Adaptive sports for youth are also important for their parents. “We need each other,” says Stacie Hildenbrand of Mills River. “Representation is something we advocate for for our own children. Together, we can problem-solve and create opportunities that don’t exist yet.”
New crisis line targets substance use, mental health
The phone number 855-PEERS-NC is staffed by certified peer support specialists 24/7. Peer support specialists are people in recovery who have a mental health and/or substance use disorder and can provide nonclinical support based on their lived experiences.
How to work your garden and not vice versa
How to set gardening goals you can achieve without getting stressed out.
Henderson County debuts Adult Recovery Court for substance use
ARC works with people who have substance or alcohol use problems and face criminal charges in Henderson County District Court; participants receive court-ordered treatment while being monitored by criminal justice and recovery professionals.
Law enforcement undergoes crisis intervention training
The 40-hour crisis intervention training prepares first responders to interact with someone in crisis. A significant component is making them aware of local resources that exist for people with substance use or behavioral health challenges.
Mission sets 10-minute goal for emergency patient care, document obtained by Watchdog shows
Mission Hospital has enacted drastic operational changes, including rapid turnaround time goals for emergency department patients and their lab work and enhanced communication procedures, all as state investigators have returned to the Asheville facility this week following recent federal findings of serious deficiencies and immediate jeopardy.
CMS report on Mission Hospital details deaths of patients, significant delays in care
The 384-page document details why CMS placed the hospital in immediate jeopardy, the most serious sanction a hospital can face. It spotlights not only patient deaths and long delays in care but also a lack of available rooms, a lack of governing bodies “responsible for the conduct of the hospital,” and multiple leadership failures.
UNC lab assists with local drug checking
Drug checking is “a harm reduction practice in which people check to see if drugs contain certain substances,” according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. The goal is to give people who use drugs more information about what they’re putting in their bodies, reduce risks and potentially save lives.
Buncombe’s strategy for opioid settlement targets short- and long-term goals
Medication-assisted treatment. Training on how to administer Narcan. Education and stigma reduction. These are just a few of the initiatives funded by Buncombe County’s opioid settlement money to address the local impact of the opioid crisis.
D. Tyrell McGirt discusses programs, opportunities at Asheville Parks & Recreation
D. Tyrell McGirt, director of Asheville Parks & Recreation, discusses opportunities for staying healthy in 2024.
Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts celebrates a milestone
“Chinese medicine is a lifelong learning process,” says Mary Cissy Majebé , co-founder of Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts. The school is currently celebrating its 20-year anniversary.
Pisgah Legal executive shares insights, guidance on Medicaid expansion
“It’s important for readers to know there are free resources across the state to understand their options and support them in going through the enrollment process,” says Jaclyn Kiger, Pisgah Legal’s COO. “I think the state of North Carolina has done an excellent job to roll this out as quickly as possible. Any delay puts people at risk of not having the coverage that they need. “
Mobile medical units treat patients where they are
The expansion of mobile health units throughout Buncombe County is bringing health care where it is needed most — right to them, with minimal barriers.
Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court debuts podcast
The Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court debuted “Voices of Recovery,” a podcast hosted by program director, licensed clinical social worker and Marine Corps veteran Kevin Rumley. The podcast addresses mental health treatment and recovery from substance misuse as alternatives to incarceration. The Veterans Treatment Court, a voluntary program for U.S. veterans who are facing certain […]
The benefits of school-based health centers
The Warrior Wellness Center, which opened in fall of 2022, is one of 34 school-based health centers — or SBHCs — operated by Blue Ridge Health around Western North Carolina, and the first of its kind in BCS.
Pia Silvani on training dogs — and humans
Pia Silvani is the director of behavior and training at the Asheville Humane Society, where she and a team of trainers teach canine manners and “puppy kindergarten” classes.
Feds cite Asheville’s Mission Hospital for “immediate jeopardy,” HCA division president tells staff
Mission Hospital has been officially informed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that it is in “immediate jeopardy” related to deficiencies in care, according to an internal email obtained by Asheville Watchdog.
The joys and pains of parenthood after infant loss
Welcoming a rainbow baby can bring complex emotions: Some parents don’t want to get hopeful again because they know that even when a heartbeat sounds strong and even when Mom feels a kick, a pregnancy can still end in heartbreaking loss.
Advocate for intentional community focuses on aging well
Sheridan Hill discusses her plans to launch Mountain Hearth Village, an intentional community in McDowell County.
How telehealth helps and hinders the most vulnerable patients in rural WNC
Without high-speed internet, a capable device and digital literacy, the chronically ill can struggle to manage their health in this telemedical world.
Local students talk the future of public health
As the demand for public health careers rises, future public health practitioners share the field’s diverse employment opportunities and how to address the mistrust of governmental institutions and the medical industry spurred by the pandemic.