Strategy drives nearly everything we do at New Hanover County Government.

As an organization, we frame the array of services we provide through the lens of our 2024-28 Strategic Plan, which focuses on benchmarks over a five-year period in Workforce and Economic Development, Community Safety and Well-being, and Sustainable Land Use and Environmental Stewardship. The current strategic plan marks the third our Board of Commissioners have adopted since 2012.

Additionally, there are department-specific strategic plans that help frame how they support the needs of our community, as well as other strategic plans that guide funding and programming.

One of the most significant is the county’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Strategic Plan. Adopted in September 2022, this document is the roadmap for how funding from the nationwide opioid settlement and the county’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Fund will be used to address these ongoing issues in our community.

None of these plans – or the benchmarks we achieve because of them – would be possible without our Office of Strategy. This team’s tireless work brings focus to what we do, helping make sure our efforts and resources are meeting their intended needs.

Helping to make this possible is Strategy Manager Eliza Baldwin. Her skill in taking data and transforming it into objectives is transformative.

For this month’s Public Service Profile, I talked with Eliza about her role in this process and the latest tool the county is providing to the community to address mental health and substance use disorder needs. That conversation is below …

Eliza, we often talk about our work in local government aligning with community needs. I know how important the Office of Strategy is behind-the-scenes to make sure our plans match those needs but give the public a glimpse into your role with the office. What about strategic planning for our organization do you enjoy most?

My role as Strategy Manager involves overseeing various strategic initiatives that align with our county’s plans. This includes analyzing data to assess the effectiveness of our initiatives, creating surveys to gather feedback from residents, and coordinating with stakeholders to understand community needs better. The diverse nature of these initiatives means my work varies day-to-day, which is something I truly enjoy. It allows me to serve our community in different and meaningful ways.

One of the biggest plans I know you’ve had a significant part in developing is our Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Strategy, which leverages funds from the nationwide opioid settlement and the county’s $50 million Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Fund. This is a living document, capable of changing as needs shift. What are some things you have learned, either in talking with providers or those with lived experience, in helping create this plan?

I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on this strategic plan because it was truly a community effort. By listening to subject matter experts, local providers, and individuals with lived experience, we created a plan that prioritizes the well-being of all our residents. One key takeaway for me is the importance of supporting one another, especially as we approach the holiday season, because mental health and substance use disorder impacts everyone in some way, and our collective efforts can save lives.

To that end, the newest initiative your office has assisted in developing is Help Right Here, an online platform that simplifies the search for providers in the fields of mental health and substance use disorder in our community. Walk me through a little bit of what this program offers, how people can utilize it and why it’s so important.

Help Right Here is an online platform designed to simplify the search for mental health and substance use disorder providers in New Hanover County. The website also lists resources for individuals facing housing or food insecurities, or who are in need of emergency financial assistance. For those unsure about the available resources, there is a powerful matching tool that generates a list of providers based on answers to a few simple questions about their current feelings and support needs. The website features language translation and accessibility options to ensure everyone can find the information they need. Often, we are overwhelmed with information, making it challenging to locate the right resource at the right time. Help Right Here is an important tool to make that search easier and more efficient.

I’d like to thank Eliza for her continued efforts in strategic planning for our organization. While so much of her work takes place behind-the-scenes, it truly helps in public ways, including services like Help Right Here.

If you or someone you know has a need for mental health or substance use disorder issues, I would strongly encourage you to visit HelpRightHereNHC.org. This site makes finding support simple, bringing a clear picture to the resources available in our community.