Healthy Plan

Proposed Wake County Mental Health Hospital Aims to Treat Whole Person

This story originally published online at NC Health News.

The gift of a suncatcher became a symbol of hope as local and federal officials gathered with hospital executives at Garner Town Hall in southern Wake County to announce the awarding of $12 million in funding to help build a new mental health facility.

Rachel Moorefield was in the audience. In 2018, her son Isaiah died by suicide at the age of 19. Her family, through their grief, made suncatchers as a way to remember Isaiah and his sunny personality. She brought one to the announcement ceremony to symbolize and celebrate support for the cause of mental health care.

Moorefield, who recently moved to North Carolina from Minnesota, said having access to compassionate care is essential for people dealing with mental health issues. Compassion, she said, is something that Isaiah didn’t receive as she and her family looked for the help

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Healthy Plan

NC Senate: tie hospital licenses to State Health Plan savings

Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Ralph Hise,left, outlines parts of the Senate Republicans’ budget proposal during a press conference on Monday, May 15, 2023 at the Legislative Building in Raleigh.

Senate Deputy President Pro Tempore Ralph Hise,left, outlines parts of the Senate Republicans’ budget proposal during a press conference on Monday, May 15, 2023 at the Legislative Building in Raleigh.


Travis Long

tlong@newsobserver.com

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North Carolina Budget

North Carolina is going through its budget process for the 2023-25 fiscal year. Here’s a look at coverage of the process and what’s in the budget from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer.

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RALEIGH

Hospitals in North Carolina’s largest counties could be shut down if they fail to meet a savings target set by state lawmakers for cutting costs to the State Health Plan, under the budget proposal Senate Republicans unveiled Monday.

The provision, which Senate GOP leaders said in a press conference was necessary to bring about savings to the health plan that serves teachers and state employees, would require “urban hospitals to reduce healthcare costs to

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Healthy Plan

A health care coverage crisis is unfolding at Canton’s paper mill

As with nearly every other aspect of the mill’s forthcoming closure, Pactiv has been anything but proactive and communicative, especially in educating its workers about their impending loss of health care coverage.

Now, on short notice and with few specifics, Haywood County’s nonprofit, government and educational community, along with state agencies, have to band together to clean up a mess Pactiv could have averted months ago, while workers are forced to make major decisions that could have a substantial impact on both their health and their household budgets.

“Once again, without warning, we are dealing with another crisis,” said Zeb Smathers, Canton’s mayor. “In the same breath, Canton, Haywood County and our partners across the state are going to do all that we can in next few months to make sure workers and their families receive the medical necessities they’re entitled to.”

 

Workers at Pactiv Evergreen’s century-old paper mill in

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Healthy Plan

NCDHHS releases plan to tackle food insecurity

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  • Nearly 17% of children in North Carolina qualify as food insecure. NCDHHS is rolling out a new plan to expand the impact of existing programs to tackle food insecurity and more.
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Over 1 million people in North Carolina don’t know where their next meal is coming from. When looking at food insecurity for children, 17% qualify as food insecure. In an effort to decrease food insecurity and ensure viable nutrition for families, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is rolling out a Nutrition Security Action Plan. 

There are three key strategy areas for the plan:

  1. Increase the reach of NCDHHS’s nutrition programs.
  2. Build connections between NCDHHS’ health care and nutrition supports.
  3. Increase breastfeeding support and rates.

There are several programs already in place to help support the department’s overall strategic goal. These programs include the Food and Nutrition Services Program (FNS

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