Geraldo Rivera - The P&A System

The most effective advocates, says Bernard, former Willowbrook "inmate," are the parents and the consumers themselves because they know what they need and they know what they want.

Of course, that's assuming that the powers-that-be listen & give a hoot rather than having their opinions handed to them by the 'trained experts' who have never met my child nor yours... just sayin'.

Medicaid per diem Reimbursement Rates for State DD Facilities

Without proper home and community supports, the decision to place our children in State DD facilities may be a decision many special NC parents will be forced to make...

Donin, Carol   Tue, May 15, 2012 at 8:26 AM

To:  Crystal J. De la Cruz 

Per your request, below are the per diem rates for the 3 developmental centers. These are the full cost rates and are inclusive of Medicare Part D and the ICF-MR Provider Tax. The per diem rates cover habilitative services, medical services and medications, dental services, all special therapies, adaptive equipment, nutrition, etc.

Caswell Center: $606.36
Murdoch Center: $536.36
Riddle Center: $482.36

Additional information may be requested through the DHHS Public Affairs Office, attention Julie Henry. Ms. Henry’s email address is Julie.henry@dhhs.nc.gov.

Thank you.

Carol Donin

Team Leader, Developmental Centers

Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities

3006 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-3006

phone: 919-855-4700

fax: 919-508-0955

Please note that my email address has changed - carol.donin@dhhs.nc.gov

Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized State official. Unauthorized disclosure of juvenile, health, legally privileged, or otherwise confidential information, including confidential information relating to an ongoing State procurement effort, is prohibited by law. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete all records of this e-mail.

NC Faces Potentially Massive Legal Settlement Over Housing for Mentally Ill

May 16, 2012

From NC Health News by Rose Hoban

Negotiations with the US Department of Justice over North Carolina’s use of Adult Care Homes to house mental health patients are reaching a head after a year of negotiations. And the tab is likely to be large for the state.

The situation dates back to 2010, when Disability Rights North Carolina wrote to the US Department of Justice, complaining about the state’s use of adult care homes to house thousands of people with mental health disabilities. Disability Rights alleged the state’s way of housing these mental health consumers was ‘biased’ towards putting people in institutions, such as adult care homes, rather than helping them move out into the community, as required by law.

“Right now what’s happening to those folks, is that they’re in a placement, where they’re getting no treatment, and there are no incentives to move them out,” said Vicki Smith, head of Disability Rights.

Federal officials investigated early last year and concluded in June, 2011 that North Carolina policies were in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The DOJ also found that North Carolina had failed “to develop a sufficient quantity of community-based alternatives for individuals with mental illness.”

State officials have been negotiating with federal officials since.

“I was pretty optimistic about what I was hearing about moving forward,” Smith said about the discussion in Tuesday’s hearing. “There is at least an acknowledgment that the pattern of practice needs to change.”

Read the full article.