regional Health and Wellness
What is MAPP2Health and Why It Matters
The MAPP2Health assessment, led by the Blue Ridge Health District, is a comprehensive look at the health and well-being of our region. It gathers information from surveys, interviews, and community conversations to identify the most pressing challenges and opportunities for improvement. This data-driven approach ensures that solutions are targeted, equitable, and grounded in what our residents actually need. You can learn more about the assessment here: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/blue-ridge/mapp2health/
The Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition plays a key role in this process by connecting local organizations, agencies, and community members to the assessment and its outcomes. Our goal is to make sure that what we learn leads to meaningful, coordinated action, especially when it comes to mental health and wellness.
Turning Data into Action: The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is the next step of the MAPP2Health process. This is where we move from understanding challenges to implementing solutions. The CHIP brings together community partners, BRHD, and both health systems to design programs that make a measurable difference in our region.
Why Your Participation Matters
Mental health emerged as one of the top challenges across all MAPP2Health data sources:
In a randomized household survey, 10 percent of respondents reported poor mental health nearly every day in the past month.
In interviews, more than one-third of people said their mental health was poor for at least half the month.
Residents also offered practical ideas to improve well-being such as in-person group sessions, mobile mental health services, peer-led support groups, bilingual providers, and informal gathering spaces in trusted community settings. The CHIP process is designed to help bring these community-driven solutions to life.
Building on Past Success
Our region’s 2022–2025 CHIP achieved real impact, from supporting the PATH program and diversifying Standardized Patients, to expanding the Community Health Worker training class, strengthening the Outreach Network, and including older adults and people with disabilities in regional transportation planning. The next CHIP continues this momentum.
What CHIP Involvement Looks Like
The CHIP runs through 2028 in phases that allow for flexible, meaningful engagement:
Phase I: Now – December 2025
Meet monthly for one hour to finalize objectives, identify partners, and clarify roles
Begin forming workgroups
Phase II: January – April 2026
Finalize workgroups, indicators, and measurable targets
Prepare Requests for Proposals for CHIP-related grants
Phase III: May – August 2026
Grants awarded and initiatives launched
Workgroups determine pace of meetings
Phase IV: September 2026 – 2028
Initiatives in action, progress tracked, and ongoing support from BRHD CHA/CHIP Program team
Upcoming CHIP Meetings
Join us at one of the upcoming sessions to learn more and get involved:
November 5 at 3 PM or November 6 at 11 AM
December 3 at 3 PM or December 4 at 11 AM
Your voice and work are essential to shaping how our region supports mental health in the years ahead. Together, we can turn what we learned in MAPP2Health into lasting, meaningful change.
Contact: jennifer.fleisher@vdh.virginia.gov
Sign up to join the CHIP process here: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/blue-ridge/mapp2health/