Disability Rights of NC issued a Press Release today regarding Governor Perdue's 2012-2013 budget for the State of North Carolina and citizens with disabilities.
May 14, 2012
The Governor has been in negotiations with the US DOJ since June 2011 to develop a voluntary compliance agreement and avoid the possibility of the US DOJ filing suit against the State. Staff familiar with budget development and US DOJ negotiations have asserted repeatedly over the last three months that the Governor’s budget would include funding for the changes required to avert litigation. However, the Governor released her budget last week with no funding for any efforts to end the institutionalization of people with mental illness leaving the responsibility for crafting a plan entirely to the General Assembly. Smith says, “There is still time to make historic changes to our system -- to stand up for the dignity of people with mental illness in North Carolina -- but we will need courage and conviction from our leaders in the General Assembly to make it happen.”
