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State office hopefuls discuss mental health
BY AMY EAGLEBURGER
AND DEVIN ROONEY
SENIOR WRITERS
RALEIGH —Ten candidates
running for statewide office took
advantage of a mental health forum
Monday to share their opinions and
hear from activists on the issue.
The systems shortcomings and
possible solutions were the foots of
the N.C. Mental Health Coalitions
forum at the RBC Center.
All of the registered candidates
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for lieutenant governor were in
attendance, and six of the guberna
torial candidates were present Two
Republican candidates. Plat McCrory
and Elbie Powers, were absent
Pat Smathers, who is running
for the Democratic nomination for
lieutenant governor, said the state’s
situation is severe.
“If anyone tells you we are not
facing a mental health crisis, they
are not dealing with reality."
In 2001, the N.C. General
Assembly passed a sweeping men
tal health care reform bill that
sought to privatize care.
Seven years later, prov ders have
overcharged the state and under
served the majority of mental health
care patients, candidates said.
Audience members expressed
concern that many people have
received minimal care and that
some needing long-term treatment
were prematurely released to com
munity support services.
News
N.C. Rep. Verla Insko, D-
Orange, who was the primary
sponsor of the reform legislation,
has expressed displeasure with its
unanticipated fallout.
Candidates charged that lack of
detail in the legislation allowed for
loopholes that private, community
based organizations manipulated
for their benefit, and said those
hurt were the mentally ill, devel-
disabled, brain trauma
victims and substance abusers.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
Every candidate admitted to
varying degrees of ignorance on the
subject but all pointed to a quality
they feel they have: leadership.
“I never claimed to be a good poli
tician, but I’m a hell of a public man
ager,” said State Treasurer Richard
Moore, a Democratic candidate run
ning for the governor nomination.
Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, also a
Democratic contender, was in office
at the time of the reform. She said
that she acted to the fullest extent
of her powers and that she does
not accept credit nor blame for the
failed reforms.
North Carolina's mental health
system is in flux, with the director
of the state's mental health care
division set to retire Friday.
All candidates pledged to con
tinue discussion with activists and
experts to find a workable solution.
Contact the State Si National
Editor at stntdesk(a unc.edu.
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