North Carolina Governor Josh Stein made a significant play in bolstering the state's mental health services with his latest visit to the RHA Health Services' Alamance County Behavioral Health Center in Burlington, per details from a press release. Stein convened a roundtable to underscore the importance of crisis and mental health initiatives in maintaining public health and safety, emphasizing the need for accessible care "before something bad happens," as mentioned on the North Carolina Office of the Governor website.
During Stein's review of the 24/7 urgent care and on-site stabilization services offered by the Alamance Center, a facility nurtured through county and state partnerships, the spotlight landed on the joined efforts of diverse stakeholders, aimed at aiding those grappling with developmental disabilities, substance abuse, or other behavioral health challenges, the Governor acknowledged such facilities reduce the strain on law enforcement and emergency rooms, and help thwart the escalation of crises, a sentiment echoed by Secretary of Public Safety Jeff Smythe who, according to the North Carolina Office of the Governor press release stated, "Facilities like the Alamance Behavioral Health Center are essential to public safety. When people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis can get help quickly and appropriately, it reduces strain on law enforcement and emergency rooms and helps prevent crises from escalating."
This visit was not just a mere formality but an endeavor to highlight a public health structure aimed at making concentrated, compassionate care readily available to those in need—reflected in the words of Mickey Atkins, CEO of RHA Health Services, who saw the governor's visit as a testament to their "shared commitment to strengthening the systems that help people during their most vulnerable moments" in the press release, as Alamance's Behavioral Health Urgent Care aspires to alleviate the inevitable busy rush and impersonal nature of emergency departments, offering a welcome alternative designed with the unique needs of mental health crises in mind, as noted on the North Carolina Office of the Governor.
The Alamance Behavioral Health Center has proven its worth since its inception in August 2024, boasting figures that show an 80% diversion rate of individuals from emergency departments, attesting to its impactful role in community wellness; Governor Stein's facility tour was complemented by dialogue with staff who are on the frontline, providing direct support and care to individuals in crisis a crucial component in the state's suite of public safety solutions, demanding further action from the General Assembly on Stein's $195 million public safety proposal, which not only solicits better pay and bonuses to address law enforcement staffing shortages but also pushes for the restoration of critical mental health funding cut by the legislature.
With Stein having previously visited Behavioral Health Urgent Care centers in Charlotte and Greenville, it's abundantly clear that the expansion of crisis mental health care across North Carolina remains a central tenet of his agenda, with the objective to facilitate care for citizens in crisis precisely when and where it's needed.
