Mental health system criticized

RALEIGH - N.C. lawmakers, faced with a study describing the state's mental health system as riddled with problems, balked Wednesday at the $2.7 billion a consultant says is needed to fix them. Their reaction came after a Florida-based mental health expert who studied the state's system delivered a report to the General Assembly's oversight committee for mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. The analyst, Christina Thompson of Heart of the Matter Consulting, said the state isn't reaching enough people who need services, and isn't providing continuity of care to those it does treat. She compiled the report after the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services asked for a long-range study to identify and fix deficiencies. Thompson concluded that the state is doing a good job meeting the needs of the developmentally disabled, but mental health and substance abuse services aren't reaching enough of the people who need them.

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