The Orange County Health Department has released its Community Health Assessment for 2015.

Ashley Mercer with the Orange County Health Department said the assessment lets her office better understand what they need to focus on. She said their main priorities were improving access to healthcare, preventing substance abuse and promoting physical activity.

“We assess the health of the overall county and it just gives us the health priorities that are deemed important by our residents,” said Mercer.

According to the assessment, about 15.3 percent of Orange County residents are uninsured. And even with a high median income in the county, 17 percent of residents live in poverty.

So for many that means not being able to go to the doctor or missing out on needed medical services. Mercer said many factors go into solving that issue.

“The overall availability and affordability of services, physically being able to access services, understanding the health system and then socio-economic conditions that includes things like poverty,” said Mercer.

Approximately 6,000 Orange County residents did, however, sign up for the healthcare marketplace in 2015, according the assessment.

Orange County has made progress in the past year on dealing with substance abuse.

Emergency services have also begun using the drug naxolone in opioid overdose situations. So far it reversed overdoses for at least four people in Orange County.

The Health Department is making efforts to improve physical activity and nutrition in the county. Mercer is also in charge of Healthy Carolinians of Orange County, which partners with schools, churches and businesses to promote active lifestyles.

Mercer said that local partnerships are crucial for the department’s work.

“So even though we see these numbers and what it means, we know that it’s not doable unless we have everyone involved,” said Mercer. “It takes a village to decrease these numbers and make our county healthier.