Last April, the House insurance committee voted to move the bill into a study commission. Another mental health proposal would force facilities to report deaths involving physical restraints. Mental health advocates say the state also should consider replicating some local programs that work despite tight budgets. In Greensboro, a partnership between mental health, social services and UNCGreensboro brings better mental health care to children. In Charlotte, the nonprofit Residential Support Services runs 12 group homes and supervised apartments for the developmentally disabled.
Clients stay busy with vocational work, dances and weekend outings.
About 200 people are on a waiting list. We just have to decide if we're going to pay for them in a way that's helpful or not. We are going to pay for them in the homeless. We are going to pay for them in prison. We are going to pay for them in emergency room visits and suicide attempts.