From a press release:
Governor Pat McCrory has appointed Asheville resident, Dr. Joshua Gettinger to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD).
Joshua Gettinger, MD is a board certified family physician. He received his education and training at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is now teaching at the MAHEC Family Medicine Residency in Asheville, North Carolina. Prior to joining MAHEC in 2012, Dr. Gettinger spent 33 years practicing full spectrum family medicine in Madisonville, TN. While in Madisonville, Dr. Gettinger and his wife, Dr. Barbara Levin, also a family doctor, raised their four children together.
Dr. Gettinger fills a position on the Council representing a family member with a disability. His second child, Becky, has Down’s syndrome. She lives independently in Madisonville, works at McDonald’s, and is avid about exercise and reading. Dr. Gettinger reflects that he has learned much from watching Becky grow up and deal with life’s challenges.
“Thirty-three years of small town medicine have left me with some firm convictions. I can’t imagine a more satisfying life than primary care and I believe integrated and holistic care is the best care. We have to do more as a society to look after all our members. America needs to be a healthier place for our kids to grow up; they are all our kids,” says Dr. Gettinger. He is currently involved in the effort to make primary care accessible to young adults with special health care needs in Western North Carolina. His sense is that caring for patients with IDD should be within the scope of practice of primary care physicians.
“We welcome Dr. Gettinger and his extensive knowledge of community needs for those with disabilities,” said NCCDD chair Ron Reeve. “His experience will provide valuable guidance as the Council addresses the funding of future initiatives.”
Also appointed to the Council by the Governor are:
Nessie Pruden Siler, Manteo, NC
Cheryl Powell, Wilmington, NC
Mary Edwards, Division of Aging and Adult Services
Jim Swain, DHHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Courtney Cantrell, Division of MH/DD/SAS
Karen Armstrong, Public at Large
Based in Raleigh, the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities has 40 members, and 60 percent of the members are people with developmental disabilities or family members of people with disabilities. The Council awards grants for effective and innovative initiatives that promote community inclusion, independence, productivity, self-determination and integration for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Grants are awarded to grass roots advocacy groups, government agencies, disability nonprofits and other community organizations.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.