Access to Care

Initial focus on mental and dental health

The State Health Improvement Plan includes the following goals
for dental and mental health: to reduce childhood dental caries,
to reduce suicide deaths for all, and to reduce suicide attempts
for adolescents.

Mental Health

There are fewer mental and dental health providers in our region than elsewhere in the state. Sullivan County has 589 people for each mental health provider and 3,070 people for each dentist. The state ratios are 386:1 and 1,377:1, respectively. Both hospital community health needs assessments identified access to mental health care in the top two priorities and access to dental health care in the top ten priorities.