Clay County CES

County Emphasis:

Improving the Health & Well-being of Clay Countians

Concentration 1:

Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Concentration 2:

Health and Wellbeing

Situation:

Health and nutrition disparities across Kentucky significantly impact the well-being of adults and families. Uneven access to health-promoting knowledge, resources, and infrastructure contributes to high rates of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Research shows that regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of these diseases and improves quality of life—yet many Kentuckians face barriers not only in accessing fresh food, but also in knowing how to select, prepare, and preserve it.   The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) addresses these challenges by delivering comprehensive health, nutrition, and wellness programming. Through partnerships with organizations such as the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Community Farm Alliance, and the KY Farm to School Network, CES supports systems and policies that increase access to fresh, nutritious foods while empowering individuals with practical food preparation and preservation skills.   Kentucky’s health and economic challenges are significant—five of the top ten causes of death are linked to poor nutrition, and obesity-related costs exceed $36 billion. The 2023 UK Extension Community Needs Assessment identified improving food access, reducing youth obesity, and supporting youth mental health as top public health priorities.   Kentucky 4-H plays a vital role in building healthier futures by equipping youth with life skills in nutrition, culinary arts, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Seventy percent of participants report learning about healthy food choices, and many gain confidence in preparing meals at home. These programs promote resilience, foster healthier behaviors, and prepare young people to become engaged, capable community members. Guided by the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-being, CES continues to expand access to affordable, nutritious food and support lifelong wellness—laying the foundation for thriving individuals, strong families, and healthier communities across the Commonwealth.

County Situation:

Clay County, Kentucky faces persistent health and economic challenges that call for targeted, community-based solutions. In 2022, the county recorded 3,899 preventable hospital stays and 16,700 premature deaths—clear indicators of serious gaps in preventive care and chronic disease management. Self-reported data show 30% of residents rate their physical health as “poor to fair,” and 22% report frequent poor mental health days.     Between 2020 and 2022, the county also experienced 1,753 substance use-related ER visits and hospitalizations.   The burden of chronic conditions is high: 38% of residents are obese 18% of adults have diabetes 48% have high blood pressure 33% do not meet physical activity guidelines   Poor nutrition and limited food access contribute significantly to these outcomes. Clay County scored just 4.9 out of 10 on the Food Environment Index, well below the national average, reflecting widespread food insecurity and limited access to healthy options. Many residents also lack the skills and resources to prepare or preserve nutritious foods safely.   Despite these challenges, families are making efforts to improve their health through better diets, increased activity, and preventive strategies—but lasting change requires sustained support. High poverty rates and limited infrastructure further intensify these barriers, making it clear that Clay County needs coordinated efforts to promote nutrition, physical activity, and health education.   The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service plays a vital role in this work. By providing direct health education, nutrition education, and physical activity programs, Extension helps individuals make informed choices that improve quality of life and long-term wellness.   To build a healthier, more resilient Clay County, investments must focus on nutrition education, food safety education, support value-added and certified production, and expand access to affordable, high-quality local foods. A comprehensive, equity-driven approach that empowers individuals and supports healthy environments is key to breaking the cycle of chronic disease and improving community well-being and can create. Strengthening local agriculture around these pillars can revitalize rural food systems and improve long-term sustainability for both producers and consumers leading to better health and wellness for all.

Long-Term Outcomes:

-Individuals and families of all income levels have access to affordable and nutritious foods

 

-Improved management of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

 

-Increased availability and accessibility to community-based health resources

 

-Increased meaningful social connections

 

-Increased support network

 

-Improved quality of life

 

-Increased recovery capital

 

-Increased access to mental health care and resources for all

 

-Family farms become economically viable.

 

-Strengthen local economies through the continuous support of farmer’s markets, community gardens, and community-supported agriculture programs 

 

-Improved crop sustainability, increased farm profitability and reduced environmental impact using best disease management practices

-More Kentuckians routinely met the guidelines for the consumption of (locally-grown) fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

-Youth report reduced risk for poor health, developmental delays, obesity, and malnutrition.    

 

-Youth will increase contributions to their communities through applying critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication learning in the 4-H Health and Well-Being Core Content Area.

 

-Youth increase educational outcomes.

 

-Community environments that equitably support health-promoting behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play

Intermediate Outcomes:

-Improved dietary habits through consumption of more fruits and vegetables, a variety of proteins and the number of meals prepared at home.

 

-Youth will practice making wise nutrition choices.   

 

-Increased and/or strengthened partnerships to address community health or safety issues

 

-Increased use of self-care and other coping strategies

 

-Enhanced community partnerships that target recovery from substance use disorder

 

-Increased healthy relationships across generations that support healthy community, nurturing behaviors, and quality time together.

-Increased self-reflection and exploration of personal values and beliefs related to health and well-being among 4-Hers.  

 

-Improved dietary habits through: consumption of more fruits and vegetables, a variety of proteins and the number of meals prepared at home.

 

-Increased self-reflection and exploration of personal values and beliefs related to health and well-being among 4-Hers.   Increased production of Kentucky-grown food and increased market opportunities for those products.

-Adoption of improved pesticide safety practices

-Early identification of potential disease outbreaks and awareness of disease trends

Initial Outcomes:

Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation.

 

Increased awareness of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

 

Increased awareness and accessibility of community resources available to access fresh foods.

 

Youth will learn how to make wise nutrition choices.   

 

Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors.

 

Increased knowledge and awareness of healthy habits and practices among 4-Hers.

 

Increased awareness of community resources to support health-promoting behaviors and prevention and recovery

 

Increased confidence making decision related to health-promoting behaviors and substance use (i.e. substance use refusal skills)

 

Increased knowledge of self-care and other coping strategies

 

Increased awareness of community resources to support healthy families.

 

Increased confidence and motivation to reduce loneliness and social isolation.

Stakeholders are more aware of current and new and/or emerging disease issues.

Stakeholders are more aware of UK plant pathology research and resources

Stakeholders have access to timely diagnostics to avoid or reduce the impact of disease outbreaks

Evaluation:

Outcome	Short-Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported that they understand the importance of habits or choices that promote health and wellbeing.
Method	Standard Evaluation for 4-H Health and Wellbeing: Survey
Timeline	Timeline: Immediately after program/event

 

Outcome	Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors (e.g., how to prepare nutritious foods, benefits of routine vaccinations/screenings, exercise, positive coping, self care strategies, etc) (initial)
Indicator	Number of participants who reported/demonstrates improved knowledge, skills, opinions, or confidence regarding a health-promoting behavior as a result of participating in a health and well-being program
Method	Observation by Agent or self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Improved production practices and economic return of production inputs
Indicator	Number of participants who report increased economic return from improved production practices recommended in Plant Production and Management-related Extension programs.
Method	Surveys, participant feedback, CES agent feedback
Timeline	Frequently to annual

 

Outcome	Increased and/or strengthened partnerships to address community health issues (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of community partners (community organizations, institutions, agencies, or individuals) worked with to offer health and well-being programming in the community
Method	Agent record of community partnerships utilized in programming
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation. (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding the safe storage, handling, preparation and/or preservation of food through Extension programs and resources.     Number of individuals who reported supplementing their diets with healthy foods that they grew, harvested, or preserved (e.g. community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting).
Method	Pre/post participant evaluations/observations
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Improved production practices
Indicator	Number of commercial participants who reported improving their plant production or management practices. Number of consumer participants who reported improving their plant production or management practices. .
Method	Program evaluation tool/survey or records from individual consultations.
Timeline	After program participation.

Outcome	Early identification of potential disease and pest outbreaks
Indicator	Number of stakeholders contacting Extension for help with disease identification and management. Number of plant samples submitted to the PDDL.
Method	Sample diagnosis through the PDDL, direct communication with Extension Specialists.
Timeline	Annual

Outcome	Improved adoption of best management practices and compliance with state regulations
Indicator	Number new applicator licenses awarded
Method	Survey and results from the KDA
Timeline	Annual

Learning Opportunities:

Audience	Youth
Project or Activity	Nutrition & Food Preparation, Health Rocks, 4-H Cooking Club, School Enrichment Programs, Summer Cooking Classes
Content or Curriculum	Jump Into Foods & Fitness, Health Rocks!, Wellness in Kentucky, Food Preservation
Inputs	-4-H Family and Consumer Sciences programs in which youth experience a sense of belonging, and developmental relationships, explore their spark, and actively engage in meaningful opportunities.
Date(s)	4-H Program Year (September 1 – August 31)

 

Audience	Forage and livestock producers
Project or Activity	Grazing Schools, Fencing Schools, Statewide Grazing Conferences, Statewide Hay and Stored Forage Conferences, Regional Forage Tours, Novel Endophyte Workshops
Content or Curriculum	Educational materials including proceedings, manuals, hands-on activities, demonstrations, and on-line materials including webpages, social media, and videos.
Inputs	UK Forage Extension Specialists (2), UK Master Grazer Coordinator (1), UK Master Grazer Interns (2), UK Forage Technicians and Research Associates
Date(s)	Programs are provided one or more times annually at multiple locations throughout Kentucky

 

Audience	Agricultural Producers
Project or Activity	Programs that support soil fertility and soil management practices to improve crop production, reduce negative environmental impacts, and enhance overall profitability in a sustainable manner.
Content or Curriculum	Educational materials to include Publications, Fact Sheets, Newsletters, Workshops, Field Days, County Meetings, Regional Meetings, TV and Radio Broadcasts, Videos, Field Visits, emails and phone calls
Inputs	UK Soil and Crops Specialists, experts and interested parties
Date(s)	Frequently to annual

 

Audience	Home owners and consumers
Project or Activity	Programming for home gardening and landscape management
Content or Curriculum	Publications, Fact Sheets, Workshops, County Meetings, Regional Meetings, emails and phone calls
Inputs	Extension Specialists, USDA funding, county agents, KDA, Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Audience	Individuals and Families
Project or Activity	Improving overall health and wellbeing
Content or Curriculum	Mental health programming (Mental Health Mondays, Mental Health at Freedom House, Mindfulness Trail); Substance use recovery programming (Mental Health at Freedom House, Recovering Your Finances); Nutritional programming (food safety, food preservation, making healthy food choices); Diabetes support group; Alpha Gal support group; Food As Medicine Clay County Fiscal Court project; Active living programming (Walk Your Way, Mindfulness Trail); Clay County Extension Homemaker Clubs
Inputs	Programmatic materials; publications; Healthy Choices newsletter; Clay County Extension Homemakers; Volunteers; Community Partners; County Government; NEP; Health Coalitions;
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Audience	Communities
Project or Activity	Farmers’ Market Toolkit
Content or Curriculum	Farmers’ Market Toolkit
Inputs	Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, health department, non-profits, schools, faith-based organizations, Homemakers, community centers, farmers, farmers’ markets, etc.
Date(s)	Ongoing

Audience

Pesticide applicators

Project or Activity	PSEP certification for private applicators and continuing education for commercial applicators
Content or Curriculum	Educational materials and program delivery

Inputs

Date(s)

Annually or as needed

Audience

Agricultural producers and the public

Project or Activity	Pest and disease identification
Content or Curriculum	Clinical diagnoses and trainings

Inputs

Diagnostic labs and services

Date(s)

As needed

Evaluation:

Outcome	Short-Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported that they understand the importance of habits or choices that promote health and wellbeing.
Method	Standard Evaluation for 4-H Health and Wellbeing: Survey
Timeline	Timeline: Immediately after program/event

 

Outcome	Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors (e.g., how to prepare nutritious foods, benefits of routine vaccinations/screenings, exercise, positive coping, self care strategies, etc) (initial)
Indicator	Number of participants who reported/demonstrates improved knowledge, skills, opinions, or confidence regarding a health-promoting behavior as a result of participating in a health and well-being program
Method	Observation by Agent or self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Improved production practices and economic return of production inputs
Indicator	Number of participants who report increased economic return from improved production practices recommended in Plant Production and Management-related Extension programs.
Method	Surveys, participant feedback, CES agent feedback
Timeline	Frequently to annual

 

Outcome	Increased and/or strengthened partnerships to address community health issues (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of community partners (community organizations, institutions, agencies, or individuals) worked with to offer health and well-being programming in the community
Method	Agent record of community partnerships utilized in programming
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation. (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding the safe storage, handling, preparation and/or preservation of food through Extension programs and resources.     Number of individuals who reported supplementing their diets with healthy foods that they grew, harvested, or preserved (e.g. community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting).
Method	Pre/post participant evaluations/observations
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Improved production practices
Indicator	Number of commercial participants who reported improving their plant production or management practices. Number of consumer participants who reported improving their plant production or management practices. .
Method	Program evaluation tool/survey or records from individual consultations.
Timeline	After program participation.

Outcome	Early identification of potential disease and pest outbreaks
Indicator	Number of stakeholders contacting Extension for help with disease identification and management. Number of plant samples submitted to the PDDL.
Method	Sample diagnosis through the PDDL, direct communication with Extension Specialists.
Timeline	Annual

Outcome	Improved adoption of best management practices and compliance with state regulations
Indicator	Number new applicator licenses awarded
Method	Survey and results from the KDA
Timeline	Annual