At the Jan. 18 Catasauqua Communities That Care meeting, coalition members took part in a focus group to assist with future health care planning.

Scott Hoke, from Cedar Crest College, attended the meeting to gain input for Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Community Health Assessment. He reported LVHN collects data every three years from community members regarding their primary health concerns. It holds focus groups, and the information is used in LVHN’s planning for the next few years.

According to Hoke, LVHN holds several focus groups throughout the area to reach a wide variety of community members. The goal is to find out what the specific health needs are for the community.

Hoke first asked the group members how they define health. Coalition members responded with a blend of physical and mental health answers. The group generally agreed there has been a shift toward people paying more attention to mental and emotional health over the past few years.

When asked if physical health is more important than emotional health, Nicole Elias, from Valley Youth House, immediately noted the two are of equal importance, as one often informs the other.

“Bad physical health affects the emotional health,” she said, noting there is a direct correlation.

When asked how they maintain their own health and stay healthy, coalition members responded they take vitamins, get plenty of exercise, try to eat healthy, take time to focus on themselves and indulge in hobbies and activities they enjoy.

Hoke questioned what the coalition believes to be the most important health care issues in the community. Ashley Schmidt, Catasauqua High School career facilitator, mentioned mental health concerns are at an all-time high.

“People are struggling,” she said, noting these struggles can be hard to see and identify.

She said the community could use more opportunities and resources to feel safe asking for help.

It was also noted there is a lack of doctor’s offices and health providers in the borough. This makes it difficult for people to access health care services, especially for lower-income residents who may face transportation problems.

Hoke noted not many of the people in the focus groups are listing COVID-19 as a primary health care concern. He questioned if the CTC members see COVID-19 as a long-term concern. Some group members noted COVID-19 is an important concern as it is impacting just about every aspect of people’s lives. However, it was reported COVID-19 is not necessarily the root cause of the problems but is exacerbating and shining a light on deeper systemic problems.

Hoke asked the CTC members if there had been any positives coming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of responses revolved around the helpfulness of community members. It was noted there was an increase in friendship and support among residents that seemed to start immediately at the start of the pandemic.

Dalilah Jusino, a mental health therapist with Salisbury Behavioral Health working in the district, reported, from a nationwide perspective, there has been a positive opportunity to expand services, such as using telehealth.

Amy Dymond-Jones, Catasauqua Middle School counselor and CTC coordinator, also noted some businesses are more ready to accept sick days. In the past, people have felt pressured to go to work when they are sick, but there has been a healthy shift away from that perspective.

Hoke asked if there was anything positive the community does regarding mental health.

Denise Continenza, CTC coordinator and Penn State Extension educator, noted Catasauqua Area School District has a lot of services for students, such as having mental health professionals in the schools and offering telehealth services. Shelley L. Keffer, CASD coordinator of student services, said she feels the district offers a comprehensive approach to social/emotional health.

When asked what the role of a health network should be to maintain health and access to services, Continenza mentioned adding more providers in the borough to help combat transportation issues. Dymond-Jones suggested work should be done to combat mental health stigmas, so more people feel comfortable asking for help.

Moving away from mental health, Hoke asked about other challenges in the community. Keffer noted the community could benefit from greater access to healthier foods.

Lois Reed, CASD business supervisor and Catasauqua Community Cares Program organizer, mentioned it is a challenge getting nutritional foods the students will eat. C3P regularly sends bags of food home with students who may need additional food over weekends and holidays.

Continenza also noted there should be more education about what to do with the healthier foods. Reed agreed, saying she sees many students opting for unhealthy options because they don’t know how to cook the healthier foods.

Dymond-Jones added healthier foods are generally more expensive, which does not help economically disadvantaged residents. Continenza said it would be nice to have a central hub where people could access nutritional foods, as well as medical appointments.