The News and Observer and other news outlets have recently published a number of articles highlighting the disturbing failure of psychiatric treatment centers to provide safe and adequate services to North Carolina children.
Federal and state research reports dating back to at least 2007 detailed abuses and ineffective treatment and recommended less use of the centers and other institutional care to treat children and others with mental illness. Since then, the number of
facilities in North Carolina has only grown.
State lawmakers set aside $47.5 million that would pay for the services after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that people with disabilities had the right to treatment in
their communities or the “least restrictive environment” possible. Since then, North Carolina legislators instead spent most of the money elsewhere and failed to build up a network of quality community service providers.
NASW-NC submitted comments as a member of The Coalition on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services about the North Carolina Olmstead Plan Draft citing
the plan lacks an overall roadmap for shifting funding from institutional to community-based services including the reallocation of spending.
NASW-NC will continue to advocate on this issue and welcomes information and comments from members: director.naswnc@socialworkers.org
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