The co-responder unit from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Medical Services will focus on mental health calls, welfare checks and involuntary commitments.
Sleepless in Asheville: Insomniacs share strategies for finding rest
In pursuit of that Holy Grail — natural sleep unaided by pharmaceuticals — some residents have resorted to an array of methods, from horses to herbs, massage to dance.
As state inspects Mission for CMS, hospital makes changes to emergency department
About a dozen investigators have been interviewing hospital physicians, nurses and staff, reviewing hospital communications, patient records and other documents, and analyzing systemic safety procedures to ensure minimum standards of care, according to multiple sources.
Whatever it takes: Open discussions about mental health issues
“Mental health challenges impact all demographics and each of these has their own cultural way of addressing them,” says Robin C. Payne, executive director of NAMI Western Carolina. “As such, we are careful not to assume we know what is best for a community. Instead we try to create opportunities for open discussions and see how we can provide the resources that are needed.”
Whatever it takes: Ways to stop human trafficking in WNC
“One of the biggest misconceptions about human trafficking is that it doesn’t happen here. It absolutely does,” says Amanda Gopal, executive director of The Hundred Movement.
Whatever it takes: Meeting the needs of individuals with autism
“Families can meet others and not feel so alone on their autism journey,” says Caroline Long Tindall, CEO of St. Gerard House. “Young adults are becoming part of their community and giving back — the community is getting to know how valuable individuals with autism are.”
Budgets for victims’ services are slashed
Decreased funding from federal Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, could be devastating to the local nonprofits serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
HCA lawyer blasts North Carolina Attorney General’s investigative demand as ‘legally improper’
“Mission has not breached the APA [asset purchase agreement],” the letter said, referring to the contract governing HCA’s 2019 purchase of then nonprofit Mission Health for $1.5 billion. “Mission is now, and always has been, in full compliance with that contract and often exceeds its obligations under the APA.”
Wellness roundup: Medicaid expansion begins Dec. 1
Adults may qualify if they earn up to 138% of the federal poverty limit, which is about $20,000 a year for a single person and about $34,000 for a family of three.
WNC nondrinkers reflect on life in Beer City USA
For many nondrinkers, finding a social life in a region centered around breweries can be difficult. Here are some of the ways people do it.
Opinion: Is there anything we can do about Mission and HCA?
We deserve better. We deserve the kind of healthcare Mission used to provide, before HCA, when the hospital was considered one of the top health systems in the United States, a magnet for some of the finest physicians in the country, and a source of community pride.
HCA’s independent monitor faces tense public meeting
Ronald Winters, CEO of the independent monitor for HCA Healthcare, faced an unhappy crowd at a community meeting Oct. 19. Current and former physicians, nurses and patients from Mission Hospital implored Gibbins Advisors to monitor the health care system’s quality. Throughout the 90-minute public meeting, Winters repeatedly told the audience that quality of patient care […]
Q&A: Buncombe County Libraries Director Jason Hyatt on libraries as social services
Buncombe County Public Libraries are not only a place for literature, film, research, story hours and free yoga classes. They also provides amenities like public bathrooms, heating, air conditioning and internet access, which are enjoyed by everyone but are lifelines for some patrons.
Memoir explores parenting a child struggling with mental health issues
“There is so much pressure in our society for mothers to be perfect,” Batchelder remembers. “So when my daughter got depressed in high school, I wondered if it was my fault, what did I do wrong, what should I have done differently. Was I too much or not enough?”
Following Watchdog report, Mission sale monitor says meetings to offer public comment
“The fact that this was even a question is indicative of the frustration many are feeling in the community,” said Mark Weinstein, a Transylvania County resident who helped organize independent meetings. “Nobody seems to really be listening. And nobody seems to be able to do anything.”
Asheville’s bra shops offer support for all occasions
The women who own boutiques selling undergarments in Asheville know the search for the right bra can be a fraught experience (as many who’ve experienced a meltdown in the dressing room can attest).
Women in Business: Dive deep into what you love
“Between caring for patients, handling marketing, managing a team, dealing with landlords and taking a moment for oneself, it’s a whirlwind,” says Autum Kirgan, owner and director of South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness.” My advice? Dive deep into what you love about your business.”
Wellness roundup: HCA’s independent monitor hosts community meetings
The independent monitor was appointed when HCA, a for-profit health care system, purchased the nonprofit Mission Hospital for $1.5 billion in 2019.
Messino Cancer Centers to stop providing acute leukemia chemotherapy at Mission
Messino’s decision not to provide acute hematology chemotherapy at Mission comes five months after a National Nurses United union nurse flagged concerns about potential cancer patient harm to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Sunrise co-founder Kevin Mahoney on burnout, mental health and substance use
This summer, Kevin Mahoney decided to return to Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, which he co-founded and where he will focus on educating the younger generation of peer support specialists.
County struggles to find foster homes for kids, many of whom have mental health needs
As of late August there were 337 children ages 0-17 in the Buncombe foster care system and another 43 who are 18 or older, according to data provided to The Watchdog. There were 60 foster homes licensed by DSS in Buncombe and 34 licensed relatives as of early September.