Governor Stein Calls for Comprehensive Mental Health Investments to Promote Public Safety

Recent events across North Carolina have been tragic reminders of the need to meaningfully invest in mental health resources, and Governor Josh Stein today called for comprehensive resources to keep people safe and healthy. Governor Stein also toured Integrated Family Services in Greenville, which will be opening a new Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) later this month.

"We must have a well-functioning mental health care system that gets people the treatment and support they need to stay healthy and keep us all safe," said Governor Josh Stein. "By building on these successful programs that are already making a difference in people's lives, we can prevent people from falling through the cracks."

"At Integrated Family Services, our mission has always been to bring hope and connection to every person we serve," said Natasha Holley, CEO of Integrated Family Services. "The opening of our Behavioral Health Urgent Care is about making help immediate and accessible - because when someone is in crisis, they shouldn't have to wait, and they should know exactly where to go. Mental health and community safety aren't separate issues; they're deeply connected. When we strengthen one, we strengthen the other."

"Law enforcement officers work hard to deescalate crisis situations and keep people safe, and partnering with mental health professionals makes us even better at our work," said Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance. "I am proud of Pitt County's work to expand access to behavioral health care for defendants. Maintaining competency affirms a person's inherent dignity and creates movement in court matters that otherwise remain stagnant."

Last week, in response to public safety challenges in North Carolina, Governor Stein signed House Bill 307 into law and continues to advocate for a more comprehensive public safety package that focuses on preventing crime from occurring in the first place. This approach includes law enforcement recruitment and retention, violence prevention measures, and increased coordination between law enforcement and mental health professionals. Governor Stein also highlighted three points in someone's journey through the criminal justice system where mental health supports are critically needed: a) to divert people from incarceration and into treatment, b) to provide treatment to people while they are in prison, and c) to promote safer communities by ensuring that people leaving prison succeed by supporting their efforts to obtain housing, employment, and health care.

NCDHHS supports a range of behavioral health initiatives statewide, including crisis services, justice-related programs, and reentry support. This includes key partnerships in Pitt County through Integrated Family Services to provide BHUC, mobile crisis, and co-response programs and the Pitt County Sheriff's Office to offer capacity restoration services.

The 2023-2025 North Carolina biennium budget included a historic $835-million investment in behavioral health. This investment is supporting mobile crisis teams, crisis receiving teams, crisis stabilization beds for children, and re-entry, diversion and capacity restoration programs for people involved with the justice system. Governor Stein is urging the General Assembly to recommit to its investments in behavioral health in order to keep building on these successes.