As Knoxville Hospital and Clinics continues on with its health needs assessment, the general public was given its chance to discuss what major health challenges Marion County faces; and mental health-related issues were at the top of the list.

The hospital conducted a town hall session Wednesday evening in its Learning Center; while it was open to the public, most of those on hand had some connection to the healthcare industry.

Based on information gleaned so far from the assessment, the issues which stood out the most to those present were mental health care and the need for providers; drug, alcohol and opioid abuse; and the need for suicide prevention and treatment.

Sarah Pavelka is a consultant working with the hospital on its needs assessment, which is required every three years under the Affordable Care Act. She tells KNIA/KRLS News there is less stigma and greater realization by the public of the need for mental health care, and the community is beginning to band together to meet this problem.

“We really need to dig in, and that’s where it’s nice that the communities are coming together both through Public Health, the hospital and other community-related agencies…the schools, the elder care services, and coming together and saying ‘what could we do together to serve this?’” Pavelka says.

There are a number of other factors to be considered as part of the assessment, which won’t be ready for release until the end of the hospital’s fiscal year this summer.

Pavelka notes there may be a shortage of qualified personnel willing to relocate or practice in Marion County; but the good news is the county is ranked 20th out of 99 counties in the state in health outcomes, 24th in quality of life and 8th in health factors.