Hull House NC

Federal Judge Protects the Right of More Than 2,000 North Carolinians to Remain in Their Own Home

2011-12-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Vicki Smith
Executive Director
Disability Rights North Carolina
Phone (919) 856-2195
E-mail: vicki.smith@disabilityrightsnc.org

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Federal Judge Protects the Right of More Than 2,000 North Carolinians to Remain in Their Own Home

Raleigh, NC – U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle today stopped the State of North Carolina from implementing policy on Medicaid personal care services that he said treats people with similar needs differently and puts North Carolinians “who have been successfully living in their own homes…at risk of segregation, in the form of institutionalization.” The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) prohibits the unnecessary segregation and unjustified institutional isolation of persons with disabilities. The State is required to provide federally-funded services in “the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of the individual,” and the Medicaid Act requires that recipients not be treated differently when they have similar levels of need.

In his order granting a preliminary injunction and class certification, Judge Boyle found that plaintiffs offered sufficient evidence that the State’s policy on personal care services violates the Medicaid Act’s requirement to provide comparable services and the ADA’s integration mandate. The policy under review allowed individuals in facilities such as Adult Care Homes to be eligible for personal care services by meeting one set of eligibility requirements and required individuals in the community to meet a far higher standard of need. Under the policy, individuals who would not be eligible for personal care services while living in the community would get the care they needed by entering an Adult Care Home.

Judge Boyle also ruled the plaintiffs were likely to be successful on the claim that the letters sent to the plaintiffs to deny them services failed to comply with due process because the letters “contained verbatim language that failed to provide detailed reasons for the proposed termination” and that this was unlikely to be sufficient for a service that “could be quantified as a ‘brutal need.’” The Due Process Clause of the Constitution requires adequate notice be provided when a Medicaid service is terminated.

In granting the preliminary injunction and motion for class certification, Judge Boyle recognized that the “[l]ack of in-home PCS could result in either serious physical or mental injury or forced entry into institutional settings for many of the named Plaintiffs and members of the class….”

“We are thrilled with Judge Boyle’s decision. He confirmed our position that the State’s policy pushed people toward institutional settings,” says Vicki Smith, Executive Director of Disability Rights NC. “It is our hope that this decision will encourage the State to develop policies that articulate a clear priority to keep people in their homes and community. Such policies will be cheaper and lawful – a double win for the NC taxpayers.”

Plaintiffs were represented by Disability Rights NC, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, and the National Health Law Program.

# # #
Disability Rights North Carolina is the state’s federally mandated protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with offices in Raleigh and Asheville. One of the P&A’s primary federal mandates is to protect and advocate against the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.

Occupy Statement

2011-12-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

NASW-NC has been working with our National office and many other state chapters to develop a position on the Occupy Movement. The following was approved by our state chapter's board of directors on Dec. 3rd.

National Association of Social Workers, NC Chapter
Position Statement re Occupy Wall Street

As an organization that is committed to social and economic justice and unimpeded access to services for all, the NC Chapter of NASW acknowledges the Occupy Wall Street movement. These protests serve to address America’s “new economy” as a tale of skewed wealth with declining wages, rising debt, and the risk of deep and persistent poverty for many.

Social Workers know that joblessness and economic insecurity contribute to the incidence of mental illness, family violence, suicide, substance abuse, crime, and diminished capacity for healthy family and community functioning. It is this knowledge and experience that gives the social work profession a special responsibility to advocate for income, employment, and social support policies that promote the economic justice and social well-being of all members of society. The NASW-NC Chapter supports social, economic, and political actions to end poverty.

(note: this document is based on NASW's public policy statement on social justice as it appears in Social Work Speaks and the NASW Code of Ethics.)

Mental Health Parity Law Brought No Cut in Benefits

2011-12-06T08:58:00.002-05:00

Mental Health Parity Law Brought No Cut in Benefits
By Emily P. Walker, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today
Published: December 02, 2011

WASHINGTON -- Most employers that offered mental health and substance use insurance coverage before the mental health parity law have continued to offer the same coverage, according to a new government report.

The report, from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), examined the extent to which employers provide mental health and substance use treatment to their employees and how that coverage has changed since the passage of the 2008 Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

That law requires that if a group health plan covers treatment for mental illness or drug or alcohol abuse, the limits and financial requirements for those services can be "no more restrictive" than those that apply to medical and surgical benefits. The law does not require employers to provide mental health and substance use coverage.
Historically, private health insurance plans had provided lower levels of coverage for mental illnesses than for physical illnesses.

According to the GAO report, from 2007 to 2010, about 38% of Americans older than 12 who needed treatment for substance use disorders didn't receive it because of lack of coverage and prohibitive costs.

The GAO surveyed 168 employers with at least 50 employees about their most popular health plans for the year of the survey and what the most popular plan was in 2008, a year before the mental health parity law went into effect. The survey also examined what sort of benefits were excluded in 2008 and not excluded in 2010.
In addition, GAO interviewed employers on why they added, changed, or eliminated mental health and substance use coverage after the passage of the law.
In all, 96% of employers who responded to the survey said they offered mental health and substance use coverage in 2008 and still offered it in their most recent plan year (either 2010 or 2011).

Just 2% of respondents said they nixed the mental health and substance use coverage in order to cut down on the costs of providing insurance to employees.
Employers reported covering the same diagnoses in 2010 that they did in 2008. Most employers reported covering five broad diagnoses -- mental disorders due to a general medical condition, substance-related disorders, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders -- in both 2008 and in 2010.

The most common change employers reported in their mental health substance use benefits from 2008 to 2010 was enhancing those benefits by removing limitations, such as the number of office visits allowed. A number of experts interviewed for the GAO report said it was common for employers to remove treatment limitations and annual dollar limits after the passage of the law.

The report also found that beneficiaries in need of mental health services generally paid lower-out-of-pockets costs after the passage of the parity law.
Most employers surveyed by GAO said making changes required by the law wasn't difficult.

However, it wasn't clear whether the passage of the law has had a positive impact on improving access for those with mental illnesses and substance use issues.
The GAO reviewed 30 studies on the issue, and 17 of those found that coverage or enhanced coverage through the parity law had an effect on access to or use of mental health and substance use services, while 13 studies found there was little or no effect.

Five studies found that plans with comprehensive coverage were linked with greater use of mental health services. For instance, one large company reduced copayments and made an effort to destigmatize mental illness, which led to an 18% increase in the likelihood of enrollees initiating mental health treatment.

And studies are just as varied on whether the mental health parity law has so far improved mental health, the report noted.

NAMI Report:"State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis"

2011-11-10T11:16:00.001-05:00

NAMI North Carolina
Press Release
November 10, 2011
NAMI Report:"State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Jennifer Rothman, 919.788.0801 / 800.451.9681, jrothman@naminc.org

NAMI Report Shows NC Avoided Deep Cuts to Mental Health Funding
NAMI North Carolina Calls on State Leaders & Congressional Delegation to Protect Mental Health from Further Spending Cuts, Including 'Super Committee' Deficit Reduction

RALEIGH, N.C. (Nov. 10, 2011) - The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) North Carolina today announced that North Carolina ranks 24th among all states in terms of mental health care budget cuts made between fiscal years 2009 and 2012, according to a national report issued today by NAMI. In light of this new report, NAMI North Carolina urges the General Assembly and members of Congress to continue protecting North Carolinians living with mental illness from additional spending cuts, which will only exacerbate challenges to the mental health system.

"North Carolina's mental health system is at a crossroads," said NAMI North Carolina Executive Director Deby Dihoff. "While state leaders in North Carolina have worked hard to minimize cuts to mental health, the budget battles are far from over. We know that any further cuts will endanger our state hospitals and our community mental health system, which have both undergone tremendous turmoil and upheaval in recent years. We need a time of stability for the managed care approach to take hold and strengthen our system."

"North Carolinians need to contact members of Congress and state legislators to ask that mental health care be strengthened in the upcoming budget and protected from any cuts aimed at deficit reduction," continued Dihoff. "North Carolina's mental health care system is already at a breaking point, and if the congressional 'Super Committee' recommends further Medicaid or Medicare cuts this month, additional pressures will come into play. We can't balance the budget by compromising health care for our state's most vulnerable citizens."

According to the new NAMI report, "State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis," North Carolina cut $7.3 million from state mental health care between fiscal years 2009 and 2012-a decrease of 1.2 percent. While the state made serious cuts to mental health spending, $48.2 million between fiscal years 2011 and 2012, the numbers don't tell the whole story. $45 million of those cuts were directed to the Local Management Entities, which were directed to take these one-time cuts largely out of their fund balances. Leaders in North Carolina made an effort to ensure that these cuts did not, in large part, affect service delivery. But North Carolina would like to join the majority of states, which increased their funding to mental health in the period from 2011-2012.

According to the NAMI report, during this same four-year period between fiscal years 2009 and 2012, South Carolina had the highest cuts totaling 39.3 percent of its budget, while North Dakota actually increased its mental health care spending by 48.l percent. See the report for full state-by-state data.

The NAMI report also outlines Medicaid pressures that threaten mental health care nationwide. Following the June 2011 loss of "enhanced" federal Medicaid matching funds that were part of economic stimulus legislation, states have had to fill the shortfall. North Carolina experienced an estimated loss of $343 million in enhanced funding. North Carolina's Medicaid program is now facing a nearly $140 million shortfall.

"We need to protect state and federal Medicaid revenues budgeted for mental health because for every dollar the state puts in, we receive two dollars from the federal government," continued Dihoff. "A recent report by the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center noted that if federal matching dollars are lost, it will cost North Carolina more than 13,000 jobs, and $613 million in labor income. State Medicaid funding means better health care for those with disabilities and a better economy."

NAMI North Carolina has developed a Public Policy Agenda outlining mental health priorities to guide state and federal policymakers as they make budget recommendations and consider funding allocations for mental health. NAMI North Carolina supports priorities that promote sustainable stability for North Carolinians living with mental illness such as additional community hospital beds and housing. To read the NAMI North Carolina Public Policy Agenda, click HERE.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) North Carolina is a grassroots non-profit organization providing support, education and advocacy for people living with mental illnesses and their families and friends. We are governed by a Board of Directors elected by membership and are 501(c)(3) accredited. NAMI NC is a part of NAMI which has over 210,000 members in 1,200 affiliates across the country. For more information, please visit www.naminc.org.

Thompson: Infant mortality rate threatened

2011-11-10T09:55:00.000-05:00

The Daily Reflector
Greenville, NC
11/10/11

In a rare breath of good news, the governor’s office announced last week that North Carolina’s infant mortality rate in 2010 was the lowest in the state’s history. Fewer families endured the indescribable pain of losing a young child, a significant accomplishment for a state with a very poor track record preventing infant deaths. Unfortunately, the budget passed by state legislators last summer will likely undermine progress, particularly for eastern North Carolina and African-American families.
In 1988, North Carolina had the worst infant mortality rate in the country. Prodded by the shame of such a distinction, Republican Gov. Jim Martin and the Democratic state Legislature teamed up to implement a variety of public health programs to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and young children.
North Carolina’s infant mortality rate is now much closer to the middle of the pack in relation to the other 49 states.
The news, however, is not all good. African-American infants are still more than twice as likely to die as white babies, and eastern North Carolina counties suffer from disproportionately high mortality rates. This disparity will likely be exacerbated by the recent decisions of state legislators, who cut not only specific infant mortality prevention programs, but also broader health services for women and children.
Of specific importance to Greenville is the East Carolina University High-Risk Clinic, which serves as a regional hub for the treatment and support of high-risk pregnancies. In 2011, the Legislature chose not to renew the grant for the clinic.The elimination of state funding has led to the closure of two outreach clinics, the loss of key staff including the head nurse, and the doubling of wait times for patients. Since the success of prenatal services depends on providing the right care, at the right time and at the right place, these reductions in capacity and services will have a detrimental impact on infant mortality in the eastern part of the state.
Furthermore, the decision to cut the ECU High-Risk Clinic was penny-wise and pound-foolish. Just one pre-term birth is more expensive than the entire state allocation for the clinic, which was $325,000, a relatively small amount in a $19.7 billion budget. The cost of these preventable pre-term births will largely be shifted to the state’s Medicaid program, which was cut more than $350 million.
The Legislature’s budget decisions become even more troubling when the problem of infant mortality is viewed with an appropriately broad lens. After all, the infant mortality rate is a broad indicator of women’s and children’s health across the state.
In addition to prior pre-term births, diabetes and pre-existing health conditions are some of the major factors that lead to a high infant mortality rate. That’s why deep cuts to our state’s Medicaid program and the elimination of the Health and Wellness Trust Fund will have such a substantial impact on the infant mortality rate, especially in eastern North Carolina where rates of diabetes and obesity are already high.
We can do better. Gov. Martin, a Republican, and the Democratic legislature of 1988 showed that the two political parties can come together and prioritize the health and safety of North Carolina’s children. With the legislature back in session this week and again after Thanksgiving, it’s a perfect time for North Carolina’s current crop of elected officials to follow their example, put children first and fully fund the ECU High-Risk Clinic.

Rob Thompson is executive director of the Covenant with North Carolina’s Children, a coalition advocating policy that benefits children and families in North Carolina.

Mental health services start fresh

2011-11-06T19:17:00.000-05:00

by Kellen Moore

Tuesday was a fresh start for mental health services in Watauga County, as Daymark Recovery Services opened its doors at the sites of the former New River Behavioral HealthCare.

And on day 1, Daymark CEO Billy West had one message for clients and the community: “Bear with us.”

Although hundreds of details large and small were still being finalized even as business started Tuesday, Daymark staff reported a fairly calm transition.

“I think we're able to handle a lot of complicated things very well,” said Murray Hawkinson, site director for Watauga County.

Watauga County commissioners agreed Tuesday morning to lease former New River office space in the Human Services Building on the Poplar Grove Connector Road to Daymark for $5 per square foot per year.

With 13,775 square feet of space being used, Daymark will pay $5,739 per month in rent as well as $5,643 per month in janitorial and operating expenses, County Manager Deron Geouque said.

The rent is far below the fair market value of $10 to $12, but the board agreed to the reduced rate to minimize any disruption of services. The lease runs through June 30, 2012, and will be renegotiated then.

The rate is higher than the $3 per square foot that other members of the New River Service Authority board agreed to offer last week.

Inside the leased space, a skeleton crew was already operating Tuesday.

About half of the newly hired Daymark employees are attending orientation sessions Tuesday and Wednesday, and the other half will attend Thursday and Friday, West said.

The organization is still working to hire more physicians, and West said he did not know the exact number of employees that were in place as of Tuesday but was certain it was enough to keep the offices functioning.

In addition to staffing and space considerations, Daymark has been working to ensure that information technology systems are in place.

Computer systems and data lines are also being installed this week in the offices, West said, and Daymark also has had to purchase a new server to handle the data.

In a perfect transition, those data lines would have been connected and tested a month before the service provider opened, but Daymark didn't have that luxury, West said.

Telephone crisis lines are also continuing to function, although they may still refer to “New River Behavioral Healthcare” in automated messages for a while, West said.

West said all crisis employees have been instructed to continue as they have been until Daymark can address the crisis lines and services.

In Watauga County, 911 dispatchers had been answering New River's crisis lines after hours and connecting callers to the New River staff member on call, but Sheriff Len Hagaman told commissioners Tuesday he would like that system to end.

Commissioners agreed that the sheriff's office should continue answering the lines for the time being and directed Geouque to work with Daymark to find a new agreement.

With so many technology needs, Smoky Mountain Center has agreed to reimburse Daymark up to $370,000 to assist with the technology startup process, Smoky Mountain CEO Brian Ingraham said last week.

Although Daymark is covering the rest of its own significant startup costs at this point, West said he had “no problems” with the amount Smoky Mountain Center has provided to the organization.

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

While Daymark will provide the bulk of mental health services in the community, Smoky Mountain Center has also selected two other service providers to handle court-referred juvenile services and case management for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

True Behavioral Healthcare, based in Gastonia, hired 11 or 12 former New River staff members to start work Tuesday providing intellectual/developmental disability services.

In Boone, those employees are currently in the same space with Daymark employees until office space is arranged, True Behavioral CEO Carla Balestra said.

When IDD programs are up and running, True Behavioral plans to serve about 200 to 250 clients with an array of services, Balestra said.

Youth Villages is a national organization formed in Memphis, Tenn., in 1986 that will provide services to youth offenders and their families referred through the court system.

Sonja Luecke, a spokeswoman for Youth Villages, said the organization plans to begin helping youth by next week and started meeting some juveniles last week to assess their needs. Youth Villages does not yet have office space in Boone, but Smoky Mountain Center and the court are lending office space right now to conduct assessments, she said.

West said he was shocked to learn that Smoky Mountain Center would not select Daymark for the juvenile referral services and disappointed, as those enhanced services typically bring in revenue unlike many other mental health programs.

“What I told my staff was simply this: Am I surprised? Yes. Is this going to be the last thing that happens? No,” West said, adding that he felt there was too much to do to worry long about losing that solid source of revenue.

Luecke said court-involved youth and families can decide whether to follow their therapists to Daymark or use Youth Villages.

With dozens of decisions being made quickly and revenue streams still unknown, West said he is focused on ensuring that Daymark will not meet the same fate as New River.

“At the end of the year, we will have a system that may not be what you had yesterday, but it will be a system that will be sustained, and you will get a professional service for the long haul,” West said.

Durham-Wake Merger Would Create NC's Largest MCO

2011-11-06T19:01:00.000-05:00

November 4, 2011

Durham, NC - A proposed merger between the Local Management Entities (LMEs) of Durham County and Wake County would create the state's largest Managed Care Organization (MCO) for public behavioral health and disability services based on population.

The Durham Center was selected by the NC Department of Health and Human Services to operate as an MCO under Medicaid 1915 (b)/(c) waivers effective January 1, 2013, serving Durham, Cumberland and Johnston counties. A merged Durham-Wake LME serving a four-county region including Wake would encompass a population of almost 1,690,000 residents.
A proposed merger agreement has been created and if approved by both parties, the merger would become effective July 1, 2012. The merged LME would begin managed care operations six months later. Durham County Commissioners will discuss the proposal on Monday, November 7 at their 9:00am regular work session.

The merged LME would be comprised of leadership and staff of both organizations with Ellen Holliman, currently Area Director of The Durham Center, serving as CEO. It would also have a new name and branding. Offices would be centrally located with satellite offices in both counties.

LME and other county government leadership from Durham and Wake have been engaged in discussions over the past year about how the two organizations could work together in some capacity. Significant similarities make The Durham Center and the Wake County LME logical partners for merger, with benefits anticipated for citizens, consumers, providers and taxpayers.

These include shared organizational values and missions and proven historical commitments to system of care philosophies and the use of evidence-based practices. The geographical proximity and similar urban compositions of the two counties create potential for pooling resources to address common challenges that can cause behavioral health costs to explode. Leadership and staffs of the two organizations have significant familiarity and existing working relationships with each other. In addition, there is major overlap of provider agencies serving consumers of both counties who frequently cross county lines.

"We are excited about the prospect of teaming with our colleagues in Wake County to help ensure that our citizens as well as those from Cumberland and Johnston counties receive the innovative, high-quality, recovery-focused behavioral health and disability services that result in positive outcomes," said Holliman. "We believe that all of our constituencies will benefit from the strength and viability that will result from the combined expertise and resources of the Durham and Wake LMEs."

For more information, contact Doug Fuller, director of Communications for The Durham Center at 919 560-7206.

Déjà vu in the world of mental health- NC Policy Watch

2011-11-06T18:57:00.000-05:00

More than a decade ago, North Carolina’s system for providing services to individuals with mental health needs, developmental disabilities and addictive disease was deeply troubled. Allegations of fraud, mismanagement and conflicted governance signaled poor accountability mechanisms.

In response, the General Assembly directed the state Auditor to investigate the situation. In April 2000, the Auditor issued a report identifying two overarching problems: over-reliance on state institutions and lack of accountability among the local area programs responsible for providing community-based services. The findings also documented North Carolina’s failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act’s “integration mandate.”

The report triggered massive changes to state law designed to reform the service system. The changes included a planned reduction of the number of state hospital beds – closing Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh and replacing the derelict facilities in Goldsboro, Morganton and Butner with new buildings. The semi-autonomous governmental “area programs” created to provide direct services were replaced with county-operated systems or “Local Management Entities” (LMEs), acting under long-term contracts with the State to manage services.

Now fast-forward to 2011 to experience a profound sense of déjà vu. The State still relies on institutional-based care, but now in so-called “adult care homes.” Meanwhile, it has failed to develop adequate community-based services. The system responsible for providing services is again in trouble. Allegations of fraud, mismanagement, and conflicted governance again signal poor accountability mechanisms. To make matters even worse, the latest round of systemic failures are compounded by the State’s severe revenue deficiencies.

Again, the General Assembly has intervened. This time, the legislature has passed a law that mandates the conversion of all “Local Management Entities” into “Managed Care Organizations.” Essentially, the state is demanding radical statewide transformation based on an unproven model used by one very small LME called Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare. The state Department of Health and Human Services is being required to standardize and replicate Piedmont’s practices and processes for providing services across the entire state. This is a bit like the tail wagging the dog.

Unfortunately, this change raises several red flags for other reasons as well. Most notably, Piedmont’s practices include a pattern of violations of individuals’ constitutional due process rights and a disregard of judicial and administrative authority. Indeed, the organization I lead, Disability Rights NC, has filed two federal lawsuits challenging the Piedmont model – one of which (KC v. Cansler) challenges the lack of due process as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment and other federal requirements.

There are other problems with this managed care model.

Under the new law, the same organization (the MCO) is responsible for making requests for services and for approving and/or denying those services. This creates an inherent conflict of interest because it pits the need to save money against the needs and bests interests of the consumer – a problem that Piedmont has already been guilty of in multiple instances.

Yet another controversy surrounds a requirement that the new MCOs contract with Piedmont to obtain its business practices and processes. Remarkably, the contract actually contains a “non-disclosure” clause that would, in effect, keep the processes and practices hidden from the public eye. This is a huge problem because MCOs are not private entities but quasi-public entities serving the public interest with public money. Moreover, they’re linked to county governments subject to the state public records laws.

While the state and Piedmont claim the secrecy provisions are necessary to protect “intellectual property,” as a practical matter, such provisions will allow Piedmont and other newly-created MCOs to operate without real public oversight. This is especially true in light of Piedmont’s expansive view that it can refuse almost every request for information – including those with respect to how resources allocations are made, the standards by which providers are evaluated, and many others. This, of course begs the question: If the Piedmont model works so well, then why the secrecy? Why the lack of due process? And without transparency, how can there be public accountability?

In short, it appears that, once again, state leaders have failed to learn from past mistakes and in so doing continue to fail vulnerable populations. Let’s hope that it doesn’t take another decade for them to correct this latest mistake.

Vicki Smith is the Executive Director of Disability Rights North Carolina.

Report Finds Hunger Cost North Carolina More Than $5.4 Billion in 2010

2011-10-20T14:59:00.001-04:00

Report Finds Hunger Cost North Carolina More Than $5.4 Billion in 2010

Raleigh, N.C. -- Hunger cost North Carolina more than $5.4 billion in lost productivity and reduced outcomes last year, according to a recent report from the Center for American Progress. These findings come on the heels of alarming Census data which show unemployment in North Carolina stalled above 10 percent for the second consecutive year and poverty is increasing across the state.

In 2010, 15.7 percent of North Carolina households -- nearly one in six -- went hungry or faced food insecurity at some point during the year. When considered in relation to the total population, the direct and indirect costs of hunger averaged $570 per North Carolina resident -- about $1,452 per household.

North Carolina was one of just 12 states in which the estimated cost of hunger has increased by more than $1 billion since the start of the recession.

"These estimates are a gripping reminder that the social and economic implications of family economic security are far-reaching," said Barb Bradley, President and CEO of Action for Children North Carolina, a statewide policy research and advocacy organization that tracks child well-being in North Carolina. "When families struggle to put food on the table, the effects ripple through the state economy, creating greater health costs, educational problems and reduced opportunities for our children."

Research shows that children are disproportionately impacted by the experience of food insecurity -- an effect which persists well into their adult years. Children who grow up in food insecure households are more likely to go without health care, have increased school absenteeism and face greater risk of early academic failure, including dropping out of school, than their food-secure peers. As those children age and transition into the workforce, they encounter diminished outcomes in the form of limited employability and lower lifetime earnings.

Nationally, hunger-induced losses in educational outcomes, earnings and health cost the country an estimated $167.5 billion last year, an increase of 33.5 percent since 2007.

The report notes that expansions to a key federal nutrition assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-formerly food stamps), helped many families meet some of their household food needs. In North Carolina, one in five residents, more than 1.9 million people, received SNAP benefits in 2010. Forty percent of them were children under the age of 18. Bradley says in these tough economic times, SNAP plays a pivotal role in helping to preserve the fiscal health of our state economy.

"Every dollar of SNAP benefit generates $1.84 in economic activity," said Bradley. "This means federal efforts to support families in tough times are not just good for individuals, they are critical for the state, keeping hunger-associated costs down, children in school and our workforce ready to drive the new economy. "

Read Hunger in America: Suffering We All Pay For.

# # #

Action for Children North Carolina is a leading statewide, nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that North Carolina children are healthy, safe, well-educated and have every opportunity for success.

Monday Numbers

2011-10-17T11:09:00.002-04:00

** This post is reposted by NC Policy Watch...every Monday, they post a list of numbers. NASW-NC is sharing this on their behalf as it's important to note the number of people who are affected by cuts in NC.

Monday numbers
Posted on 10/17/2011 by Chris Fitzsimon

1.5 million—number of people in North Carolina who do not have health insurance coverage (Five Reasons Everyday North Carolinians Need Medicaid, Even If They Don’t Know It, N.C. Health Access Coalition, October 2011)

27—percentage of Medicaid enrollees who are from middle class households including nursing home residents, people with disabilities, and victims of catastrophic accidents (Ibid)

73,000—amount in dollars of average annual cost of nursing home care for seniors (Ibid)

43,754—amount in dollars of the median income for a North Carolina family of four (Ibid)

70—percentage of nursing home residents nationwide who eventually become Medicaid recipients to pay for nursing home care (Ibid)

237,000—number of seniors in North Carolina who received Medicaid in 2008 (Ibid)

282,000—number of people with disabilities in North Carolina who received Medicaid in 2008 (Ibid)

683,000—number of infants in children in North Carolina who received Medicaid in 2008 (Ibid)

60,000—number of women in North Carolina who received Medicaid care affecting their pregnancy in 2008 (Ibid)

65—percentage of maternity stays for women under age 25 provided by Medicaid nationwide (Ibid)

3—number of years since study found that total medical spending is much lower when coverage is provided by Medicaid or SCHIP than it is when coverage is provided by private insurance. (Public And Private Health Insurance: Stacking Up The Costs, Health Affairs, 27, no. 4, 2008)

763 million—amount in state dollars cut from Medicaid in 2011-2013 in budget approved by the General Assembly in June (BTC REPORTS: The 2011-2013 Final Budget – Neglecting a Balanced Approach, Budget Costs Jobs and Delays Economic Recovery, June 2011)

1.56 billion—amount in federal Medicaid matching dollars that will be lost in the next two years because of state Medicaid cuts in the 2011-2013 budget (Ibid)

2.289 billion—total amount of reduction of state and federal Medicaid spending in the next two years because of state Medicaid cuts in the 2011-2013 budget (Ibid)

13,355—number of jobs that will be lost in North Carolina because of loss of Medicaid spending in 2011-2013 due to state cuts and resulting loss of federal matching dollars (BTC BRIEF: Legislative Budget Would Cost North Carolina 30,000 Jobs, Billions in Economic Output,” NC Budget and Tax Center: June 2011)
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Defense of Marriage

2011-09-16T09:57:00.004-04:00

This past week, legislators met for three long days as promised at the end of last mini session in July. This mini session was to address the Defense of Marriage bill. NASW-NC members participated in many activities organized by Equality, NC and was inspired to watch their advocacy efforts and hard fight! Sadly, with just enough votes in both the House and the Senate, the bill was passed and ratified. In May, voters will have the chance to decide on the amendment.

What was the bill about?
The bill would provide an amendment to our state Constitution that would define marriage between one man and one woman and this would be the only recognized legal union in the state of NC (which is already a law here). During the May primary, voters will have the chance to vote on this Constitutional Amendment. If voters decide to vote no, the amendment will not be made. If voters decide yes, this amendment will be made to our Constitution; further discriminating our citizens. From now until then, NASW-NC, with the help of the PACE and Legislative Committees will be working with other organization on a campaign to vote no on this amendment.

Why is NASW-NC getting involved with this issue?
Our Code of Ethics is very clear about discrimination. We wrote a position paper on this very issue. It can be found by clicking here. Social workers are bound to the Code of Ethics in our practice and advocate on issues based on what is stated in our Code.

What can you do to help?
- Join the PACE and/or Legislative Committees if you're a member. These groups will be working on campaign efforts and other documents social workers can use.
- Write an Op-Ed to your local newspaper. Share with them how specific our Code of Ethics are about this issue.
- Continue to communicate with your legislators about how this issue affects you, your family, your practice, etc. They need to know how their constituents feel. Click here to find out who represents you.
- Talk to other social workers at your school, your place of employment or other networks you're a part of to let them know about this issue and what our Code of Ethics states.

From NASW's Code of Ethics (2008):
Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or
collaborate with any form of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion or mental or physical disability.

Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate domination of, exploitation of, and discrimination against person, group, or class on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, or mental or physical disability.”

To view our Code of Ethics, click here.

To view National's information on Diversity and Equity, click here.

AP: NC Did Not Miss Deadline for Adult Care Home Changes

2011-09-09T12:09:00.001-04:00

Here’s the alert that went out on the wire after the change was made:

MENTALLY ILL-NURSING HOMES
NC officials now say no deadline for mentally ill

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services says she was mistaken when she said the state had missed a deadline for dealing with thousands of people with mental illness who live in adult care homes.
Renee McCoy had said federal Medicaid regulators had given the state until Sept. 1 to develop a plan. Medicaid notified the state earlier this year it was in violation because of how it pays for the care of people with mental illness.
McCoy said Wednesday that there was no deadline. Agency Secretary Lanier Cansler tells The Associated Press the federal government at one point wanted a plan "by September," but that timeframe has been relaxed.
Meanwhile, state officials say the number of facilities whose patients may have to leave has increased.

Here’s the rewrite of the full story:

http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/09/07/2374675/apnewsbreak-nc-misses-mental-illness.html

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/ncwire/state-ups-count-care-homes-risk-pay-conflict-675945

Michael Biesecker
Staff Writer
Raleigh, N.C.
919.510.8937 office
919.741.9163 cell
919.783.9184 fax
mbiesecker@ap.org
Twitter: mbieseck

The AP, founded in 1846, has a global network of 240 bureaus, providing news in text, audio, video, graphics and photos to more than 15,000 news outlets with a daily reach of 1 billion people worldwide.

A Message on CAP-I/DD Waivers

2011-09-07T16:18:00.001-04:00

The Division, in partnership with DMA and with the support of DDTI will be hosting five CAP-I/DD Informational Sessions for the purpose of communicating the changes in the CAP-I/DD Comprehensive and Supports Waivers that will be effective 11/1/11. The sites for the sessions were selected to accommodate as many interested individuals as possible in each region. We would appreciate your assistance in forwarding the session information to the DD Consortium membership, and all you feel would be interested in attending. There will be no charge for these events, and registration is now open. The registration links for the events are listed as follows:

Tuesday, Sept. 20, Greenville http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0060-0003-a3395d80da8e42658f70c2cf4e87a956

Wednesday, Sept. 21, Wilmington http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0060-0003-3f3755a5929a44b58aa6810487e1cb71

Monday, Sept. 26, Asheville http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0060-0003-b6e9889699c04fe1994862930018eb7d

Tuesday, Sept. 27, Newton http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0060-0003-b156bba189a34764a55d1f65b7a31366

Wednesday, Sept. 28, Sanford http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0060-0003-0600c8fb057545ffa5938727a522e2c4

We are encouraging all who are interested in attending to register as soon as possible so we can monitor the attendance numbers. Also, we are encouraging people to arrive one hour or so ahead of the event as we expect large numbers.

ValueOptions Update

2011-09-06T10:35:00.004-04:00

On Thursday, September 1st, ValueOptions requested to attend the Professional Association Council (PAC). NASW-NC is apart of this Coalition, meeting monthly to represent licensed professionals across North Carolina. The request for ValueOptions to attend our meeting was to inform us about a spike in denials of authorization and ways they are working to address the issue.

There are several points they wanted our members to be aware of when submitting authorizations:
1) Most of the time, reductions for requests are due simply by not having clinical information provided on the request(this information is missing from the request). Information such as diagnosis and treatment changes need to be noted, clinical support for service definitions need clinical support, no provider number listed, etc.
2) Lack of knowledge about due process rules that changed in May of 2011. For more information on this, click here or here for due process and prior approval information.
3) New process for submitting requests: Electronic submission mentioned in the August 2011 Medicaid Bulletin- this is effective 0ct. 1st, 2011. Providers will need to sign up with the Provider Connect website to submit requests, see authorization letters, etc. Click here and see the Section 1 for more information on Provider Connect.

ValueOptions is committed to help the providers of NC work with Best Practice standards. For more information on Practice Guidelines, click here.

NASW-NC Members: If you have any questions about this information, please contact Kay Paksoy at the chapter office.

Help SAMHSA Define Recovery!

2011-08-16T09:30:00.001-04:00

Help SAMHSA Define Recovery

Over the past year, SAMHSA—as part of its Recovery Support Strategic Initiative—has worked with the behavioral health field to develop a working definition of recovery that captures the essential, common experiences of those recovering from mental and substance use disorders, along with 10 guiding principles that support recovery.

Recovery From Mental and Substance Use Disorders: A process of change through which individuals work to improve their own health and well-being, live a self-directed life, and strive to achieve their full potential.

Guiding Principles of Recovery:

Recovery is person-driven.
Recovery occurs via many pathways.
Recovery is holistic.
Recovery is supported by peers and allies.
Recovery is supported through relationships and social networks.
Recovery is culturally based and influenced.
Recovery is supported by addressing trauma.
Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibility.
Recovery is based on respect.
Recovery emerges from hope.

What do you think about the working definition and guiding principles of recovery from mental and substance use disorders?

Commenting is open for 2 weeks, beginning Friday, August 12, and ending at 12 midnight Eastern Time on Friday, August 26.

Read More About the Definition of Recovery and Provide Feedback

Medicaid Public Hearing

2011-08-04T13:28:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, Friday August 5th at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh. For more information, click here.

Contact your Congressperson!

2011-07-22T14:53:00.002-04:00

The implementation of electronic Health Information Technology (HIT), required by the Affordable Care Act by 2014, represents a major change to the way that most LCSWs conduct their practices today. The cost of HIT software is estimated to be $44,000 per provider (Office of the National Coordinator, 2010). For physicians and hospitals, this cost will be covered by $2.7 billion which was built into the HITECH Act of 2009.

LCSWs and other mental health clinicians were not included as eligible for these funds, though we are expected to comply with HITECH requirements to receive Medicare payments (and most likely payment from all insurers). S. 539, the Behavioral Health IT Act, will make these funds available to mental health clinicians as well.

This is federal regulations so make sure to contact your FEDERAL congresspersons (not NC Legislators). Let them know to include social workers in an incentives package! To find who represents you federally, click here.

Long Time Child Advocate Receives Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award

2011-07-19T08:57:00.001-04:00

Tom Vitaglione Receives High Honor from Governor Perdue

Raleigh, NC - Tom Vitaglione, Senior Fellow for Health and Safety at Action for Children North Carolina and Co-Chair of the Child Fatality Task Force, was honored by Governor Beverly Perdue yesterday with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

"It has been said that John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed as we know him, scattered seeds of kindness and love across America," said State Senator Bill Purcell, who presented the award to Vitaglione yesterday. "No one has scattered seeds of kindness and love better than the man we honor today, Tom Vitaglione."

For three decades, Vitaglione served in the N.C. Division of Public Health as chief of the Children & Youth section of the Division of Women's & Children's Health. In that capacity, Vitaglione supervised all health programs for the state's youth, including a wide range of prevention and specialized services. He was instrumental in promoting and bringing about the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and was a strong advocate for the Infant Homicide Prevention Act.

After his retirement from the Division of Public Health, Vitaglione co-chaired the Child Fatality Task Force, a legislative study commission working to reduce child deaths, and served as Senior Fellow in Health and Safety for Action for Children North Carolina for 11 years. Vitaglione plans to retire from Action for Children and the Task Force in August.

Vitaglione also serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Malawi Children's Village (MCV), a village-based support program for orphans and other vulnerable children in Mangochi, Malawi. MCV provides shelter, food, safety, health care and education to over 2,000 HIV/AIDS orphans living with members of their extended family in 37 villages. Vitaglione and wife Eve served as Peace Corps volunteers in Malawi from 1965 to 1967 and have been involved with MCV since the project's inception. They plan to spend more time in Malawi after Vitaglione's retirement in August.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is one of the highest honors the governor can bestow on a North Carolina citizen. Created in the mid 1960s, the award is given to residents in recognition of a proven record of service or some other special achievement. Past recipients include such famous Tar Heels as Maya Angelou, Billy Graham, Michael Jordan, Bob Timberlake and Rick Hendrick, along with longtime state employees, prominent business executives and noted politicians, athletes, musicians, actors and advocates.

Action for Children North Carolina is a leading statewide nonprofit organization based in Raleigh and is the 2008 winner of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits' Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award. Since its founding in 1983, Action for Children has been the leading voice for North Carolina's children. Action for Children is the KIDS COUNT partner in North Carolina and the state affiliate of the national organization, Voices for America's Children.

For more information, visit www.ncchild.org.

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Benefits in Health Insurance

2011-07-18T10:05:00.001-04:00

A study, first of it's kind, shows the benefits in providing health insurance to the poor. Click here to read the story from The New York Times.

The case for title protection in Philly

2011-07-12T14:51:00.001-04:00

We, at NASW-NC, believe social work is a degree and not a title just anyone can use. Here is a case example from Philadelphia.

Click here to view the article from Social Workers Speak.

Disability Rights North Carolina wants you to weigh in!

2011-07-12T10:32:00.000-04:00

Disability Rights North Carolina is North Carolina's protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities living in North Carolina. We provide individual and systems advocacy, including legal representation, to people with disabilities when their rights are violated. We uphold the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal and state laws.

Each year, we establish Targets which guide the expenditure of Disability Rights NC's resources for the coming year. The Targets drive the work that we do. They influence which cases we take and to whom we will provide direct representation. In 2010, we received more than 2,100 calls for assistance but had the resources to provide direct advocacy for only 870 callers.

On June 17, 2011, the Board of Directors of Disability Rights NC tentatively approved its Targets for 2012. Those 2012 Targets are now out for public comment. The Board will carefully consider all public input we receive before finalizing our annual Targets.

Our 2012 Targets focus on the impact of the state budget cuts to services for people with disabilities. They also reflect the requirements of our federal funders.

Please let us know what you think about the proposed 2012 Targets by responding to this brief survey at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012Targets

If you need assistance in completing this survey, contact Janice Willmott at 919-856-2195.

Federal housing cuts: Illogical and harmful

2011-07-07T09:06:00.001-04:00

Great article from NC Policy Watch on the housing situation. Click here to read it.

We want to hear from you!

2011-06-28T13:44:00.002-04:00

How were you affected as a social worker in North Carolina by this year's legislative session- what was cut from your budget, what legislation affected your practice, what will you be doing differently now?

Let us know by emailing Kay Paksoy at kay@naswnc.org!

Gov. Perdue vetos abortion bill

2011-06-28T09:31:00.003-04:00

Gov. Perdue has vetoed her 11th bill this legislative session. Yesterday, Perdue vetoed the very controversial abortion bill- HB 854 A Woman's Right to Know Act. NASW-NC was opposed to this legislation because of the state's interference with doctor-patient relationships imposed in this bill. This bill also stated that patients would have to under go "counseling" that is, in fact, not actual therapeutic counseling. We support Governor Perdue's veto of this bill.

For more information about the veto, click here.

Gov. Perdue signs Corporal Punishment Bill into law

2011-06-24T09:20:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Gov. Perdue signed Senate Bill 498: Modify Law Re: Corporal Punishment into law. This bill is long supported by NASW-NC. As many as 17 counties still administer corporal punishment as discipline. Under this measure, parents can state in writing that they want to exempt their children from this practice and schools can not use corporal punishment on those children.

NASW-NC is opposed to the use of corporal punishment in schools. We commend the Governor for her signature on this bill!

Gov. Perdue signs gun bill into law

2011-06-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

In the heat of legislators introducing legislation, we saw a lot of gun bills being introduced- including 3 called the Castle Doctrine. From the beginning, NASW-NC was opposed to these bills because of the already dangerous task of social workers making home visits and providing therapy in the homes of clients. These bills would give residents, motorists and workers more protection if shooting someone they perceived to be a threat.

Towards the end of session, all the gun bills were rolled into one- Amend Various Gun Laws.

Though we oppose of the Governor signing this bill into law, we are still proud of how the Governor is handling other legislation being presented to her.

For more information about the Governor's signature, click here.

Gov. Perdue vetos Photo ID bill

2011-06-24T08:53:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Governor Perdue vetoed the very controversial voter ID bill. This bill would have particularly impacted persons of color and the elderly. The Senate has enough votes to override the veto but the House fell 5 votes short.

We are in support of the Governor's veto of this legislation.

For more information about the bill, click here.

Man planned crime to go to jail for health care

2011-06-23T11:48:00.002-04:00

The following story is a sad one out of NC. However, it's not uncommon to our state or our nation. This is why we do the work we do as social workers- to try and reach out to help those in need. It's a hard job, under tight circumstances and we often take a lot of heat for the work we do. Keep pressing forward in helping our communities!

For a link to the article:
http://www.gastongazette.com/news/bank-58397-richard-hailed.html
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Equality NC announces Interim Executive Director- MSW

2011-06-21T14:42:00.001-04:00

We are very excited to share the announcement of Equality NC's new Interim Executive Director, Alex Miller. Alex is a 2007 graduate of UNC Chapel Hill's School of Social Work. We are excited Alex is on board with Equality and look forward to working with him.

To see Equality NC's press release, click here.

Medicaid Fraud Document

2011-06-13T08:57:00.002-04:00

NASW-NC is a member of the Professional Association Council; representing licensed professionals in NC. This year, we worked to develop a Medicaid Fraud document to assist providers. The documents contains examples of fraud and who to contact if you suspect this is happening.

To see the document, click here.

This post has been updated- let us know if the link to the document does not work. It is located on NASW-NC's home page. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

What's been happening on Jones Street?

2011-06-10T08:48:00.005-04:00

The past two weeks have been extremely busy at the legislative building. Last Saturday morning, the House approved the final budget after the Senate, sending the $19.7billion budget to the Governor's desk. The Governor has until Tuesday at midnight to sign the budget bill into law, veto or leave it on her desk. If she vetoes the bill, the House can override her veto because of the 5 democrats that sided with the Republicans on the budget bill. Because of this, the Governor can leave it on her desk and not sign it or veto it and legislators can maintain the budget they've worked through.

This past week, legislators have been scrambling to meet crossover. Any bills that have not passed at least one chamber, have died. Thursday was the deadline for legislators to get their bills passed and this was then rescheduled for no later than Sunday, June 12th. There are a few exceptions to crossover of bills that have been assigned to particular committees.

So what have we been seeing this week?
Legislators debated HB 854, Abortion- Women's Right to Know Act that requires 24 hours waiting period, mandatory 72-4 hours before the procedure ultrasound and receiving printed material and other information that is termed counseling in the bill.
HB 351 Restore Confidence in Government, this is the photo ID to vote bill that was on the Republican platform during elections. Voters would have to show one of 8 acceptable forms of ID to vote. The State Board of Elections can issue a voter ID to those without an ID. The bill also includes that if you do not have ID, you can vote a provisional ballot and show ID later.
HB 650, Amend Various Gun Laws, at the beginning of session, several gun bills were filed. All were placed in this new bill including the Castle Doctrine bill that we have gone after. This bill also reduces the level of crime from a felony to a misdemeanor.
HB 659, Capital Procedure/Severe Mental Disability, those with severe mental disability to be exempt from the death penalty when prosecuted.
HB 799, Licensure by Endorsement/Military/Spouses, we have been working on this bill with our licensure board. The bill allows for a temporary license to practice if an active military spouse. This is to aid in the time it takes to obtain licensure when moving frequently in the military. Licensure boards are given discretion when issuing these licenses to look at training and background of those applying.
SB 597, Behavioral Health Services for Military/Funds, we have been active with this bill as it is to ensure that the behavioral health needs of military members and their families are met.

While there are many other bills we are following and tracking, these are a few updates. Please let us know if there are others you are watching and concerned about!

Defunding the Solution- NC Drug Courts

2011-06-06T09:52:00.001-04:00

Defunding the solution

06.04.11 - 10:19 am

It costs, at minimum, $23,575 to house an inmate in one of North Carolina's minimum-security prisons for one year. If that offender is diverted to drug treatment court, the combined costs of close probation supervision, court visits and regular drug testing are $1,256 per year.

But the General Assembly's attempt at a state budget eliminates funding for drug treatment courts.

If you didn't hear courthouse staff and county governments howling in outrage and consternation, you weren't listening hard enough.

"They're just looking for ways to put their budget together without raising revenue," said Rep. Paul Luebke. He cited cuts to another program, sentencing services, that saves $7 for every $1 in funding, and noted, "you're cutting short term but ensuring higher costs later."

If this is a naked effort to push costs off the state's balance sheet and onto smaller governments, it might be working. Mecklenburg County's Board of Commissioners has tentatively agreed to spend $623,000 to fund the drug treatment courts that the state plans to abandon.

Why?

Because, in addition to the $22,319 saved on each drug offender who goes to treatment instead of to jail, programs like Durham's abuse, neglect and dependency court help parents get healthy enough to care for their kids.

That benefits communities. Last year, 51 parents of 93 children completed one of the 11 family-oriented drug treatment courts in North Carolina and regained custody of their children.

A 1996 study from San Diego State Univeristy found that when parents are able to visit their children in foster homes, they are up to 10 times more likely to be reunified with their kids. That's not something parents can do from prison.

There are clear implications for taxpayers.

The state offers foster care support checks that range from $475 for young children to $634 per teenager. Those payments to foster families don't include the administrative costs for oversight, social workers, or scholarships for children who age out of the foster care system.

And that's just the money. While foster care is preferable to a dangerous home, a 2001 study for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that children in foster care "score 15 to 20 percentile points below non-foster youth on achievement tests [and] only 59 percent of foster youth enrolled in 11th grade complete high school by the end of grade 12."

In government, there is always a fear of unintended consequences that result in great damage or great expense.

But in the state's push to eliminate drug courts, the inevitable consequences are infuriating.

No wonder Mecklenburg is considering paying for its own drug courts. It may come to that same question in Durham.

The fact that state government is mismanaging income and sales taxes, forcing counties to fill gaps with property taxes, should not be an excuse to avoid discussing how to save these programs.

© heraldsun.com 2011

HHS Announces Proposed Changes to HIPAA Privacy Rule

2011-06-02T08:26:00.003-04:00

A Notice of Proposed Rule making concerning the accounting of disclosures requirement under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Act Privacy Rule, is available for public comment. The proposed rule would give people the right to get a report on who has electronically accessed their protected health information.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is proposing changes to Privacy Rule, pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. HITECH is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"This proposed rule represents an important step in our continued efforts to promote accountability across the health care system, ensuring that providers properly safeguard private health information," said OCR Director Georgina Verdugo. "We need to protect peoples' rights so that they know how their health information has been used or disclosed."

People would obtain this information by requesting an access report, which would document the particular persons who electronically accessed and viewed their protected health information. Although covered entities are currently required by the HIPAA Security Rule to track access to electronic protected health information, they are not required to share this information with people.

People may now read the proposed rule here. Search for Proposed Rule through August 1, 2011.

People who believe a covered entity has violated their (or someone else's) health information privacy rights or committed another violation of the HIPAA Privacy or Security Rule, may file a complaint with OCR at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/index.html. Additional information about OCR's enforcement activities can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr.

Documentary on Special Needs Children to Air on Friday

2011-05-19T15:07:00.002-04:00

This Friday , May 20, at 9 pm on UNCTV. The Bill Friday Program, "NC People" will interview Susan Ellis, co- producer of the Vail, Seattle , and Los Angeles Film Festivals awards documentary " Certain Proof - A Question of Worth". It's the story of three families and their special needs children. It will be repeated on Sunday May 22 at 5:30 pm.The documentary was developed and supported by New Voices Foundation.

Medicaid Patients could lose coverage

2011-05-18T11:38:00.001-04:00

Half of North Carolina Medicaid Patients could Lose Coverage under House Budget Plan:
Federal Funding for NC would Plummet Under Block Grant Scheme
Raleigh, NC -

Half of Medicaid patients in North Carolina could lose their coverage if the budget plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives were made into law, according to a recent report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

North Carolina would receive nearly 40 percent less federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years. The $61 billion drop in funding would be the 11th highest percentage decrease in federal Medicaid funding in the nation.

The House-passed budget plan repeals the planned Medicaid expansion currently in law under the Affordable Care Act and makes Medicaid a block grant, limiting federal dollars to the states and preventing the Medicaid program from expanding to cover more people during recessions.

"Currently, children enrolled in Medicaid are guaranteed preventive care and necessary follow-up treatment and services," said Barb Bradley, President and CEO of Action for Children North Carolina, a statewide nonpartisan, nonprofit child advocacy organization. "These changes would eliminate these protections for children, as well as repealing the maintenance of effort (MOE) protections that currently prevent states from rolling back Medicaid eligibility for children, parents, the disabled and others. This would be devastating for children in our state."

The changes would also pertain to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which insures children in low-income families. States could choose to cut back or even completely eliminate their CHIP programs.

Medicaid and Health Choice (North Carolina's CHIP program) currently insure over one million children in North Carolina - nearly half the child population of the state.

House-passed budget plan would mean big drop in Medicaid funding for NC

The Kaiser Commission report found that over the next ten years, North Carolina would receive 39 percent fewer federal dollars for Medicaid under the House-passed budget plan than under current law - the 11th highest percentage drop in the nation. North Carolina would lose $61.1 billion over 10 years. In the year 2021, North Carolina would receive only about half - 49 percent - of the federal spending on Medicaid as expected under current law.

Half of Medicaid enrollees could lose coverage

Medicaid enrollment in North Carolina would drop by 50 percent by 2021 under the House-passed budget plan, assuming current spending per enrollee and cuts spread evenly across all groups.

Hospitals, NC economy would suffer

North Carolina's hospitals would also lose out. By 2021, federal and state Medicaid payments to hospitals in North Carolina would have fallen by 44 percent. North Carolina hospitals would lose $2.7 billion in 2021 alone.

The decrease in federal Medicaid spending would be a blow to North Carolina's economy. An article in the North Carolina Medicaid Journal found that in 2003, Medicaid supported 182,000 jobs in North Carolina. Federal Medicaid spending has only grown since then. (North Carolina Medical Journal, "Economic Impacts of Medicaid in North Carolina," March/April 2008)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

The House passed their budget on April 15. The U.S. Senate has not yet voted on a budget plan.

The Kaiser report is available online at: http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/8185.pdf

Action for Children North Carolina is a leading statewide nonprofit organization based in Raleigh and is the 2008 winner of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits' Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award. Since its founding in 1983, Action for Children has been the leading voice for North Carolina's children. Action for Children is the KIDS COUNT partner in North Carolina and the state affiliate of the national organization, Voices for America's Children.
For more information, visit www.ncchild.org.

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Coming Full Circle: The Recovery Continuum

2011-05-12T15:34:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina Mental Health Association Collaborative and Charlotte AHEC will host the Annual North Carolina Mental Health Association Collaborative Conference on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church - Conference Center located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The conference entitled, Coming Full Circle: The Recovery Continuum, is a state-wide conference with guest speaker Mariel Hemingway, in addition to other highly- qualified, well-known speakers. This conference will bring together mental health experts, including the medical and recovery mental health professionals, community members, consumers, and vendors to promote the educational experience of current and relevant mental health information.

Objectives
1 - Provide education regarding reducing stigma related to mental illness and improving understanding about mental health recovery
2 - Provide education regarding the philosophy of the Body Mind Spirit Movement and how it relates to mental health wellness and recovery, how it may be incorporated into daily living, the obstacles and challenges one may experience while living toward a balanced life, and how to find encouragement and motivation to continue.
3 - Provide education regarding how to stay on course with treatment, how to spot early signs of relapse, how to make a plan to get clients and consumers through difficult periods, and how to develop a relapse prevention plan.
4 - Encourage all consumers, providers, and individuals to make public policy and advocacy priority one by developing the beginnings of a statewide plan.

*Conference Speakers*
*Mariel Hemingway (Celebrity Speaker!!!)
*Amy Showalter, The Showalter Group Inc., Cincinnati, OH
*Robert Livingston, Consumer Presenter, Mecklenburg’s Promise, Charlotte, NC
*Lee Stephan, M.A., L.C.S.W., Director of Services for Adults with serious Mental Illness for Community Health Network, Indianapolis, IN
*Steve Jordan, M.A., Director, NC Division of MH/SA/DD, Raleigh, NC

NC Senate moves to reduce spanking in schools

2011-05-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

NC Senate moves to reduce spanking in schools

By EmeryP.Dalesio
The Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. - The state Senate moved Tuesday to limit corporal punishment in public schools, approving legislation that would allow parents to save their misbehaving students from a paddling by telling school administrators to keep their hands off.

The 50-0 vote sends the measure to the House. The bill would ban corporal punishment for a student whose parent or guardian has stated that wish in writing at the start of the school year.

"It doesn't outlaw corporal punishment. It does make it a little more difficult to do," said Sens. Bill Purcell, D-Scotland. "Most research shows that hitting students won't modify long-term behavior."

North Carolina is one of 19 states that allow corporal punishment after New Mexico outlawed the practice last month, according to the Center for Effective Discipline, a Columbus, Ohio-based group that opposes the practice.

Even though North Carolina law allows paddling students, the choice is left to each of the state's 115 local school districts. Fewer than 20 rural districts in the state's southeast and west continue the practice.

Last year, the first for which school districts were required to report data on corporal punishment, there were 1,160 cases of the discipline measure statewide, led by Robeson County schools with 296 cases, the Department of Public Instruction said. That's up from 990 reported uses during the 2008-09 school year, led by 329 in Burke County.

Existing law requires paddling be administered away from view of other students, by a teacher or principal, under the observation of a witness.

A law passed last year allowed the parents of disabled students to opt-out if their local school district used corporal punishment, but the Senate measure would extend that option to all parents, said Tom Vitaglione of Action for Children North Carolina, a child advocacy group.

"Right now, a parent does not have the right to say that you can't hit my child," he said.

Transition Services Are Essential for Military Families

2011-05-11T15:53:00.000-04:00

The Coalition Reports: Transition Services Are Essential for Military Families
Bookmark and Share Raleigh, NC - May 10, 2011 - The Coalition

The Coalition, a statewide group of 40 organizations and their members advocating in partnership to meet the needs of individuals managing disabilities, mental illness or the disease of addiction, asks the question: “What do returning Military Veterans, High School Seniors in June, and rising Kindergarteners all have in common?” In a word, transition. Add Traumatic Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, and Autism to the mix, and you have individuals with serious challenges in combination with a disruption of established routines and services.

In the case of Military families, a return from deployment may include the transition to civilian life with a Traumatic Brain Injury, or to the family at home severely stressed by the recent birth or diagnosis of a child with a developmental disability.

In some cases, both challenges may be present. Families faced with such challenges often experience chronic and sometimes acute levels of stress as they negotiate the service system and the new or deeply changed interpersonal relationships.

During times of transition, adequate services such as uninterrupted therapies, good basic and specialized medical care, and family support can make the difference between even the possibility of a healthy adjustment to a new life, or failure. Sometimes transition points require an increased need for services, without which the breakdown of the family, and even death, can occur.

NC has the fourth largest number of military personnel in the country, and is expected to receive 23,000 additional active duty members by the end of this year. There are currently 25,000 National Guard or Reserves living throughout the 100 NC counties without long-term access to military health insurance or on-base services. There is a steady arrival of returning veterans who have some wound, illness or injury. Finally, there has been an influx of military families from closed bases around the country who have elected NC as their home of choice because of its reputation for good hospitals and clinics serving people with disabilities. Like the general population, many of these families include individuals with some type of developmental disability.

There has been much attention of late to the behavioral health care needs of returning military veterans. Some excellent programs and services have become available and more will certainly be needed. While Traumatic Brain Injury is often clustered among the various behavioral health conditions experienced by some returning veteran, in NC it is considered a developmental disability, and it is present in larger proportion among service members than in the general population.

Federally funded services are not sufficient to meet the health care needs of the military population or the needs of military families managing developmental disability. Nonprofit programs, individual donors, and state funded services are going to become an increasingly important part of the solution. According to Colonel David Sutherland and Major John Copeland in their paper “Sea of Goodwill”, it is critical that a lifetime continuum of care be provided to our warriors, veterans, and families, to ensure that they thrive as contributing members of their communities…A successful transition and continued support will enhance not only veterans and their families, but also the community.”

The services and supports that help families affected by developmental disabilities including traumatic brain injury are more important than ever, as many returning military veterans and their families are part of a small but growing community who depend for their basic well-being upon the supports provided by state government services, among others.

For more information on this and other issues affecting those who manage disabilities, mental illness or the disease of addiction, visit The Coalition website at www.thecoalitionnc.org.

Press Contact

Contact: Jane Phillips
Email: jane.phillips@nc.eastersealsucp.com
Phone: 919-865-8724

Cutting Services to People with Disabilities

2011-05-11T09:22:00.001-04:00

There’s a simple and harsh truth when it comes to serving people with disabilities: If you cut services that allow them to live in the most integrated setting, you will eventually force them into more institutionalized settings. This, in turn, will cost the state more money.
It is well documented that services in the community are cost-effective and, over time, save the state considerable dollars. According to a North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force, it costs on average 38 percent more each year in county, state and federal dollars to pay for someone to live in an institution like an adult care home than to pay for someone to live in the community.
We need only look at neighboring states to see both the cost benefits of community services and the consequences to a state with an institutional bias. In Tennessee, the state’s mental health office created more than 9,000 housing options for persons with disabilities in the last ten years. In contrast, North Carolina with 30% more residents has developed a third fewer options. Instead, we rely on institutional settings rather than developing services and supports – including community-based housing. Not only is this bad policy, it’s against the law – which brings us to Georgia.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 and bans discrimination on the basis of disability. Nine years later in a case filed against the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v. L.C. that people who live in institutions like state hospitals and nursing and adult care homes have a civil right to receive their care at home if they could live on their own with services and support. Last fall, Georgia avoided going to back to court a second time, this time with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), over the state’s failure to live up to the terms of the Olmstead decision. The state agreed to spend $77 million over the next two years to set up new programs to help people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities get services in more integrated settings.
So what is the difference between an institution – like a state hospital or an adult care home – and more integrated settings in the community? In an institution, schedules are determined by staffing needs. Residents typically eat meals at the same time every day. They have limited choice. Freedom of movement is restricted. Decisions are frequently made on the behalf of residents – what they eat, how much, etc. Residents don’t get to pick who they live with; roommates are assigned. Personal relationships are often restricted or controlled. There is little privacy. Rules by their very nature are developed for the majority and not the individual. Decisions are based on what is best for the most people and the ability of staff to manage the residents. Though obviously different, these setting bear some resemblance to incarceration.
In more integrated settings, schedules are driven by individual need and preference. Independent living skills are developed – individuals learn how to shop and cook and get to decide what to eat and when. If the individual doesn’t want to go out (or feel up to going out) on a particular day, then the trip can be re-scheduled. Decisions can be based on preferences. Individuals have more choice about who they live with and what goes on in their personal space. In short, individuals have more control over their own lives.
An integrated setting does not separate people from community life but includes them in it.
The ADA says that states must develop a system of care that doesn’t rely on institutions. Unfortunately, North Carolina has not complied with this requirement. Instead, it has relied and continues to rely on institutional settings like adult care homes and has failed to develop community housing options. This violates the ADA and that’s why the nonprofit I direct, Disability Rights NC, filed a complaint with the United States Department of Justice last July. In November, the Department notified North Carolina that it would investigate. We’re hoping that if the General Assembly hasn’t heard the message that community services save money, they’ll pay attention to what happened in Georgia.
Fortunately, it looks like Governor Perdue is paying attention. Her proposed 2012 budget would spare mental health services from severe cuts and include $75 million for the Mental Health Trust Fund. Of course, even if the General Assembly were to appropriate a similar amount (something that looks increasingly unlikely given the current bleak budget outlook) there is no guarantee that such funds would be used to develop support housing options or other direct services. Let’s hope that both Governor and the General Assembly can read the writing on the wall and do the right thing.
Vicki Smith is the Executive Director of Disability Rights North Carolina.

http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2011/05/09/serving-people-with-disabilities-pay-now-or-pay-more-later/

Medicaid Specific: NC House Budget

2011-05-09T10:53:00.000-04:00

MEDICAID: Budget cuts would hurt economy and families

The NC House budget would cut more than a billion dollars from the Health & Human Services budget over the next two years, with more than $710 million of that coming from Medicaid. That’s a bad idea for several reasons.
First, deep reductions in Medicaid funding mean fewer services for people who need them. In fact, 1.5 million people get care through Medicaid, and two-thirds of recipients are children.
Second, these cuts would mean the loss of more than $2 billion in federal Medicaid funding, since the federal government matches state Medicaid expenditures 2 to 1.
Third, the budget calls for lower reimbursements for the medical professionals who provide them. So, money that would have gone from the federal government into the pockets of local providers—and from there into local economies that need those dollars to create jobs—will instead stay in Washington, DC.

Coalition Rally on MH/DD/SAS

2011-05-04T13:47:00.003-04:00

Coalition Advocacy Day
The Coalition welcomes you to our ADVOCACY DAY & POPCORN RALLY on TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011!

ADVOCATE FOR SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES & ADDICTIVE DISEASE at THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING IN RALEIGH!!

Address: 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Registration will open at 8 am on the back portico of the Legislative Building. Participants can get information on the day’s legislative committee meetings, the current budget proposal and begin visits with legislators.

* Advocacy Trainings will take place in the Legislative Building Auditorium (third floor). Beginning at 9 am short trainings will be held on ways to effectively communicate your message to Legislators. Volunteers will be in the auditorium with tips & techniques for making the most of your legislative visit.
* Popcorn will be available on the portico beginning at 11 AM!
(Please note that lunch will NOT be provided.)
* RALLY: 12 pm on Bicentennial Mall on Jones Street, across from the Legislative Building
* PARKING: Passengers in vehicles of any kind must be dropped off at the LEGISLATIVE BUILDING and park in other locations. Directions & parking information can be found on the General Assembly’s website at http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/help/directions.html.

The Coalition encourages you to participate in this event as we advocate for funding for mental health, developmental disability, and addictive disease services!

For more information e-mail Elizabeth Cloud at ncpaelizabeth@mindspring.com

Broughton Hospital construction will start soon

2011-05-02T14:12:00.000-04:00

Morganton, NC --

Broughton Hospital will soon be home to work crews.

Construction on the new state mental hospital is nearly ready to begin.
Coal Chute Road will be closed starting on Monday as contractor Rodgers Builders starts assembling its home base for the project, according to Jon Berry, Broughton Hospital’s special project manager.

Rodgers Builders will begin accepting bids for demolition next week. Berry said a number of old residences on the Broughton campus must be cleareed to make way for the new building on a 60-acre tract within Broughton's 386-acre campus.
How many jobs the project will create isn’t yet known, according to Berry, because subcontracting has not yet begun. Rodgers Builders gives preference to local contractors, he noted.

Berry said the construction is a “wonderful opportunity” for the local economy.
Scott Darnell, president of Burke Development Inc., said in December that he believes the project could create between 300 and 350 jobs.

Work should start by early June. It will take until the end of 2013 to complete, said Mark Van Sciver, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Human Services.
The current staff will move to the new facility when it’s finished. Sciver said it’s too early to say whether there will be additional jobs in the new, larger hospital.
The state is building the 382-bed, 430,000-square-foot hospital to replace the existing facility.

The price tag is $154.8 million including new equipment, Sciver said. The funds come from state bond issues, so the current budget debate will not impact the new hospital’s construction.

The state needs the new facility, Sciver stressed, because the current buildings are aging and inefficient. He said construction of the new Broughton Hospital is part of an ongoing state initiative to upgrade mental-health facilities. Three new state-run mental health facilities will replace four dated ones.

Broughton is the second-oldest state-run psychiatric hospital in North Carolina. Now a 278-bed facility, its history dates to 1883. Broughton Hospital serves the state’s 37 westernmost counties.

Update of bills

2011-04-28T09:58:00.004-04:00

Now that deadlines are finished in both the House and Senate, all bills have been filed. I wanted to update you on a few. I recognize that there are many filed that interest different people but in the effort to respechttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift your time, I will keep the list as small as possible. If you ever have questions about any of these, do not hesitate to contact me!

H 659, Capital Procedure / Severe Mental Disability
This bill has always been supported by NASW-NC. The bill prohibits defendants http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdetermined to have a severe mental disability at the time they committed a crime from being sentenced to death. Defendants can attempt to prove their severe mental disability either before trial or during the sentencing phase. However, mental disability which manifested itself primarily by repeated criminal conduct or was caused by alcohol or other drugs is not enough by itself to prevent the death penalty.

S 547, NC Human Trafficking Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
S 547 creates the eighteen-member NC Human Trafficking Commission within the Department of Administration. The Commission is tasked with researching trafficking in NC and using that research to inform law enforcement, social services, and the general public. Also, the Commission will suggest new policies, procedures, or legislation. The Commission will assist in regional responses and identify gaps in law enforcement or social services and help identify responses to those gaps. NASW-NC is very supportive of this bill as Human Trafficking is a rapidly growing issue in NC and social workers have and will begin to face clients with trauma from such exposure.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
H 734, Require Photo ID / Food Stamps Program
Requires a photo ID to electronic benefits transaction (EBT) cards used by SNAP http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif(formerly food stamps) recipients. The bill provides for one additional individual to use the card on behalf of a primary recipient.

H 777, Defense of Marriage
Proposes a constitutional amendment to be placed on the ballot in 2012 with the text, “Marriage is a union of one man and one woman at one time. No other relationship shall be recognized as a valid marriage by the State.”http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

S 597/H 863: Behavioral Health Services for Military Funds.
NASW-NC is VERY supportive of this bill. This bill ensures that the behavioral health needs of members of the military, veterans, and their families are met. NC is unique to the number of military bases in the state and the problem of meeting the needs military families continues to grow. Social workers are on the forefront of these issues and are supported in this bill.

SB 607: Conform Medical Records Laws
As we are moving into more electronic health records, this bill ensures that those with mental illness are able to opt out of how their records are shared. NASW-NC has worked within the Coalition for Persons Disabled by Mental Illness to work on the language of this bill with Senator Stein.

Budget Action Alert

2011-04-27T19:04:00.001-04:00

Friends,

After nine hours of over 100 amendments to House Bill 200: Appropriations Act of 2011; the House will take this bill to the floor on Tuesday, May 3rd. Therefore, we have a small amount of time to address our issues. Below are some highlights that affect social work. PLEASE contact your legislatures and other members of the House to let them know how you will be impacted both professionally and personally.

Instructional Support staff cut by 4%: this means cuts to school social work positions.

Health and Wellness Trust Fund Eliminated: eliminate the Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) along with the Tobacco Trust Fund. The HWTF funds a wide variety of programs to prevent tobacco usage, obesity, aging services and infant mortality. The money from the HWTF is now redirected to debt service, agricultural projects, and $50 million for the University Cancer Research Fund.

Cuts to the Department of Juvenile Justice/Department of Corrections: Programs that help ex-offenders successfully integrate back into society were cut entirely.

Non-profit salaries capped: H200 caps salaries for all non-profits receiving state funds using a sliding scale based on the amount of state funding. For instance, if an organization receives more than $10 million, the salary cap is $100k; if it receives less than $1 million, the cap is $60k.

Tuition waivers eliminated: H200 would eliminate a variety of tuition waivers for NC community colleges, including waivers for:
-patients in state alcohol and drug rehab facilities
-any juveniles committed to DJJDP
-prison inmates
-students in HHS development programs

Early Childhood programs restructured
Smart Start
-No more than 8% of totals costs for all partnerships for admin costs
-Caps salaries at $80k for statewide partnership and $60K for local partnerships
-13% total match requirement (10% cash; 3% in-kind)
-No state funds on marketing campaigns
More at Four – H200 fundamentally changes More at Four from a pre-k program for low-income families to a child care subsidy program
-More at Four no longer under the Department of Public Instruction
-20% carve out for non-low income kids – this carve out means that 20% of the families served by More at Four funds will NOT be from low-income families
-H200 would also implement a co-pay on a rate scale the same as child care subsidies

Planned Parenthood funding cut: eliminate state funding and state-administered federal funds for Planned Parenthood. Cuts to this program are political in nature because it means cuts to breast and cervical cancer screening, family planning, sexually transmitted disease treatment, etc. Some legislators believe that these services can be provided by the Health Departments when in fact, the health departments are already overburdened and have significant wait times.

To access the Money Report, click here.
To access the Special Provisions, click here.

It is DIRE that you contact your legislators and let them know how devastating these cuts are. Take a look at the Money Report and see how you will be affect. The Money Report is the full report for Health and Human Services, Education, Adult Services, Child Services, Mental Health, etc.

If you need help contemplating what it all means and how to frame your message specific to you, please contact Kay Paksoy at the chapter office! Remember, this will be voted on on Tuesday!

What's Important to NC Voters? by NC Policy Watch

2011-04-21T14:29:00.001-04:00

NC Policy Watch is happy to announce the release of the April 2011 edition of its Carolina Issues Poll. Each month, the staff of NC Policy Watch develops a series of questions on timely issues impacting state policy debates that are then vetted and posed to registered voters by the nationally recognized, Raleigh-based polling firm Public Policy Polling.

This month’s poll quizzed nearly 800 voters on April 19 and 20 regarding a wide variety of current issues, including:

* The stalemate between the Governor and the General Assembly over the extension of unemployment benefits,
* Proposed budget cuts under consideration in the legislature,
* The state’s acceptance of federal high speed rail dollars,
* Whether community colleges should be required to help student access federal student loans,
* A proposal to raise interest rates on small consumer loans, and
* The issue of reintegrating ex-criminal offender into society.

Here are some of the results:

In general, voters are very supportive of extending unemployment insurance benefits to jobless North Carolina workers who have been laid off but continue to seek work and oppose efforts of Republican leaders to tie the extension to future state budget cuts.

Q1 Do you support or oppose extending unemployment benefits for another 20 weeks to North Carolinians who have been laid off, provided they continue seeking work?

Support ………………………………………………….. 65%

Oppose ………………………………………………….. 32%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%

Q2 Last week, leaders in the General Assembly advanced a bill to extend unemployment benefits, but attached a condition that would also require the Governor to agree to cut the overall state budget by 13% in 2012. Do you think lawmakers should have had an opportunity to vote on the unemployment extension by itself?

Yes………………………………………………………… 66%

No …………………………………………………………. 22%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q3 Over the weekend, the Governor vetoed the bill that combined the unemployment extension with the 2012 budget cuts and asked lawmakers to send her a bill that deals only with the unemployment issue. Do you agree with the Governor’s decision to keep the matters separate?

Yes………………………………………………………… 65%

No …………………………………………………………. 25%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Voters also remain very skeptical of proposed budget cuts under consideration at the General Assembly and, when given the choice, expressed a preference for leaving taxes at current rates rather than reducing core services.

Q4 The current budget proposal from legislative leaders would cut taxes from their current levels and includes unprecedented cuts to a number of public services. I’m going to read you a list of specific cuts that have been proposed and ask you to compare them to the option of leaving taxes at current levels: Given the choices of cutting taxes and eliminating 8,200 teachers’ assistants positions in grades two and three or leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the teachers’ assistants, which would you prefer?

Prefer cutting taxes and eliminating 8,200 teachers’ assistants positions in grades 2 and 3 …………………………………………………………….29%

Prefer leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the teachers’ assistants…………………66%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%

Q5 Given the choices of cutting taxes and eliminating 3,200 jobs in the university system or leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the jobs in the university system, which would you prefer?

Prefer cutting taxes and eliminating 3,200 jobs in the university system ………………………38%

Prefer leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the jobs in the university system……..57%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%

Q6 Given the choices of cutting taxes and cutting the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources by 22% or leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the Department intact, which would you prefer?

Prefer cutting taxes and cutting the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources by 22%……………………………………46%

Prefer leaving taxes at current levels and keeping the department intact…………………….48%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

On the matter of high-speed rail, a plurality of voters prefers to accept federal dollars rather than turn them down.

Q7 Some state legislators want North Carolina to turn down more than $400 million in federal funds to build high-speed rail service in the state: do you agree with them that North Carolina should reject the money, or do you think that North Carolina should accept the money from the federal government?

NC should reject $400 million in federal funds for high speed rail service ……………………….43%

NC should accept the money…………………….. 47%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

On another matter involving federal dollars, voters strongly support the position taken in Governor Perdue’s veto of a bill that would repeal a law that requires all community colleges in the state to help their students access low-cost federal loans.

Q8 Do you think all community college students should have access to low cost federal student loans or should individual community colleges be allowed to refuse to offer such loans?

All community college students should have access to low cost federal student loans…….61%

Individual community colleges should be allowed to refuse to offer federal loans ………..30%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Perhaps the strongest and clearest result came on the question of consumer lending legislation, in which a vast majority of voters opposed the idea of raising interest rates.

Q9 North Carolina law currently limits the annual interest rate on consumer loans offered by loan companies to around 54%. The companies say they need higher rates to loan to people with poor credit. Do you think lawmakers should approve a bill requested by the companies to allow them to charge an annual interest rate of around 90%?

Lawmakers should raise permissible rates…………7%

Rates should not be raised…………………………….. 84%

Not sure ………………………………………………………. 9%

Finally, on another matter of great interest in the current policy environment in which lawmakers are looking for ways to reduce recidivism in the criminal justice system, voters expressed support for government efforts to eliminate roadblocks to employment for ex-criminal offenders seeking a fresh start in life.

Q10 Do you think that state and local governments should remove roadblocks to employment for ex-criminal offenders who have completed their sentence and are seeking a fresh start in life?

Lawmakers should remove roadblocks……….. 46%

The y should not remove roadblocks …………… 32%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

To read the entire poll, as well as the crosstabs, see the NC Policy website by clicking on the title of this post.

Chapter Office is Closed for Repair

2011-04-20T14:33:00.000-04:00

A message from NASW-NC:

We are sure many of you have seen the devastation to areas of NC and downtown Raleigh. Our office fared well through the storm, but we have significant damage. Internet and Phone service for the downtown area is still out, and many buildings are demolished. The office lost over 6000 worth of IT equipment and suffered some property damage as well. Please bear with us as we work on moving forward! Our goal is to be back in our building by Wednesday April 27th. Until then, staff have limited access to email from their homes. Thank you for understanding!

Medical News: Suicides Rise When Economy Falls - in Psychiatry, General Psychiatry from MedPage Today

2011-04-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

Medical News: Suicides Rise When Economy Falls - in Psychiatry, General Psychiatry from MedPage Today

The Coalition Speaks out on Budget concerns

2011-04-19T15:59:00.001-04:00

NASW-NC is a long time member of The Coalition

While The Coalition recognizes the significance of North Carolina's difficult budget issues and the economic condition of our state, the group believes that services and supports provided all across North Carolina to persons with developmental disabilities, addictive diseases and mental illness are critical to the well being of North Carolina's citizens, and that the jobs needed to provide these services are part of the fabric of local communities.

The Coalition's top priority is to maintain services to people with mental illness, addictive diseases, and developmental disabilities. The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee budget released last week raises concerns for the group that services critical to maintaining people in their communities will be lost.

Of particular concern is the proposed $20M cut to Community Funding which is a direct cut to actual services and supports.

Coalition Chair Tad Clodfelter said, "The Coalition recently surveyed providers who serve people with addictive diseases, mental illness and developmental disabilities to get an idea of the numbers in North Carolina. As of today 115 provider agencies reported serving 314,160 clients in 2010 and that represents 21,946 jobs. The proposed cuts will likely mean a loss of services and jobs to some of these people."

The Coalition urges the members of the General Assembly to avoid cuts to services and to make restoring cuts to services its top priority.

The Coalition will hold its annual rally at the legislature on May 10 when hundreds of people are expected to come from around the state to meet with lawmakers and bring the message of the need for services and supports.

For more information on The Coalition and issues affecting those who manage disabilities, substance abuse isues or mental health challenges, visit www.thecoalitionnc.org.

For more information, please visit: www.thecoalitionnc.org

Contact Information:
Jane Phillips
Communications Director
Easter Seals UCP North Carolina & Virginia
5171 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27612-3266
919-865-8724 (direct line)
919-622-6589 (cell)
919-865-8725 (fax)
jane.phillips@nc.eastersealsucp.com

Mental Health Professionals Needed

2011-04-18T15:50:00.004-04:00

Mental Health Professionals Being Recruited
For American Red Cross Disaster Relief Operations
4/18/2011

Providing Disaster Mental Health (DMH) Support
The American Red Cross is in great need of licensed mental health professionals to provide support to the communities affected by the recent tornado outbreak (see eligibility criteria below)*.

Volunteering in your local community
To find the Red Cross chapter closest to you, please go to the Chapter Locater website at www.redcross.org. Local volunteers may be called upon to provide mental health support to volunteers going on national disaster assignments or to Red Cross chapter workers and volunteers who may be experiencing increased stress due to the pressures of coordinating the response to national disaster relief operations while still responding to the ongoing needs of their local community. Please be aware that mental health volunteers may be expected to complete Red Cross-specific training in psychological first aid and disaster mental health to prepare them for their volunteer roles and to ensure the safety and welfare of Red Cross clients and volunteers as well as those from partnering agencies.

Volunteering outside your local community
If you are interested and available for a national deployment for 10 days to 3 weeks, please contact your local Red Cross chapter. To find the Red Cross chapter closest to you, please go to the Chapter Locater website at www.redcross.org. Please be aware that prior to a national deployment, mental health volunteers must be registered as Red Cross volunteers and will be required to complete Red Cross-specific mental health training in psychological first aid and disaster mental health to prepare them for their volunteer roles and to ensure the safety and welfare of Red Cross clients and volunteers as well as those from partnering agencies. Be prepared for there to be a waiting period before Red Cross training is available and before you can deploy out of state. Any help you can provide to your local community and Red Cross chapter during this waiting period will be of great help. (In special circumstances, you may be notified of alternative training arrangements).

If you have additional questions or need more information, please contact your local Red Cross chapter directly.

*DMH Eligibility Criteria (must be licensed in the state in which you live)
•Independently-licensed, master’s level (or higher) mental health professionals
•State-licensed or state-certified school counselors and school psychologists
•RNs with a certification for psychiatric and mental health nursing to include RN-BC, PMHNP-BC or PMHCNS-BC.

Volunteer mental health professionals should be prepared to:

• Be patient and flexible. Preparing disaster relief workers to respond in the aftermath of disaster can be extremely challenging. Mental health professionals should be prepared to register as volunteers with their local chapter. This might entail completing the paperwork necessary to establish a volunteer relationship with the Red Cross and provide documentation that verifies their professional credentials and training. The Red Cross places high value in getting the right people, to the right place, doing the right thing, at the right time.
• Complete specific Red Cross training. The Red Cross has a specific role in disaster response and disaster mental health volunteers are critical to carrying out that role. Prior to utilizing mental health professionals in the Red Cross chapter or on a disaster relief operation outside their local community, volunteers must receive adequate training and information to prepare them to carry out their duties and responsibilities. New volunteers may be required to take specific Red Cross training courses in Introduction to Disaster, Psychological First Aid, and Foundations in Disaster Mental Health in addition to others.
• Provide non-traditional mental health services. In the aftermath of disaster, psychological first aid is the intervention of choice. Intensive psychotherapy is often contraindicated. Instead, early intervention is primarily focused on assisting disaster survivors and response workers in meeting their most basic needs. This includes helping people feel safe and secure, obtain food and water, address their physical health needs (first aid and access to their medications) and connect to their family, friends, and other social support networks. Providing emotional comfort and support and helping individuals focus on their disaster-related needs is the most important mental health intervention you can provide at this time.
• Support local Red Cross chapter activities. Mental health volunteers can assist their local chapter with preparing Red Cross disaster relief works for out of state assignments, supporting the families of disaster relief workers out on assignment, providing supportive interventions to those returning from disaster relief operations, and conducting media interviews on the common reactions individuals experience in the aftermath of disaster. Mental health workers may also be called upon to assist with other chapter support duties such as answering phones, preparing meals, filing, etc. While not typically considered traditional mental health services, helping out with these activities can go a long way to preserving the mental health of other Red Cross workers and staff.

If you are interested in volunteering at your local chapter or for a disaster relief operation outside your community, please contact the Red Cross closest to you. To find your local Red Cross chapter go to the Chapter Locater website at www.redcross.org

Housing and the mentally ill

2011-04-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

This week, WUNC (91.5) examines a persistent problem for mentally ill people in North Carolina – housing. Mental health reformers have repeated their intention to move people out of large institutions toward treatment options closer to home. But even as people have left hospitals, local resources have not kept pace. That means in North Carolina, many people with mental health disabilities live in adult care homes designed for frail elderly people. Now the U S Justice Department is investigating this situation. In the first installment of our series, North Carolina Voices, Mental Health Disorder, Rose Hoban reports that it could mean big changes for North Carolina.

http://wunc.org/programs/news/archive/NRH041811.mp3/view

Governor Vetos 2 more bills!

2011-04-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, the Governor veto 2 more bills- SB 265: State Health Plan/Appropriations and Transfer and HB 7: Comm. College/Opt Out of Fed'l Loan Program.

HB 7 would have limited students' options in attending community college by eliminating a requirement for schools to make federal loans available to their students.

SB 265 would have changed the state health plan for teachers and state employees and allowed the transfer of the state health plan for teacher and state employees to the office of the state treasurer.

Education House Proposal Budget "high"lights

2011-04-13T15:13:00.003-04:00

UNC schools- 15.5% reduction
Public Schools- 8.8% reduction
Community Colleges- 10% reduction

Dropout Prevention Grants- $11,529,114 FY 11-12; $11,575,598 FY 12-13
Non-instructional support personnel- $396,649,804 FY 11-12; $400,365,281 FY 12-13
Instructional support- $458,685,560 FY 11-12; $462,989,580 FY 12-13

DHHS House Proposed Budget "high"lights

2011-04-13T14:57:00.003-04:00

Reduce Nonprofit funding 2% reduction

Division of Aging:
Reduce Home and Community Care Block Grant- 12%

Division of Child Development:
Smart Start- 20% reduction
More at Four transfer from DPI: $65,122,426

Division of Public Health:
Reduce Local Health Department Funds to fiscal year 2006- Governor's Recommendation
Reduce Funds for Local Health Department Accreditation- 50%

Division of Social Services:
Eliminate Child and Family Team Pilot: continuation budget- $420,804
Eliminate State Funds for County DSS
Prioritize Adult Day Care Funding
Eliminate State Abortion Fund
Reduce Child Welfare Education Collaborative funds- will receive $239,453 per year

Division of Medical Assistance:
Targeted Rate Adjustments- $6,167,186
Modify Optional and Mandatory Services:
Optical- $2,356,027
Durable Medical Equipment- $2,689,077
Specialized Therapies- $1,178,014
Home Health- $1,465,973
Adjust provider rates- $50,378,633

Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse:
Reduce Child and Family Support Team- 100%
LME Administration- 17% in year two
Eliminate Community Funding spent for Medicaid recipients except for residential supports- 20,000,000 for FY 11-12; 0 for FY 12-13

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation:
Eliminate Recreational Therapists Services
Reduce Independent Living Program by 13%

Coalition Advocacy Day

2011-04-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

The Coalition welcomes you to our ADVOCACY DAY & POPCORN RALLY on TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011!

ADVOCATE FOR SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES & ADDICTIVE DISEASE at THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING IN RALEIGH!!

Address: 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Registration will open at 8 am on the back portico of the Legislative Building. Participants can get information on the day’s legislative committee meetings, the current budget proposal and begin visits with legislators.

* Advocacy Trainings will take place in the Legislative Building Auditorium (third floor). Beginning at 9 am short trainings will be held on ways to effectively communicate your message to Legislators. Volunteers will be in the auditorium with tips & techniques for making the most of your legislative visit.
* Popcorn will be available on the portico beginning at 11 AM!
(Please note that lunch will NOT be provided.)
* RALLY: 12 pm on Bicentennial Mall on Jones Street, across from the Legislative Building
* PARKING: Passengers in vehicles of any kind must be dropped off at the LEGISLATIVE BUILDING and park in other locations. Directions & parking information can be found on the General Assembly’s website at http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/help/directions.html.

The Coalition encourages you to participate in this event as we advocate for funding for mental health, developmental disability, and addictive disease services!

For more information e-mail Elizabeth Cloud at ncpaelizabeth@mindspring.com

2011-04-12T12:49:00.001-04:00

It's NationalVolunteerWeek! Volunteer now with @Catchafire, @Idealist, @VolunteerMatch, @ServeDotGov & more: http://bit.ly/efmt3S

A Message from the NC Housing Coalition: Support HB 574 and SB 462

2011-04-05T13:33:00.001-04:00

Right now, for the first time in 22 years, we have the opportunity to secure a dedicated source of revenue for the NC Housing Trust Fund! This sustainable funding source, that will grow as the economy rebounds, means more safe, quality, affordable housing for the most vulnerable folks in our communities: those with disabilities, seniors living on fixed incomes, homeless families, victims of domestic violence, and others.

Call or email your legislators today and ask them to support HB 574 and SB 462!

The Issue:
HB 574 and SB 462 modify the distribution of the revenue from a real estate tax to include the NC Housing Trust Fund. It only makes sense that a real estate tax help make housing more affordable for those who are most in need. Over the last decade, some of this tax revenue has helped make great strides in conserving land and water. Now is the time make sure our most vulnerable citizens receive the same consideration and funding.

For more information on the bills and a list of talking points, click here.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/04/01/1097755/federal-government-cites-nc-mental.html

2011-04-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/04/01/1097755/federal-government-cites-nc-mental.html

Violent Crime and Social Worker Safety

2011-03-28T16:52:00.000-04:00

Violent Crime and Social Worker Safety

1 in 5 North Carolinians have difficulty affording food

2011-03-28T16:32:00.000-04:00

National report highlights hunger in North Carolina counties
Nearly 1 in 5 North Carolinians have difficulty affording food

(Raleigh) --

An estimated 1.6 million North Carolinians--nearly 1 in 5--struggled with limited or uncertain access to food at some point in 2009, according to a national study released yesterday by Feeding America, a nonprofit hunger-relief organization.

"These data offer an important glimpse into hunger at the community-level in North Carolina," said Laila Bell, Research and Data Director at Action for Children North Carolina, a statewide research and advocacy organization that tracks quantitative indicators of child well-being through the KIDS COUNT project. "Previous research has shown when individuals and families struggle to put food on the table it is children, our most vulnerable population, who are disproportionately affected."

The report, Mapping the Meal Gap, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and administrative sources to generate state- and community-level estimates of the number of people facing food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to nutritionally adequate foods for all household members.

Food insecurity affects a range of households in North Carolina, not just the poorest. In fact, 35 percent of food insecure North Carolinians earned too much to qualify for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), a national program that helps low-income families bridge the gaps in their household food budgets.

In five North Carolina counties, one in four residents faced food insecurity:
• Edgecombe: 27.6% (14,520 people)
• Scotland: 27.6 % (10,050 people)
• Vance: 25.8% (11,080)
• Warren: 25.3% (4,940 people)
• Halifax: 25.3% (13,940 people)
The report also illuminates community-level disparities in food access and price. In 2009, the average cost of a meal in North Carolina was $2.49, but meal prices varied among counties, ranging from 90 percent of the state average ($2.23) in Rutherford and Lenoir counties to 123 percent ($3.06) in Dare county.

Food insecurity also means missed meals. During 2009, hungry North Carolinians missed more than 275 million meals. The report estimates that an additional $687.2 million would have been needed by food insecure individuals to ensure that no meals were missed.

American Indian, African American and Hispanic communities are at disproportionate risk of food insecurity due, in part, to higher-than-average poverty and unemployment rates that reduce economic security and undermine families' ability to afford food. Robeson county was cited in the report as one of 11 counties in the nation with both a large American Indian population (36 percent) and high rates of food insecurity (23 percent).

Families facing food insecurity must prioritize low-cost foods, and cheap meals tend to pack high calories but low nutritional value. As a result, children in food insecure households also face heightened risk of childhood obesity.

"Poor nutrition has been shown to influence health and well-being throughout life, beginning even before birth," said Bell. "The ability to access routine, nutritious meals is essential for healthy physical and cognitive development. Poor maternal and child nutrition has been linked to low birthweight, a heightened risk of infant mortality and reduced educational and economic outcomes later in life."

These data come at a time when lawmakers at the state and federal levels are deciding whether to fully fund a cadre of programs serving children who are typically at-risk of hunger.

"These data demonstrate the need for continued interventions to combat the additional challenges children experience as a result of food insecurity," added Bell. "Without programs like SNAP, WIC, school-day, afterschool and summer feeding programs, as well as health insurance, high-quality early education, and prevention and intervention services, many children in North Carolina would lack important building blocks necessary for proper growth."

Mapping the Meal Gap is available online at http://feedingamerica.org/our-network/the-studies/map-the-gap.aspx

Action for Children North Carolina is a leading statewide nonprofit organization based in Raleigh and is the 2008 winner of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits' Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award. Since its founding in 1983, Action for Children has been the leading voice for North Carolina's children. Action for Children is the KIDS COUNT partner in North Carolina and the state affiliate of the national organization, Voices for America's Children.
For more information, visit www.ncchild.org.

# # #

NC rule to keep risky students off campus delayed

2011-03-22T15:48:00.000-04:00

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A rule that would let North Carolina community colleges bar admission to students who appear to pose a threat likely won't take effect until next year.

The state's Rules Review Commission on Thursday acknowledged that it received at least 10 letters objecting to the community college board's vote shortly after an Arizona congresswoman was wounded and six others killed. The suspect had been suspended from his community college for bizarre behavior.

The country's third-largest community college system admits everyone but wanted an exception to exclude those who appear to pose "an articulable, imminent, and significant threat."

Disabilities advocates and the ACLU worried how community college campuses would decide who fits the description.

The rule now won't take effect until July 2012 unless the governor or General Assembly orders it.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/17/1060703/nc-rule-to-keep-risky-students.html#storylink=misearch#ixzz1HMMTjF1V

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/17/1060703/nc-rule-to-keep-risky-students.html#storylink=misearch#ixzz1HMMPJ9lo

Action Alert!

2011-03-22T13:47:00.004-04:00

The legislative session this year has been so different from years past! This year, the legislators have been hit with balancing a budget with a $2.7 billion deficit. With a cast of new legislators and a new party in power, it is our job as social workers and citizens of North Carolina to EDUCATE our legislators about the important work we do.

Some information to provide to your legislators:
- Who you are
- Where you're from
- Your credentials (and what they mean!)- be PROUD to say YOU'RE A SOCIAL WORKER
- Where you went to school
- Where you work
- What type of work you specifically do

Provide them with information about your agency (how many people you serve, main services provided, how you're funded, how long you've been established)as it reflects on the community.

Legislators are part-time workers. They have other jobs when they leave Raleigh. They can not be the expert on what YOU do in their district! As you educate them on what you do for their districts, you are opening the door to build a relationship and can then follow up on legislation that is important to your organization.

One of the most important things to remember is that you deserve to be heard. You are their constituent and you have an important role in their community that they need to know about.

If you have further questions of how to open the door to your legislators, contact Kay Paksoy at the chapter office.

Reminder: Coalition Town Hall Meetings

2011-03-21T14:28:00.001-04:00

Town Hall Meeting on
Mental Health, Developmental Disability, and Substance Abuse Services
Sponsored by The Coalition

The Coalition, 40 organizations advocating together to meet the needs of North Carolinians living with the developmental disabilities, the disease of addiction, & mental illness, will host a series of town hall meetings on MH, DD, & SA services across the state. These listening sessions will:

•Provide a briefing on the current budget outlook

•Offer an opportunity to share your opinions about MHDDSA services and supports; in person, in writing, or online

•Update you on how to make a difference on these issues through advocacy

TIME: All meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:00 PM and the program begins at 6:30.

March 24 - Fayetteville
Southern Regional AHEC
1601 Owen Drive

March 31 – Greenville/Winterville
Pitt Community College
Leslie Building - Room 143
1986 Pitt Tech Road Winterville

March 31 - Wilmington
Hampton Inn
2320 South 17th Street, Wilmington

April 7 – Winston-Salem
Forsyth Community College, Main Campus
Ardmore Hall Auditorium
2100 Silas Creek Parkway

April 7 - Asheville
Mountain Area Heath Education Center (MAHEC)
501 Biltmore Ave

2011-03-19T17:40:00.001-04:00

Want to have your swmonth voice heard? Log onto www.naswnc.org and learn how!

Update on Session Bills

2011-03-17T09:42:00.002-04:00

SB 221: Department of Corrections/Ex-offenders
An act that would require the Department of Corrections to be the single agency responsible for the coordination and implementation of reentry policy initiatives. It also encourages the continuation of ensuring ex-offenders have a successful transition back into society.
- We support this bill based the dignity and worth of a person. Prison sentences do not mean the end of life, a person can be reintegrated back into society based on successful measures.

SB 239 Food Bank Funds
An act to appropriate $1 million for the food banks in NC for the 2011-2012 fiscal year and 2012-2013 fiscal year.
- Say thanks to bill sponsors for keeping this a priority!

SB 245 Medicaid Billing by Local Health Departments
An act to authorize local health departments to bill medicaid through an approved medicaid clearinghouse or through the department of health and human services, division of public health.
- We are watching this bill to see how it develops. So far, it seems that this bill will help facilitate billing by giving another option to billing (partnership). We are not sure of the impact of this bill yet and will continue to follow it.

SB 326: Evaluate DD Residential Options for Children
This act would require DHHS to evaluate and report on residential placement options for young children with developmental disabilities.

HB 267: Mental Health Workers' Bill of Rights and HB 287 Mental Health Workers' Bill of Rights
- This bill supports all that social workers' do! Please contact the bill sponsors to say THANK YOU!
- The second bill, 287 has more representatives signed on.

HB 387: Access Confidential Info/Child Abuse/Neglect
- This bill would clarify when, to whom, and under what circumstances the identity of a person reporting child abuse or neglect may be released. It would also clarify what information the division of social services is required to maintain in the foster care registry and under what circumstances information in the registry may be withheld.
- This is a big bill for those working with families and children. It will give extra safety when reporting. I encourage you to share this with your supervisors or staff to stay informed!

A message from Together, NC

2011-03-16T16:00:00.002-04:00

Dear Together NC partners and allies:

We wanted to make sure you didn't forget about our trainings over the next two weeks in Charlotte, Asheville, and Raleigh on ways to talk about government and taxes that have been proven to really resonate with people.

Together NC is partnering with the Public Works: the Demos Center for the Public Sector and Blueprint North Carolina to bring these trainings to you. Each offers ideas about how to use enduring values and concepts to tell new stories about public issues and government. In addition, attendees will get an in-depth look at the research and recommendations that the Public Works program offers with a special focus on the challenge of talking about taxes, budgets and the role of government in the current North Carolina State fiscal context. Participants will also spend time in discussion and working in small groups to apply the Public Works approach in the current state budget debate.

We’ll conclude with an update on what’s going on with the NC state budget, polling, and how to get engaged.

And, free lunch will be provided!

To learn more about each of the training opportunities and to sign up to attend, click the links below:
• Monday, March 21 - Charlotte
• Thursday, March 24 - Asheville
• Friday, April 8 - Raleigh
Presenters:
•Elaine Mejia, Senior Program Associate, Public Works
•Louisa Warren: Together NC: Budget update
•Stephanie Bass, Blueprint NC: NC polls on citizen attitudes about budgets and spending

Please share with your members, staff, and Boards—these trainings are a unique opportunity to learn from the experts at Demos on how we can all do a better job of messaging around the state budget.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Please check out the new report on the TABOR legislation currently being considered in the General Assembly. The Budget & Tax Center presents some interesting facts and statistics that can help you talk about this proposal within your organization and home communities:

NEW!!! Budget & Tax Center Report on TABOR

Tomorrow is World Social Work Day

2011-03-14T15:56:00.000-04:00

For more information:
http://www.ifsw.org/p38002232.html

HB 100 will not move through session

2011-03-10T10:45:00.002-05:00

House Bill 100 which places strict requirements on Nonprofits receiving state funding will NOT be moving through the session! This bill did not generate enough support and the bill sponsor has announced it will not move forward this session.

Governor's Veto not overrode

2011-03-10T10:38:00.002-05:00

The House attempted to override Governor Perdue's veto on House Bill 2, Protect Health Care Freedom. The House needed a three-fifths majority to override the veto and fell 4 votes short.

Action Alert from the NC Justice Center

2011-03-07T10:37:00.003-05:00

Hey all! Sorry for the lack of postings on here. I have been running around and Friday we had a very successful Ethics Conference! Here is an important message about House Bill 93. I urge you all to take action! I received this message from the Justice Center. Remember to add information about yourself and include you are a social worker whenever responding to action alerts from either myself or messages forwarded.

TAKE ACTION: Bill to Gut State EITC Goes to Committee Next Week
House Bill 93 would eliminate refundability of EITC

The “No New Taxes” crowd in the NC General Assembly has no problem raising taxes on those who can least afford it. They are attacking the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which provides an important tax break to more than 800,000 low- and moderate-income working families in North Carolina.

House Bill 93 would increase taxes on 12% of non-elderly families in North Carolina. Legislators are considering this tax increase of working families even as they that contemplate lowering taxes on profitable corporations and letting expire the temporary surcharge on high-income earnings.

House Bill 93 would eliminate the refundable nature of the state EITC. Refundability is important because:
• It ensures those most in need—primarily low-wage workers with children—get the most from the credit.
• It offsets some of the sales and property taxes working families pay. The less money a family makes, the greater a share of its income it pays in these other taxes. The EITC makes the tax system fairer.
• It puts $52 million into local economies. Families tend to spend their tax refunds in close to home, creating the economic activity needed to jumpstart the state’s economy and put people back to work.
The House Finance Committee will likely hear House Bill 93 next week. Contact the committee members today!

Eliminate EITC Refundability Provision

2011-03-01T14:12:00.002-05:00

A message from Action for Children
The state EITC is under attack and we need your help to protect this important policy for North Carolina's working families.

House Bill 93 would eliminate the refundable nature of the state EITC. Refundability is essential to ensuring that the state EITC targets those most in need. It also offsets the greater share of total taxes these families pay as compared to those with higher income. Click here for more information, including county-level data.

Contact members of the House Finance Committee.

Urge them to oppose House Bill 93.
• This bill will hurt low-income working families when they are struggling to get by in this tough economy.
• 12 percent of non-elderly households in North Carolina will experience a tax increase as a result.
• This will remove $52 million from local economies at a time when consumer spending is critical to job creation and economic recovery.

Join advocates for a press conference on EITC next Thursday, March 3 at 10 a.m. on the steps in front of the legislative building (on Jones St).

To take action on this bill click here.

New Bill- Eligibility Requirements for Public Assistance

2011-02-28T14:08:00.002-05:00

This past week, a new bill was introduced- Senate Bill 121. This bill would require applicants wishing to receive public funding to take a mandatory drug test. Legislators who have had no experience with human services do not know the implications of this bill. Consider the clients you serve and how this would impact them and prevent them from receiving life saving support.

For example, a woman who is a victim of human trafficking who has been forced into taking drugs and is now dependent on the drugs to get her through the day or children whose parents are drug users may not receive food or housing...there are many more examples out there that legislators need to know!

Contact your legislators and the bill sponsors and let them know what this bill would do to your clients!

Mental health facility closing its doors; 1,000 patients must find new treatment options

2011-02-24T08:57:00.000-05:00

Rebecca Clark
2011-02-18 16:15:45
KINGS MOUNTAIN — Around 1,000 patients will have to find new treatment options after Carolina Therapeutic Solutions announced plans to close its doors.
The mental health agency located in Kings Mountain provides psychiatric services for children and adults as well as prescriptions for medications.
The provider was a hospital-based business until 2010 when it became a limited liability corporation similar to a doctors’ office, said hospital spokeswoman Dottie Leatherwood.
She said the Cleveland County Healthcare System, consisting of Cleveland Regional Medical Center, Kings Mountain Hospital and Cleveland Pines, helped provide the staff.
“We’re in the process of notifying patients that it will close the last of March,” said Leatherwood. “We’re working with patients to find providers and local resources to meet their needs.”
MULTIPLE ISSUES
Originally housed in two offices, one in Kings Mountain and one in Shelby, Carolina Therapeutic Solutions was consolidated into one location in 2010.
“We provided a note just like any other practice that it will be closing and let them know they would not be seeing patients after the end of March,” Leatherwood said. “We’ve been doing that for almost two weeks now.”
She said there were multiple issues that drove the business into closing its doors, including the volume of patients needed to sustain the practice.
She said the mental health system is also adding additional resources to the region.
“We know that that is starting to impact some of the private practices,” she said.
ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS
Kings Mountain Hospital will continue to provide inpatient behavioral health services and a psychiatrist will be available for hospital consultations at Cleveland Regional Medical Center and Kings Mountain Hospital.
The new Cleveland Recovery and Crisis Center, scheduled to open in Shelby in March, will also provide substance abuse services.
“It’s just the outpatient office that would be closing,” Leather wood said.
The business also needed revisions to meet current standards.
“The current model has limitations on what it can provide for mental health needs,” Leatherwood said. “That needs to be managed a little differently.”
She said the outpatient behavioral health model is having to change throughout the state.
“What we’re hoping happens is that a private provider would be able to take a practice such as this and offer what really meets the needs of the patients,” Leatherwood said. “This has been a hospital-led program but really needs to be a private model program.”
She said many of the patients were not from Cleveland County.
BREAKING TRUST
Rene Willis, a therapeutic foster parent and also an adoptive mother, said mental health treatment options, particularly for children, are already scarce in Cleveland County.
She said part of successful treatment depends on the trust between patient and doctor.
“When you have a new mental health patient, it takes time to build relationship. Takes time to trust the doctor,” Willis said. “You’re breaking trust right and left. It’s so unfair.”
She said she was not told the provider would be closing until Wednesday.
She said she would like at least three months’ notice before closing to allow patients to find alternate care.
“There’s not that many psychiatrists in Shelby or Kings Mountain,” she said. “It’s a badly, badly needed service.”
Willis said the psychiatrist her son has been seeing has an office in Charlotte.
“It’s at the point where I’m taking my child to the office in Charlotte,” she said. “My child’s sanity is more important than gas mileage.”
She worries that not everyone will have that option or be able to find the resources they need.
“A lot of those patients, they’re on their own,” she said. “They don’t realize they’re messing with 1,100 different people, not to mention the staff.”
CHOICES
Leatherwood said patients will be provided with choices.
“If they need assistance making calls, we do that, but most patients its like if a doctor retires, you call and get a new doctor. We do have a list available for them.”
Rhett Melton, area director for Pathways, said there are a number of providers in Cleveland County that offer mental health and substance abuse services, both for children and adults.
“The two probably most comparable services to what they (Carolina Therapeutic Solutions) did are services offered through True Behavioral Healthcare and Phoenix Counseling,” Melton said.
He said Pathways also staffs a 24- hour hotline that can help consumers get linked to an appropriate service provider.
“There are some very good service providers who are options in Cleveland County,” he said. “We’ll continue to work with them as they transition.”
Reach reporter Rebecca Clark at 704-669-3344.

A Message from North Carolinians Against Gun Viloence

2011-02-22T13:02:00.002-05:00

I am posting the following message for people to see because of the harm imposed on social workers. Whether you make home visits or work in the public, there are two bills that mean danger to you (SB 34 and HB 74). Social workers are already in danger due to the nature of our work and this bill would surpass the already imposed danger. PLEASE contact your legislators (both in the Senate and the House) and contact the bill sponsors to let them know how it would affect you as a social worker!
Kay Paksoy

Dear NASW-NC
Only 7 percent of voters nationwide think current gun laws should be less strict.
That’s it -- just 7 percent.

Here in North Carolina the majority of voters, including gun owners, support our current state gun laws which keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
With such overwhelming support for sensible gun laws, it makes little sense that our legislators are introducing bills which would weaken North Carolina’s gun laws.
Yet in the first 30 days of our legislative session, bills have been proposed to allow guns in family restaurants, to allow concealed weapons into neighborhood parks, and to force employers to allow guns in ANY parking lots - even in churches or hospitals.
An additional ‘Shoot First’ bill has also been proposed, which seeks to extend this philosophy far past someone’s home into nearly any public place.

Allowing concealed weapons into our restaurants and public parking lots threatens the safety and lives of our citizens. Please show your support that North Carolina's gun laws should not be weakened.

Send this message to your elected officials.

Have more time? Volunteer to distribute our NCGV fact sheet to your elected officials.
Thank you,
NCGV

The Coalition Announces Town Hall Meeting Series

2011-02-21T15:34:00.001-05:00

COME JOIN US & HAVE YOUR SAY!!!

You are invited to a Town Hall Meeting on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, and Substance Abuse Services

Sponsored by The Coalition

The Coalition, 40 organizations advocating together to meet the needs of North Carolinians living with the developmental disabilities, the disease of addiction, & mental illness, will host a series of town hall meetings on MH, DD, & SA services across the state. These listening sessions will:

• Provide a briefing on the current budget outlook

• Offer an opportunity to share your opinions about MHDDSA services and supports; in person, in writing, or online

• Update you on how to make a difference on these issues through advocacy

TIME: All meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:00 PM and the program begins at 6:30.

DATES & LOCATIONS:

March 17 – Charlotte
Myers Park United Methodist Church
1501 Queens Road, Charlotte

March 17 – Raleigh
NC Advocates for Justice Building
1312 Annapolis Drive, Raleigh

March 24 - Fayetteville
Southern Regional AHEC
1601 Owen Drive

March 31 – Greenville/Winterville
Pitt Community College
Leslie Building - Room 143
1986 Pitt Tech Road Winterville

March 31 - Wilmington
Hampton Inn
2320 South 17th Street, Wilmington

April 7 – Winston-Salem
Forsyth Community College, Main Campus
Ardmore Hall Auditorium
2100 Silas Creek Parkway

April 7 - Asheville
Mountain Area Heath Education Center (MAHEC)
501 Biltmore Ave

Action Alert!

2011-02-21T14:16:00.004-05:00

As mentioned this weekend, there are two bills circulating the legislature that could mean harm to social workers. NASW-NC has been in communication with North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV). Below are several ways you can take action against the bill!

Send a direct email to your officials:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5610/c/239/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5655

or

http://www.ncgv.org/hb74

Also, check out how similar legislation as impacted Florida...http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1128317.ece

As always, do not hesitate to contact me with questions!
Kay Paksoy

News from The Coalition

2011-02-21T09:01:00.003-05:00

NASW-NC is a part of The Coalition, a group that advocates for adequate funding for the mental health/developmental disabilities and substance abuse system on behalf of persons and their families living with mental illness, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases. See the article below for news from The Coalition:

http://carolinabusinessconnection.com/cbc/article.html?id=15819

Judge removes man from death row due to mental illness

2011-02-20T20:36:00.002-05:00

Provided is a link to a local Raleigh news station- WRAL- this story reports on a judge freeing a Durham man with mental illness from death row thanks to legislation passed in 2009:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9135470/

Governor Perdue puts out her budget

2011-02-20T12:35:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy week! Governor Perdue announced her budget late in the morning on Thursday. To view the press release: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/eTownhall/Blog/post/2011/02/17/Gov-Perdue-announces-budget-proposal.aspx. Another post of interest on the Governor's blog: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemid=1656

To view the budget: http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/.

Some highlights from her budget:
- $75 million in the Mental Health Trust Fund to develop alternatives to institutional care.
- Division of Child Development ($25.256 million cut)
Smart Start - $9.415 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This is a 5% cut.
- Transportation Services - $1.001 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This line item prohibits the use of subsidy funds for transportation services.
Subsidy Payment for More at Four Portion of the Day - $1.305 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring).
- Reduce County Services Support - $6.12 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This one is a bit troubling – the Governor’s budget claims that the funding reduction will be offset by a new attendance and tracking system. (This same item was in the budget two years ago).
- Cuts to post-secondary child care services - $7.052 million for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This is also troubling. The line item isn’t particularly specific, but this cut will mean that fewer parents can access child care subsidies to receive a post-secondary education.
- Early Intervention Branch - $3.5 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This line item cuts funding for Children’s Developmental Services Agencies.
- Cuts to Local Health Departments - $6.8 million for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). This item reducing funding for local health departments to 06-07 levels.
- Cut funding for local DSS - $5.473 million reduction for FY12 and FY13 (recurring). These cuts have been in place for the past two years, but as non-recurring cuts. This line item makes the cuts permanent.
- Residential Schools for the Deaf and Blind; ($1.7m); R; 5% reduction may eliminate 22 positions
- More at Four; ($4m); R; 5% reduction. Another $6m of the state appropriation will come instead from transfer of TANF block grant receipts from DHHS
- Juvenile Justice: Cuts $11m, or 7.3% of the base budget, for a total appropriation of $140.6m. Eliminates 60 positions.
(Parts of this were extracted from the Covenant for NC Children budget analysis).

Look for more budget break down this week!

Bills of Interest- Highlights from Week 3 and 4 of Session

2011-02-20T11:50:00.003-05:00

Hello blog followers!
Because of all the work going on at the building, in coalition meetings and elsewhere, I wanted to update you all on some serious action items to bills. I am leaving it up to you, the social worker and expert in your particular area, to contact your legislators and let them know how these bills may impact your work and clients. I will try to do some more updates this week. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me!
Kay Paksoy

SB 34/ HB 74 The Castle Doctrine
SB 34 refers specifically to the home- if passed, a 'dweller' has the right to self defense if they believe someone is intruding their home with the intentions of harming them. A bill sponsor commented that it gives someone the right to "shot and ask questions later." This has serious implications if you are a social worker that makes home visits. Please let the bill sponsors know the danger this bill can put you in as you travel to work in your clients' homes.
HB 74 extends beyond the home and is even more of a threat to social workers- this extends to one's home, self, vehicle, etc.

- While we believe everyone should have the right to protect themselves if feeling threatened, these two bills will put social workers in serious harm because of the intricate work we do in homes and community settings. Bill sponsors and your legislators need to know what these bills mean to your work!

HB 100 Nonprofits/Criteria to Receive State Funds
This bill does two big things that will make it difficult for nonprofits to receive funding: 1- it requires the organization to receive at least 35% of their funding from private sources and 2- they can spend no more than 15% of their budget on administrative expenses.
- If you are a social worker working in a nonprofit, I would highly recommend you become familiar with the bill and how it would affect your organization. Contact the bills sponsors and your own legislators and let them know what that means for the services you provide and the clients it affects.

HB 115/HB 126 North Carolina Health Benefit Exchange Act
- The Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) comes out of the federal health care reform that requires citizens to obtain health insurance by 2014. The HBEs are to help facilitate the process for selecting health insurance- these two bills create panels to investigate health insurance and become familiar to help citizens choose.
- There is not much activity going on with these bills yet but look out for more information to come. I would look into both and see which one outlines a panel YOU would like to see work during this process.

Bills of Interest- Second week of Session

2011-02-04T12:05:00.002-05:00

The following list are bills filed this week that may be of interest to some social workers.

House Bill 28: DHHS to Provide Law Enforcement Information
- We are following closely to this bill to see that it will not violate HIPPA
- Also to see that law enforcement are trained and know what to do with this information as to not violate HIPPA.
- Let your legislators know how dangerous it could be if this information gets out and to ensure that client records are handled properly!

House Bill 36: Public Contracts/Illegal Immigrants
- I have listed this bill as it impacts possible social work clients.
- While NASW-NC will not be lobbying against or for this bill, it will be of interest to some of your clients.

Senate Bill 8: No Cap on Number of Charter Schools
- As mentioned in the previous bill, we will not be lobbying for or against this bill. However, this bill is of interest to school social workers as it may affect their student populations.

Senate Bill 13: Balanced Budget Act of 2011
From Together, NC, a coalition group NASW-NC is a part of: On Thursday morning, the Senate debated a bill, S13, sponsored by Sens. Stevens, Brunstetter and Hunt, which initiates a series of cuts totaling $542 million. These spending reductions include about $142 million in cuts to various trust funds, including $11.6 million from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund.

Most importantly, the bill authorizes the Governor to make $400 million in discretionary cuts for the current fiscal year (the Governor has already agreed to do this). Presumably, this $400 million would then be available to ease the projected $3.7 billion shortfall for next year. At this point, no one knows where the money will come from - finding $400 million over the next three months is going to be awfully difficult.

The bill is expected to be passed by the Senate on Monday evening.

Senate Bill 28: Funds to Prevent Infant Mortality
- This bill may be of interest to medical/public health social workers
- For those working with pregnant women, this would be a bill to support!
- Contact your legislators and let them know how important this funding is, who it supports and provide person stories and testimonies from clients!

Senate Bill 32: Hospital Medicaid Assessment/Payment Program
- Again, this would be a bill medical and public health social workers could support! Click on the link to read more details about the bill.
- Contact your legislators and let them know how it would impact your patients and your work.

Senate Bill 34: The Castle Doctrine
- I will have more action steps for this bill next week. However, become familiar with the text of the bill in the mean time and the implications it can have on public employees. Be ready to gather stories and information to help stop this legislation.

HKonJ

2011-02-04T11:33:00.002-05:00

Historic Thousands on Jones St.

Join HKonJ on Saturday February 12th, 2011 at 9:30am. This group has met every year to take a stand for affordable housing, voting rights, diverse schools, worker fairness, and many other important causes for social workers.

For more information, visit the website or contact Kay Paksoy at the chapter office at kay@naswnc.org.

2011 Lobby Day!

2011-02-01T13:26:00.003-05:00

Registration for NASW-NC's 2011 Lobby Day is NOW OPEN! This event is FREE (big kudos to staff and others for making that possible!). However, registration is still required. You can register here . You will be required to set up your own appointments with your legislators. Please review all information on Lobby Day Tips.

Should you have further questions, please contact Kay Paksoy at the chapter office at kay@naswnc.org.

Bills of Interest- First Week of Session

2011-01-28T15:55:00.003-05:00

Below are a few bills of interest to social workers and their clients. I have highlighted a few points in the bill that may be of concern. As a citizen of NC, you may contact your legislators to let them know how you feel about particular bills. You may also contact the bill sponsors!

Bills of interest:

Protect Health Care Freedom
http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H2
- opting out of the federal mandate to have health care by 2014
- this will add NC to the host of other states that have taken this to federal courts.
- let your legislators know how this bill has already impacted you and your clients and how it will impact you if it is not obtained.

Disapprove Closure of Dorthea Dix Hospital
http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H4
- Closure of the hospital has to be voted upon in the General Assembly
- Let your legislators know how you feel about the closing of this historic state hospital and how it impacts the mental health system in our state

No Post-secondary Education/Illegal Aliens
http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H11
- This would ban the illegal aliens that can pay out of state costs to attend our community colleges from obtaining degrees
- This bill also adds public universities to the list of where they cannot attend school (not just community colleges)
- Let your legislators know how this infringes on rights of the people in this state

Children's Advocacy Center Funds
http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H16
- This bill allocates a certain amount of money to advocacy groups to continue to research needs faced by children in this state.
- Let your legislators know the importance of these funds for our children and for our state!

Upcoming bills:
Requiring Photo ID's to Vote
- This bill has not been introduced yet but will be SOON. Let your legislators know how it would limit vulnerable people in this state that do not have ID from voting (elderly folks that no longer have licenses, people with disabilities, people that cannot afford to get government ID, etc!).

A note from the Director of Advocay, Policy and Legislation

2011-01-27T14:28:00.002-05:00

I typically use this space to forward information on about events/conferences/news/etc. Today I am writing in hopes to inspire you to get connected with your elected officials. Legislation will move QUICKLY through the General Assembly. It is in the best interest of your profession and clients to speak on behalf of issues you feel strongly about. You can call, email and hand write letters to those that represent you (and to those that sponsor/co-sponsor particular bills).

It is really so simple to communicate with them and you should by no means feel intimated. They are people just like you! To find out who represents you, go to http://ncleg.net/GIS/RandR07/Representation.html. If you need some help with inspiration of what to say about particular pieces of legislation, feel free to contact me at kay@naswnc.org.

It really is such an important time for you to get involved! The social work profession needs help from EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! So stand up to advocate for yourself, your profession, your clients and the community you live in!

Kay Paksoy
Director of Advocacy, Policy and Legislation

Preventing suicide Tips

2011-01-26T15:53:00.003-05:00

In North Carolina, to prevent suicides ANYONE needing help or concerned that an individual is considering causing harm to himself or herself call 24/7:
• Access to Care/Crisis Services lines in the Local Management Entities http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/lmedirectory.htm
• CARE-LINE (Monday-Friday 8-5 only) by calling 1-800-662-7030 (English/Spanish) or 1-877-452-2514 (TTY). For local calls, you may dial 855-4400 (English/Spanish) or 919-733-4851 (TTY). http://www.ncdhhs.gov/ocs/careline.htm
• REAL Crisis Intervention, Greenville, NC 27858, 1-252-758-4357
http://www.realcrisis.org/
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• 911 - if a life threatening emergency

WARNING SIGNS
Abrupt change in personality
Withdrawal from others
Giving away possessions
Change in sleep habits
Previous suicidal attempts
Change in eating habits
Drugs or alcohol abuse
Change in hygiene
Talk about suicide

KNOW THE FACTS

Every 42 seconds, someone attempts suicide. Every 16.9 minutes, someone completes suicide.
Suicide outnumbered homicides (16,899) by 5 to 3.
There were twice as many deaths due to suicide than deaths due to HIV/AIDS (14,802).
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.
It was the 8th leading cause of death for males, and 19th leading cause of death for females.
Among the highest rates (when categorized by gender and race) are suicide deaths for white men over 85.
Suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young people 15 to 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide.
The strongest risk factors for attempted suicide in adults are depression, alcohol abuse, cocaine use, and separation or divorce.
The strongest risk factors for attempted suicide in youth are depression, alcohol or other drug use disorder, and aggressive or disruptive behaviors

(Source: National Institute of Mental Health)
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/App_Files/Media/PDF/NSPL_WalletCard.pdf

Legislator Visits UNC School of Social Work

2011-01-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

http://ssw.unc.edu/contact/sen-ellie-kinnaird-visits-the-school

The Right Thing To Do

2011-01-25T09:06:00.000-05:00

The Herald-Sun
January 24, 2011

By Ellen S. Holliman, Gudrun Parmer and Marcia H. Morey
Guest columnists

We noted with interest the recent Herald-Sun article called “Jails Tackle Tough Issue,” which highlighted what has been a source of serious concern in the behavioral health community locally and nationally for years. It should not be a revelation today that our jails (in addition to our homeless shelters and hospital emergency departments) have long been a collection point for individuals experiencing mental illness or substance use disorders, or both. However, we welcome any attention paid to this chronic and troubling issue, as well as this opportunity to balance the story by describing some innovative initiatives in Durham to address it.

The relationship between mental illness and involvement with the criminal justice system is a highly complex one often involving numerous other life issues such as homelessness and poverty. Isolating mental illness as the cause of criminal behavior is unjust and overly simplistic. Data tell us that across the country a significantly higher percentage of persons with mental illness find their way into our correctional systems as compared to the general population, and Durham is no different.

This could lead many to believe that persons with mental illness are dangerous or violent and need to be locked up to keep the public safe. This is just a myth. In fact, persons with mental illness are 12 times more likely to be the victim of a crime than to be an offender. In a recent study of repeat offenders with symptoms of mental illness conducted by The Durham Center, almost 80 percent were jailed on non-violent misdemeanors, but they spent an average of 35 days longer in jail than the general population.

The Durham Center and the Durham County Criminal Justice Resource Center have nurtured a close collaboration with other members of Durham’s Mental Health Criminal Justice Advisory Committee to work toward preventing our citizens with behavioral health issues from ending up in jail, and providing them with appropriate treament and support when they do. The group works to identify recommendations that would address the “revolving door” of individuals entering into and being released from jail in need of behavioral health services.

Since 2007 The Durham Center has teamed with NAMI-Durham and our law enforcement partners to provide Crisis Intervention Team training to over 180 local law enforcement officers, plus all of Durham’s emergency telecommunicators. This 40-hour training is part of a nationally acclaimed model teaching officers to recognize the signs of mental illness in individuals in crisis and to respond in a way that requires less force and promotes access to treatment rather than arrest and jail.

Recently The Durham Center received a significant grant from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and partnered with the Durham Police Department, the Criminal Justice Resource Center and the Center for Child and Family Health to win another from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

The SAMHSA grant provides almost $6 million over six years to allow a diverse group of local agencies to target 16-21-year-olds with a serious mental illness and other high risk factors such as poor school performance or dropping out, teenage parenting, criminal justice involvement and lack of employment skills. These vunerable youth will be provided with the comprehensive services and support they need to assist with a successful transition to adulthood, free of involvement with the criminal justice system.

The BJA grant provides over $300,000 to fund a Mental Health Outreach Program designed to reduce re-arrest for non-violent offenses, increase court-involved individuals engaged in mental health treatment, and further increase patrol officers who receive mental health training.

Two social workers and a part-time psychiatrist are housed at the Durham County jail to respond to the mental health needs of inmates and to help ensure that when they are released they are able to transition to appropriate ongoing care and support. People incarcerated at the jail or the local youth detention facility also have access to a psychiatrist through a telepsychiatry program managed by The Durham Center. We continue to focus on expanding community-based care that addresses the unique needs of persons living with mental illness who are criminal-justice involved.

In combination, these measures are designed to route individuals into needed treatment rather than incarceration, when appropiate, and to provide them the help they need when they do end up in jail. Working together we are beginning to see a positive impact. However, the need is great and much more could be done.

More than 150 communities across the country have instituted mental health courts to implement innovative, collaborative efforts among judges, attorneys and other court personnel working alongside mental health practioners to decrease the frequency of contacts that adult offenders have with the criminal justice system by providing courts with resources to improve their social functioning and link them to employment, housing, treatment and support services. The Durham Center is teaming with court officers and elected officials in our community to explore the feasibility of creating a mental health court here. We believe it would have a tangible impact on the numbers of individuals with mental illness in our jail, and we encourage public support for this important initiative.

We realize these initiatives come with a cost during a weakened local economy. However, we submit that providing the services necessary to keep our citizens with behavioral health issues out of our jails, and providing them with the treatment and comprehensive ongoing support that can help reduce their time in jail and keep them from returning, is a wise and necessary investment of tax dollars.

Do we choose to continue to pay over $12,000 per jail stay for individuals with mental illness? Shall we continue to expand our jail capacity to the tune of over $76 million projected in fiscal years 2011 and 2012? Or would the more cost-efficient alternative be to make comparatively meager investments in additional clinical staff for our jail, create additional therapeutic and supportive housing options and develop a mental health court that could divert people from incarceration so they can lead productive, healthy and law-abiding lives?

We want our community to know that this is a serious and complex problem. We want citizens to be aware of the important measures already in place to address it. And we urge members of our community to advocate for public and private support, financial and otherwise, for the additional initiatives that have the potential to save millions of dollars over time while helping our brothers and sisters with behavioral health problems start on the road to recovery.

It’s just the right thing to do.

Ellen S. Holliman is area director of The Durham Center; Gudrun Parmer is director of the Durham County Criminal Justice Resource Center; and Marcia H. Morey is a Durham County District Court judge.

States’ Budget Crises Cut Deeply Into Financing for Mental Health Programs

2011-01-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/us/21mental.html?_r=1&ref=mentalhealthanddisord

Mentally ill wait longer in ERs - Home Page - NewsObserver.com

2011-01-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Mentally ill wait longer in ERs - Home Page - NewsObserver.com

March is Social Work Month!

2011-01-19T16:13:00.002-05:00

NASW-NC will be celebrating Social Work Month in March! This is a great time for social workers to spread the word about the social work profession and the positive impact it has on individuals, families, and communities. As such, the NASW has provided the 2011 Social Work Month Toolkit as a resource in planning and executing events in the month of March to highlight the profession in various ways, including press, social media, etc. Click on the title of this post to access the toolkit!

Aging Boot Camp

2011-01-19T10:18:00.001-05:00

The North Carolina Association on Aging is pleased to announce another session of the popular Aging Boot Camp. This is an orientation program most appropriate for brand new employees in the aging network or others wanting a basic understanding of aging issues and services.

WHEN: Thursday & Friday, March 17th and 18th, 2011

The Boot Camp will be held from 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. on March 17th and from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. on March 18th. Lunches and refreshments are included in the registration fee. The Boot Camp will be held at:

WHERE: Garner Senior Center
205 East Garner Road
Garner, NC 27529
919-779-0122

For a link to driving directions:
http://www.tjaaa.org/providerpgs/wake/rfs_srcen.html

NASW Mourns the Loss of Social Work Leader Gabe Zimmerman

2011-01-11T09:30:00.001-05:00




NASW MOURNS THE LOSS OF SOCIAL WORK LEADER GABE ZIMMERMAN Community Outreach Director for U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Killed in Arizona Tragedy WASHINGTON, D.C.—The nation is in shock about the senseless violence that took the life of one social worker and five others in Tucson, Arizona this weekend. News reports have confirmed that Gabe Zimmerman, 30, a much respected member of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ staff, was fatally wounded in a shooting attack at a regularly scheduled constituent outreach event. The three-term democratic Congresswoman and 13 others were also critically injured. NASW extends its thoughts and condolences to all the families affected by this national tragedy. Mr. Zimmerman was a professional social worker with a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University, and began working as a congressional aide for Representative Giffords in 2006. He was also an active member of the National Association of Social Workers Arizona Chapter. One of Mr. Zimmerman’s colleagues and NASW National Board member W. Mark Clark, MSW, ACSW said, “Gabe chose work in politics as his social work career path. He was passionate and skilled, and will be greatly missed by many people.” The incident in Tucson has ignited debate about safety issues for elected officials and their staffs. For social workers, Mr. Zimmerman’s death is a sobering reminder of growing safety concerns in a variety of work settings. “We often talk about how there are too few social workers working for elected officials in the district offices,” says Becky Fast, LMSW, MPA, member of the NASW National Board and director of constituent services for former Congressman Dennis Moore. “This whole situation has really hit close to home for me and many of my friends who have dealt with harassment and threats from constituents over the years.” Ms. Fast was involved in Representative Moore’s effort to enact social work safety legislation, called the Teri Zenner Social Worker Safety Act on the federal level. Several states— including California, New Jersey, Washington, Kentucky and Kansas—have adopted safety guidelines for social workers and caseworkers. In light of the Arizona tragedy, social workers, elected officials and many others whose positions require constant contact with the public will likely consider new measures to protect themselves on the job and the lives of constituents who seek their help. “We became social workers in an effort to help others. We chose this profession because we thought serving others was a cause worthy enough to devote our careers to it,” said NASW President James Kelly. “Social workers, like Gabe Zimmerman, put themselves in harm’s way in order to help clients, but his death reminds us how much more needs to be done to ensure their safety.”

Foundations of Disaster Mental Health

2011-01-11T09:25:00.002-05:00

The American Red Cross is offering
Foundations of Disaster Mental Health
Saturday January 22, 2011, from 9am-5pm

Where: Durham Office of the American Red Cross, 4737 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707.
Directions can be found at: http://centralnorthcarolina.redcross.org/directions.html

Registration: Licensed professionals may self-register for the course by visiting: http://classes.redcross.org
(Licensed mental health professionals include: social worker, counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, registered nurse with psychiatric nursing experience and training beyond the normal rotation required for a RN.)

CEUs: Foundations of Disaster Mental Health has been approved by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) for 6.5 contact hours and 0.6 CEU.

(The course is 8 hours in length including breaks. Full attendance and active participation is required to earn a course certificate.)

Description:

Foundations of Disaster Mental Health is a basic course that consists of a series of presentations, interactive discussions and table group activities. The course introduces the key concepts, knowledge and skills required of anyone assigned to the Disaster Mental Health (DMH) activity for the Red Cross.

The course provides participates the opportunity to apply their learning to real-world examples that reflect challenges experienced by DMH workers, be it on a Disaster Action Team response to smaller local disasters or serving on a larger disaster relief operation.

The purpose of this basic level Red Cross training course is to prepare licensed mental health professionals to provide for and respond to the psychological needs of people across the continuum of disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

The course is available to employees and volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Cross partner agencies that have a current license to practice mental health and are interested in Red Cross disaster mental health preparedness, response and recovery activities at their local chapter and on national disaster relief operations.

Q: How does a student obtain CEUs after completing a Red Cross course or attending a presentation?

A: Students should complete the following steps after completing a Red Cross training course:

1. Visit www.RedCrossstore.org

2. Provide:

• Course name

• Course date(s)

• Location of course including address, city and zip code

• American Red Cross chapter name

• Instructor name

3. Select the CEU for the course and pay the fee.

4. Upon verification of course completion, the CEU certificate will be e-mailed to you within four weeks; hard copy upon request.

For more information, please contact Tim Bothe, Director of Emergency Services

American Red Cross - Central North Carolina Chapter

Serving: Durham County, Granville County, Orange County, Person County & Vance County

Tel (919) 489-6541 x. 333

Fax (919) 489-4026

Cell (919) 883-6128

BotheT@usa.redcross.org

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month

2011-01-07T09:04:00.001-05:00

Monday January 10^th, 2011 - Statewide Event held in Raleigh, NC

The two statewide coalitions to fight human trafficking - NC Stop Human Trafficking (community members) and NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking (direct service providers) - are planning a joint statewide event on January 10th to inform the public of the issue of human trafficking in NC and what is currently being done to fight it. We would love to have this event at NC State because it is a great central location and we have students in our coalition who attend NC State. The event will be on January 10th from 12-1pm. We need seating for about 100-150 people set up theater-style and about 5-6 table set up in the back of the room for literature and information.

The statewide event on January 10th that we are proposing to have at NC State between NC Stop Human Trafficking and and the NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking will be used to raise awareness and gain media coverage as a platform for the events happening the next day, on January 11th for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day events across the state.
There are local events happening in Greenville, Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, NC State, and UNC.
Agenda:
12pm – Event opens, networking and sign in – White Ribbon handouts
12:15 – Detective Tommy Sluder will speak on the issue of human trafficking
12:25 – Reading of Governor Beverly Perdue’s proclamation designating January 2011 to be NC Human Trafficking Awareness Month
12:30 – Charity Magnuson, Director of NC Stop Human Trafficking, will speak about coalition mission, successes, and future plans for the organization
12:35 – Danielle Mitchell, Executive Committee of NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking, will speak about coalition mission, successes and future plans
12:40 – Recognition of events occurring across North Carolina during January 2011 to commemorate Human Trafficking Awareness Month and introduction of booths
12:45 – Break for Q&A and networking
Media coverage is expected for this event.

Some info on NC Stop Human Trafficking:
http://ncstophumantrafficking.wordpress.com

NC Stop Human Trafficking is a statewide organization whose mission is to eradicate modern day slavery in all its forms. NC Stop Human Trafficking works to fight human trafficking on multiple levels following the P.A.V.E. model: Prevention, Advocacy, Victim Services and Education/awareness. NC Stop works through connecting and supporting individuals, community-based and faith-based organizations, non-governmental and governmental organizations. We focus on collaboration and communication between all groups to be efficient and effective. NC Stop strives to create opportunities for community members to become involved in the fight to stop human trafficking that are fulfilling and appropriate for each member.

Some info on NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking:
http://humantrafficking.unc.edu/nccaht.html
Established in 2004 as a collaboration between the NC Attorney General's Office, the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and several other organizations, the North Carolina Coalition Against Human Trafficking is a group of professionals from multiple fields (including law enforcement, legal services, social services, legislative, etc.) that works to raise awareness about Human Trafficking across North Carolina, to support efforts to prosecute traffickers, and to identify and assist victims. In 2007, the North Carolina Coalition Against Human Trafficking published a manual with more information about the taskforce and trafficking in general, which can be found here; a second edition is in process.

As the primary first responder, law enforcement is key to identifying victims. By working together, we will be better able to confront trafficking in North Carolina, arrest and prosecute traffickers, and identify victims and connect them to appropriate services.
In addition to working statewide, the North Carolina Coalition Against Human Trafficking is also involved in helping to develop local Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). These RRTs will be made up of direct services providers, law enforcement agencies, and faith based groups at the local level who will identify and assist victims of trafficking.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEWIDE – Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

NC Stop Human Trafficking is proud to partner with Tennessee’s Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking on an event happening across 24 -and counting - states.

In observance of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we join together with Abolitionist across the US to be the light in the darkness for victims of human trafficking. We vow to shed the light on this heinous crime and to be beacons of hope and healing to the estimated 27 million people who are in slavery in the world today.

Please join us in wearing something WHITE on January 11^th, 2011 to signify this commitment. Please email ncstophumantrafficking@gmail.com with your name and city if you will be joining us on this day. Please also post your name, city and state on BOTH OUR facebook page and on the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking facebook page.

Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking Website:
http://www.ccaht.org/january11.html

White ribbons will be passed out at all NC Stop Human Trafficking sponsored events throughout January 2011. If you are attending an NC Stop Human Trafficking event this month, please wear something white and feel free to bring something with an anti-trafficking statement on it. We will take pictures as a group. If you are not comfortable taking pictures, you will certainly have the opportunity to opt out.

We want to get a clear “picture” of what North Carolina looks like in the anti-trafficking movement. Take a picture of yourself and anyone else commemorating with you wearing white. Somewhere in the picture have your name, city, state, and a statement against human trafficking. We are looking for individual and group pictures. Be creative and show why North Carolina is the best state united to fight against human trafficking!

Email pictures to ncstoppictures@gmail.com. We will post on our website and forward to the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

This is a great way to commemorate Human Trafficking Awareness Day, especially if you are unable to attend any events.Lets be the state with the most participants and pictures!

Further questions can be directed to ncstophumantrafficking@gmail.com

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Tuesday, January 11^th, 2011 · Greenville, NC
11:00am - 2:00pm
Proclamation Against Human Trafficking Reading
Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall
200 West Fifth Street, Greenville, NC
Sponsored by Eastern North Carolina Stop Human Trafficking

Mayor Patricia Dunn will sign the Proclamation. Detective Chauncey Congleton (Human Trafficking Investigator for the Pitt County Sheriff's Office) has been invited to share information about Human Trafficking in the area. Please come and wear WHITE!!!

For more information contact Pam Strickland: encstophumantrafficking@gmail.com

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Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 – Charlotte, NC – WEAR SOMETHING WHITE

NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY

KICKS OFF WITH PRESS CONFERENCE AND EMERGENCY BAG SUPPLY DRIVE

Press Conference in Honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Time: 12:15 p.m.
Location: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center
600 East Fourth St., Charlotte, NC 28202
The press conference will be held in the building's lobby.

Charlotte, NC - On Tuesday, January 11, 2011, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the Charlotte Human Trafficking Task Force will hold a local press conference to help raise community awareness regarding various issues related to human trafficking. The press conference will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the lobby of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center.

The task force will also sponsor an Emergency Bag Supply Drive designed to provide emergency supplies to victims of human trafficking in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The Emergency Bag Supply Drive will run from January 11, 2011 through January 31, 2011. A list of designated drop-off locations, as well as list of suggested items for donations can be found at www.charlottehumantrafficking.org.

The press conference is open to the public, as its goal is to raise community awareness for issues related to human trafficking. Printed information will be available as well as white ribbons to commemorate the day in coordination with 24 states in the US. Below is the list of speakers and topics:

John Price

Special Agent, FBI

Welcome, definition of human trafficking, tips on identifying victims of human trafficking, the Charlotte Human Trafficking Task Force's mission

Delbert Richburg

Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Local statistics on human trafficking in our area, ICE's role in investigation of human trafficking cases and their collaboration with other agencies

Rona Karacaova

Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.'s Battered Immigrant Project

Immigration assistance for victims of human trafficking

Karen Parker Thompson

Chief of Strategic Initiatives, United Family Services (UFS)

Housing for victims of human trafficking, fund drive for new shelter and how to make donations UFS' participation in the local human trafficking task force

Anne M. Tompkins

United States Attorney, Western District of North Carolina

The US Attorney's office's role in combating human trafficking and protecting victims, successes in human trafficking cases, introduction of Mayor

Mayor Anthony Foxx – waiting for confirmation

City of Charlotte

Issue proclamation in honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Charity Magnuson

Director, NC Stop Human Trafficking

NC Stop's role in combating human trafficking, information on emergency bag supply drive

Parking is available in the Davidson Street parking deck between Third and Fourth Streets. Hourly and daily rates do apply.

Emergency Bag Supply Drive
Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - Monday, January 31, 2011

Please visit www.charlottehumantrafficking.org for a list of designated drop-off locations for the emergency bag supplies, as well as list of suggested items for donation.

The Charlotte Human Trafficking Task Force is a rapid response team created to help identify and assist victims of human trafficking, create a law enforcement system to investigate and prosecute these crimes, and deliver social, legal and immigration services to human trafficking victims in the Charlotte area. The task force's members include the following organizations: United States Attorney's Office- Western District of North Carolina; FBI; Department of Homeland Security- Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Legal Aid of North Carolina Inc.'s Battered Immigrant Project; Legal Services of Southern Piedmont's Immigrant Justice Project; No Longer Captive; Charlotte Community Health Clinic; United Family Services; Charlotte AHEC- Mental Health Education; Catholic Social Services; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; Council for Children's Rights; The Salvation Army; World Relief NC; NC Stop Human Trafficking

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Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 – Greensboro, NC – WEAR SOMETHING WHITE
Prayer Vigil for Human Trafficking
6:30 – 7:30pm
Westover Church, 505 Muirs Chapel Road, Greensboro, NC 27410

Come join Abolition Ministries in a prayer vigil on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day at Westover Church. For more information contact abolitionministry@yahoo.com.

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Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 – Raleigh, NC
Soroptimist January Meeting
Tuesday January 11^th, 2011
6:15 PM to 8:30 PM
Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church
4921 Six Forks Road Raleigh, NC 27609

January 11 was designated in 2007 as the National Day for Human Trafficking Awarness. Our monthly meeting that evening will showcase Hope House in Asheville. Donna Stewart, Development Director for Hope House, will share the story of this safe-haven for domestic minor victims of sex trafficking. Please come to learn more about this residence and its needs, and learn more about Soroptimist initiatives to create human trafficking awareness across the community.

We'll be collecting donated items that night for the shelter. Click on the link to see the list of items currently sought in order to address educational and other needs of the residents.

Following the speaker, we'll proceed with our monthly business meeting. Whether you're a member, an interested party, or someone considering joining Soroptimist, this will be a meeting not to miss.

For more information contact Soroptimist Raleigh at 919-386-9910

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Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 –UNC Chapel Hill – WEAR SOMETHING WHITE
Demonstration on the Quad
Noon to 4pm
UNC student organization CAST – Coalition Against Slavery and Trafficking – will be demonstrating on campus with a long paper chain signifying the people in slavery around the world. NC Stop Human Trafficking members will be joining them. Information will be passed out about the issue as well as flyers for the human trafficking documentary screening that evening at the School of Social Work. White ribbons will be passed out and pictures taken for the United As One campaign with 24 other states.

For more information, contact ncstophumantrafficking@gmail.com

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Tuesday January 11^th, 2011 - UNC- Chapel Hill - WEAR SOMETHING WHITE

Human Trafficking: Slavery Still Exists
Documentary Screening: Cargo: Innocence Lost
Tuesday January 11th, 2011
UNC -Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building Auditorium
6:30pm - 8:30pm
cost: free

Event Summary:
A compelling documentary, Cargo: Innocence Lost, unveils the dark underworld of sex trafficking through compelling interviews with some of the country's top officials on the subject, victims' advocates and victims themselves, who were rescued in Texas. Award-winning director and writer, Michael Cory Davis (Svetlana's Journey, Hollywood Film Festival 2005 winner, best short), makes his second directorial foray into this must-see, thought-provoking film that is interwoven with a raw, intense narrative based on numerous true stories from victims of the sex trade.

Human Trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. The US Department of Justice estimates 14,500 to 17,500 foreign born victims are trafficked into the United States each year while 300,000 American children are at risk for human trafficking here in the United States every year.

Information on the $32 Billion human trafficking industry will be presented as well as information on how to get involved.

Directions and parking instructions can be found here: http://ssw.unc.edu/about/directions
Presented by NC Stop Human Trafficking - http://ncstophumantrafficking.wordpress.com
For more information or to RSVP, contact: ncstophumantrafficking@gmail.com
Many thanks to the UNC School of Social Work for allowing us to screen the documentary.

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Thursday January 13^th - NC State - Raleigh, NC:

Human Trafficking: Slavery Still Exists
Documentary Screening: Cargo: Innocence Lost
Thursday January 13th, 2011
NC State University, South Gallery - 2nd Floor Talley Student Center
6:30pm - 8:30pm
cost: free

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Monday January 17^th, 2011- Charlotte, NC - WEAR SOMETHING WHITE

Human Trafficking: Slavery Still Exists
Documentary Screening: Cargo: Innocence Lost
Monday January 17th, 2011
Dharma Lounge
http://www.dharmacharlotte.com/index.html
1440 South Tryon Street, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28203
6:30pm - 8:30pm
cost: free

Basnight leaving NC Senate for health reasons

2011-01-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

By GARY D. ROBERTSON, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina's most powerful state senator for the past 18 years is resigning from the chamber, rather than remaining in the Senate for one more term as he previously announced.

Outgoing Senate leader Marc Basnight of Dare County told reporters Tuesday that he is leaving for health reasons. Basnight has been struggling for a few years with a degenerative nerve disease that affects his balance and speech.

His decision comes two months after the Republicans won a majority in the chamber for the first time in a century. The GOP majority means Basnight wouldn't have kept the president pro tempore's job he's held since 1993.

Basnight said earlier he would serve in the Senate through 2012, then retire. Now Democrats in Basnight's northeastern district will choose his successor immediately.

Cuts alone won’t fix our budget crisis

2010-12-28T15:28:00.001-05:00

Cuts alone won’t fix our budget crisis

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
By Edwin McLenaghan

North Carolina has a revenue problem. Falling revenues created by an outdated tax system and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression have created a much-publicized budget shortfall - and some shortsighted parties want to try to cut our way out of the problem.

Most people know that cutting vital public investments will cause great pain throughout North Carolina's communities and imperil our economic future. But what many don't know is that even the most drastic cuts-only approaches currently being explored by Governor Beverly Perdue will not close the state's budget gap.

There is just one possible conclusion: raising revenue is the only way to preserve critical investments in North Carolina's future.

The numbers are clear. The most recent estimates by the General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division show that anticipated revenues will fall $3.7 billion short of what is necessary to maintain this year's already-inadequate level of investments in public structures in next year's budget.

To assess potential solutions, Governor Perdue asked state agencies to examine what budget cuts would look like. Even the worst-case budget cut scenarios of 10 percent for public schools, community colleges, and universities and 15 percent for all other state agencies will come up $1.1 billion short of closing the state's $3.7 billion estimated revenue shortfall next year.

That's right: in order to "fix" the budget problem, we'd have to slash the crucial investments that create prosperity in North Carolina to a worse-than-worst-case level.

What if we went that extra step, and tried to close the budget gap with a cuts-only approach? Closing the shortfall with additional cuts to non-education agencies would force across-the-board cuts of 27 percent compared to this year and more than one-third compared to pre-recession levels.

If those sound like just numbers, think of those numbers as thousands of fired teachers, mental health workers, and gutted public safety infrastructure. Think of people with special needs who will be separated from their families, seniors and people with disabilities who can't get health care, and children with swollen class sizes and shrinking learning opportunities.

Cuts of this magnitude would jeopardize long-term investments in North Carolina's public structures and would compromise public safety, environmental protection, and the health of communities across the state.

This would not only be cruel, it would be counter-productive to the state's long-term health - fiscal and otherwise. Creating thousands of unemployed schoolteachers and public safety workers is a precisely backwards way to fix our state's revenue problem, now or in the long term.

Fortunately, there is another way. We need to take a balanced approach that recognizes the need to reform our outdated revenue system.

Comprehensive revenue reform could raise even more revenue and preserve many of the public investments in initiatives like Smart Start, More At Four, smaller class sizes, and community-based care that North Carolinians overwhelmingly support and that save the state money in the long run.

It would also make future budget crises easier to manage, because reform could modernize a system that hasn't been updated since the 1930s. What better time to make these long-overdue reforms then a time when they could help our state the most?

A cuts-only budget approach isn't just harmful to North Carolina's people in the short-term, it's also undermines North Carolina's fragile economic recovery in the long run. If we want a prosperous North Carolina, we have to start by acknowledging this simple reality.

Edwin McLenaghan is a Policy Analyst at the N.C. Budget & Tax Center