NEWS RELEASE
Date: September 6, 2006
Mental Health agencies work together to transition consumers
(Jacksonville/Morehead City) – The Onslow Carteret Behavioral Healthcare Services (OCBHS) Local Management Entity and the Mental Health Association in North Carolina (MHA) are working together to transition consumers to new service providers. On August 14, 2006, OCBHS received a letter from MHA stating MHA would no longer provide services to consumers in Onslow and Carteret Counties effective September 30, 2006.
MHA is a statewide advocacy group and a private provider agency that provides mental health services such as Community Support services, Assertive Community Treatment Team services, Psychosocial Rehabilitation services and Supervised Living services in Onslow and Carteret Counties. MHA operates the New Directions services program in Jacksonville as well as Atlantic House and Brookside Apartments service programs in Morehead City. MHA began operating Atlantic House and Brookside Apartments last year in conjunction with the joining of Onslow and Carteret Counties for the provision of behavioral healthcare services.
Management of the two agencies met on August 24, 2006 to develop a comprehensive transition plan to assure continuity of services for all consumers currently receiving services through MHA. “The goal is to handle all of the business aspects of transitioning to new service provider agencies while ensuring consumer needs remain the number one priority,” stated Daniel M. Jones, OCBHS Area Director.
OCBHS is in the process of completing a request for information (RFI) process to determine private provider agencies interested in providing the services MHA will cease to provide September 30. OCBHS plans to select a new provider agency no later than September 12, 2006. OCBHS and MHA will work hand-in-hand to assure all consumers are notified of the change of service providers. MHA will work one-on-one with consumers to assist them in selecting a new provider agency to continue the provision of their services.
“The decision to cease providing services in Onslow and Carteret Counties was ultimately a financial business decision. Mental Health System Reform has been difficult on private providers. This is not the first time or the last time a meeting like this will be held between a Local Management Entity and a private provider in North Carolina,” stated John Tote, MHA Executive Director.
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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Amber Parker, Community Relations/Training Director
Phone: 910-219-8013
E-mail: amber_parker@ocbhs.org
Date: May 16, 2006
For Immediate Release
Onslow Carteret Behavioral Healthcare Services seeks community and consumer participation
(Jacksonville/Morehead City) - Onslow Carteret Behavioral Healthcare Services (OCBHS) is seeking community and consumer participation for its Area Board and Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC).
OCBHS is seeking community members representing mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse populations to serve on its Area Board. The Area Board is the governing body of OCBHS established by North Carolina General Statute 122C and is comprised of 11 members from Onslow County and 11 members from Carteret County. The respective Board of County Commissioners appoints members to the OCBHS Area Board.
The OCBHS Area Board is responsible for enacting policy that assures individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities and substance abuse needs who are served by or are eligible to be served by the public behavioral healthcare system are served in accordance with all applicable local, State and Federal laws, rules and guidelines. The Area Board also provides financial oversight of the Area Program in a manner consistent with Federal and State guidelines. Area Board members engage in comprehensive planning to assure the behavioral healthcare needs of the community are met. The Area Board meets the fourth Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Western Park Community Center in Cedar Point, North Carolina. To apply for appointment to the OCBHS Area Board, a Citizen Participation Form can be downloaded from the OCBHS website at www.ocbhs.org/areaauthority.htm or from the Onslow or Carteret County websites.
OCBHS is also seeking Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC) members from Onslow County. CFAC is an advisory committee to the OCBHS Area Board made up of consumers, family members and other stakeholders. CFAC advises the Area Board and comments on state and local plans, gives recommendations on areas of service eligibility and service array, participates in quality improvement activities and discusses global issues regarding mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services.
CFAC meets the second Monday of each month and alternates between Onslow and Carteret County. Even month meetings are held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Carteret Family Services Center in Morehead City, North Carolina. Odd month meetings are held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 127 Center Street in Jacksonville, North Carolina. To join CFAC or for more information, call (910) 219-8000 or visit the OCBHS website at www.ocbhs.org/cfacsub.htm.
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Date: June 30, 2005
Contact: Melissa St. Clair, OCBHS Community Relations Director
Phone: 910-219-8000
Fax: 910-219-8072
Email: melissa_stclair@ocbhs.org
For Immediate Release
OCBHS Opens Central Access Center in Carteret
(Morehead City, NC) – Onslow Carteret Behavioral Healthcare Services (OCBHS) will open a Central Access Center at 3820 Bridges Street, Morehead City to serve individuals in need of mental health, developmental disabilities and/or substance abuse services. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and the local number is
252-726-0707. OCBHS will continue to serve citizens at 215 Memorial Drive in Jacksonville with a local number of 910-353-5118. 24-hour emergency access line for citizens in both Onslow and Carteret counties is 1-888-737-0327.“OCBHS is pleased to announce the opening of a Central Access Center to serve the citizens of Carteret County. All new clients will enter the system through Access, Screening, Triage and Referral and will be screened to assess the therapeutic needs of the consumers. Some services may be referred out to a provider of the consumer’s choice in our Qualified Provider Community (QPC). Clients may also enter the system through a provider in the QPC. 24-hour emergency services are available by calling 1-888-737-0327,” stated Ms. Susan Taggart, Assistant Area Director.
OCBHS is a Nationally Accredited public agency established under North Carolina General Statute 122C.
For more information about OCBHS log on to www.ocbhs.org.
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