Sen. Tamara Barringer

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New council will work to improve child welfare system

March 14, 2019 by Rose Hoban

New council will work to improve child welfare system - North Carolina Health News

After failing at a state and then a federal child welfare review in 2015, lawmakers and advocates are working to improve the system and provide better coordination.

By Rose Hoban In the next stage of an ongoing overhaul of North Carolina’s child welfare system, legislators announced the formation Wednesday of an advisory body to bring coordination to the complex arrangements that govern the lives of foster children. The new Child Well-Being Transformation Council is intended to provide oversight and framework for changes […]

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Putting ‘People First’ into Law

July 11, 2018 by Rose Hoban

Putting ‘People First’ into Law - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina’s laws contain many “old-fashioned” words describing disability which have evolved to be derogatory. A new law begins to address that.

By Rose Hoban Some of the decades-old language in North Carolina’s state laws sound more like insults from a schoolyard bully rather than precise descriptions of medical conditions. But thanks to the painstaking work of a state commission, at least some of that terminology will change come October. For example, right now, North Carolina guardianship […]

Legislative Health Care Round Up

June 22, 2018 by Taylor Knopf

Legislative Health Care Round Up - North Carolina Health News

It's a busy time of the year at the NC General Assembly, and a lot of bills are moving fast. We'll track some of the health care bills that got attention.

By Rose Hoban & Taylor Knopf As this year’s legislative work session rapidly draws to a close, lawmakers are pushing through multiple small bills having to do with health care. Naturopathic Medicine Study A bill that passed unanimously in both chambers of the legislature directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study naturopathic […]

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Much-needed Social Services Reforms Underway

March 14, 2018 by Rose Hoban

Much-needed Social Services Reforms Underway - North Carolina Health News

A multidisciplinary group has been working since October on changes to be made to the social services system. The activity comes in the wake of some high-profile deaths of children in the system.

By Rose Hoban A 3-year-old boy drowns while in his mother’s care. A 14-month-old boy dies of malnutrition. A 14-year-old overdoses on antidepressants. These are all children who died while in the care of the social services system. And lawmakers want these deaths to stop. Now, after close to a dozen meetings, members of a […]

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New Cardinal Board Chosen, Will Include Several Former Members

December 15, 2017 by Rose Hoban

New Cardinal Board Chosen, Will Include Several Former Members - North Carolina Health News

Commissioners from the counties served by Cardinal Innovations met Thursday and picked 16 new board members to oversee the managed care organization.

By Rose Hoban Nineteen county commissioners met in Graham on Thursday to choose a new governing board for Cardinal Innovations, the troubled state-funded mental health agency recently taken over by state officials. The 17 new board members, chosen from dozens of applications submitted over last weekend, will be joined by a handful of members of […]

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“Temporary is temporary:” DHHS Leaders Promise to Fix Cardinal, Then Get Out

December 13, 2017 by Rose Hoban

“Temporary is temporary:” DHHS Leaders Promise to Fix Cardinal, Then Get Out - North Carolina Health News

After taking over the troubled Charlotte-based mental health agency last month, DHHS officials hope to be done sometime early next year.

By Rose Hoban Since firing the CEO and the board of directors of Cardinal Innovations, employees from the Department of Health and Human Services have been working to get the organization back on track. And DHHS leaders told lawmakers on Tuesday that they intend to make their presence in Cardinal’s offices a short-term stay and […]

Lawmakers Press for Reform of NC’s Struggling Foster Care System

October 31, 2017 by Taylor Knopf

Lawmakers Press for Reform of NC’s Struggling Foster Care System - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina’s foster care system is staggering under the weight of more kids in care due to substance abuse, as well as a backlog of death investigations.

By Taylor Knopf As North Carolina’s opioid crisis deepens, a rising number of children are entering the foster care system as a result of their parents’ drug use. In 2016, about 38 percent of children came to foster care due to parental drug use, that’s up from 31 percent in 2013. The majority of kids […]

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State Lawmakers Rail Against Spending Excesses at Mental Health Agency

October 11, 2017 by Taylor Knopf

State Lawmakers Rail Against Spending Excesses at Mental Health Agency - North Carolina Health News

Members of the General Assembly expressed outrage after learning more details about the NC DHHS’ investigation into Cardinal Innovations.

By Taylor Knopf Lawmakers used the words “irresponsible,” “unbelievable,” “exorbitant,” “arrogant,” “greedy,” “egregious,” “avarice” and “unconscionable” to describe the spending at North Carolina’s largest behavioral health management company during a legislative hearing Tuesday. Leadership from the Department of Health and Human Services appeared before the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services on […]

Music and Barbecue To Fete Kids at the NCGA

June 30, 2017 by Leah Asmelash

Music and Barbecue To Fete Kids at the NCGA - North Carolina Health News

Lawmakers joined with foster kids and child welfare advocates to celebrate passage of a landmark bill.

By Leah Asmelash For Titianna Goings, foster care has been one of the most permanent things in her life. Her mom was in foster care and she was born into the system in New York City, but came to North Carolina when she was adopted by her aunt. When her aunt died, she and her […]

Final 2017 Health and Human Services Budget – First Look

June 20, 2017 by Rose Hoban

Final 2017 Health and Human Services Budget – First Look - North Carolina Health News

Some years, budget negotiations between the NC Senate and the House of Representatives takes months. This year, however, the two chambers found agreement quickly.

By Rose Hoban Late Monday evening, members of the General Assembly rolled out their final version of the 2019-20 budget, which includes some notable expansions in health and human services for the coming biennium. Probably the most HHS notable item in this year’s $23 billion budget document is $27 million in new funding to increase […]

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