Audit Eyes Mental Health

State Auditor Les Merritt's office is performing a statewide review of mental health spending.

The financial collapse in October of New Vistas-Mountain Laurel, the major mental health service in the mountains, and questions about the salary of the Albemarle Mental Health Center's program director prompted the audit.

 

"We wanted to take a broad look at how mental health is being delivered in North Carolina," said Chris Mears, Merritt's spokesman.

 

Some regions have struggled under a 2001 state law that shook up the state mental health system. The law took responsibility for treating mentally ill patients away from local governments in favor of private agencies.

 

Before New Vistas-Mountain Laurel closed, HopeRidge Centers for Behavioral Health, a private agency spun off from the Forsyth County public mental health office, fell into debt and shut down in 2005.

 

 

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