North Wake News

North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai visited western North Carolina this week to engage with health care and social services partners. The focus was on understanding the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, as well as addressing staffing shortages and other challenges faced by these institutions.

On February 25, Secretary Sangvai began his visit at the Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center (BMNTC) in Buncombe County. This facility is one of three state-operated centers serving adults with chronic medical conditions alongside neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive disorders. He toured the center to assess patient care quality post-Hurricane Helene and reviewed ongoing renovations expected to complete by July 2025.

During discussions with BMNTC's Executive Committee, staff expressed concerns about recruitment challenges, particularly in nursing positions. "BMNTC has ramped up recruitment efforts this quarter as unemployment in the region has spiked due to business closures in the wake of Helene," noted a spokesperson.

Secretary Sangvai then proceeded to Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center (JFK), where he learned about their services and recovery progress post-Hurricane Helene. JFK staff shared their experiences managing staffing shortages while reopening facilities like their kitchen after prolonged closure.

"I am so grateful for the work being done at our facilities as recovery continues from the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene," said Secretary Sangvai. He emphasized efforts to improve access to care regardless of location or financial status.

On February 26, Secretary Sangvai met with representatives from Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) in Cherokee, NC. EBCI has partnered with NCDHHS for Medicaid managed care services, making it the first Tribal-led entity of its kind nationwide. Discussions included a new Child Crisis Stabilization Unit on Qualla Boundary aimed at providing emergency mental health stabilization for youth.

Secretary Sangvai also visited Broughton Hospital to understand its priorities moving forward post-Hurricane Helene. Staff highlighted difficulties recruiting permanent employees due to competitive salaries elsewhere leading them increasingly reliant on temporary workers.

"The staff at our state operated psychiatric hospitals work incredibly hard," stated Secretary Sangvai, committing support towards strengthening healthcare workforce capacity limitations so patients receive timely care.

On February 27, visits continued at J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center (JIRDC) where leadership voiced recruitment concerns despite recent salary increases for key roles like Direct Support Professionals and Registered Nurses amid high vacancy rates impacting service delivery capabilities during crisis periods such as hurricanes affecting infrastructure repairs across regions like Burke County DSS office faced after communication systems failures following storms hitting communities hard causing widespread disruption requiring quick responses coordinated locally effectively minimizing long-term displacements compared other counties affected similarly elsewhere around state borders adjacent areas within broader scope context overall operational return normalcy achieved significantly faster than anticipated given circumstances prevailing situations encountered initially upon impact assessments conducted accordingly based findings reported back departmental headquarters immediately thereafter actions taken swiftly address issues identified efficiently without delay ensuring continuity essential functions maintained uninterrupted manner possible under prevailing conditions experienced throughout duration event occurrence time frame considered critical juncture strategic planning initiatives implemented successfully result positive outcomes realized tangible benefits accrued stakeholders involved collaborative partnerships established strengthened further enhance future resilience readiness proactive measures adopted prevent mitigate adverse effects similar events likely arise foreseeable future scenarios projected anticipate occurence frequency intensity increase trend observed globally climatic patterns changing dynamically unpredictably requiring constant vigilance adaptability response mechanisms develop evolve meet emerging demands placed systems frameworks operating environments subject scrutiny evaluation improvement cycles iteratively continuously refine optimize processes procedures adapt 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