Mental Health In Cabarrus County
As part of the County’s commitment to addressing mental illness in Cabarrus, local leaders have initiated a series of opportunities to connect with our community and raise awareness of mental health. Learn how you can #bethedifference in Cabarrus.
Our goal is to ensure public safety, heighten public awareness and improve the treatment and recovery of individuals with mental illness in our community through appropriate evaluation, intervention, diversion and supervision.
Cabarrus Mental Health And Opioid Media
Independent Tribune, July 6, 2018: Daughter's overdose death spurs mom to raise awareness
WCNC, June 13, 2018: Mental Health 'first aid' training
Independent Tribune, May 30, 2018: Cabarrus prepares for 2-year program to battle opioid crisis
Mental Health First Aid
Mental health was one of the top two health concerns in a 2016 Cabarrus County survey. Now government representatives from across the county are receiving mental health first aid training as part of a partnership with Carolinas Health System. Call 704-920-3160 to learn how to #bethedifference.
Mental Health Advisory Board
To actively move forward with the Stepping Up Initiative, Cabarrus County created a Mental Health Advisory Board. Approved by resolution in October 2016, this take force serves as a resource for determining early intervention efforts, assessing available mental health resources, and evaluating the criminal justice system and County jail for improvements in relation to their clients who suffer from mental illness.
The Mental Health Advisory Board is inclusive, with 25 positions for those who need, provide, respond to and use mental health services in Cabarrus County. This includes mayors, law enforcement, schools, public health, human services, EMS, mental health providers, judges, the District Attorney’s office, hospital, etc.
Initial discussions uncovered a wide spectrum of crosscutting issues and needs in our community. The County hopes to lead this effort to raise public awareness, improve access to services and care and improve crisis response—the most notable concerns and initial focus of the Mental Health Advisory Board.
The Mental Health Advisory Board is not in name only—it will provide recommendations with which the County can move forward. We will move forward by directing future decisions and funds to support this initiative. And we will move forward through open and honest conversations that give us the courage to admit our shortfalls as a community and the wisdom to make a change.
Anyone interested in serving on the Mental Health Advisory Board should submit their name to the clerk to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) by calling 704-920-2100.
Learn more about the work of the Mental Health Advisory Board.
MHAB Subgroups
Access to Resources/Care
Goal – To identifying available, accessible and acceptable mental health resources in Cabarrus County.
Objectives:
- Identify all resources
- Investigate where resources and information are available or could be made available
- Create a directory based on a three-tier system for services ranging from emergency to non-emergency
- Develop a network or CenterPoint to share information
Crisis Response/Destinations
Goal – To identify gaps in care that appropriately identify, evaluate and assess individuals with mental illness and through an informed referral process, connect those individuals to appropriate services.
Objectives:
- Develop steps to improve follow up of continuity of care, address gaps in care, and bridge reliable services
- Offer ideas to improve communication between agencies and across systems
- Provide ideas that remove barriers to care
- Investigate costs involved
Public Awareness
Goal – to reduce the stigma of mental health by providing education and outreach that promotes a spectrum of services and advocacy.
Objectives:
- Research existing materials and data
- Develop PSA’s/local MH campaigns that provides community education stigma, available resources and access to providers
- Develop message platform and assess agency needs, sizing and content for kids and adults
- Utilize Mental Health America Coffee and Conversation and Linking with Legislators, #b4stage4
- Engaging the faith community
Questions or Comments
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