“It’s not going to be fun to point out how historically some things haven’t worked out so great and they have bad impact on business and the residents,” Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods president Rick Freeman told the audience at the Coalition of Independent Business Owners meeting April 5.
The Veterans Healing Farm is seeking to raise $5 million to purchase a new location and expand its offerings year-round.
Not all of Asheville’s pups live a life of leisure. There are several who work hard for the money — OK, the dog treats — in our libraries and schools as well as on our streets.
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.
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.
The expansion of mobile health units throughout Buncombe County is bringing health care where it is needed most — right to them, with minimal barriers.
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 […]
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.
Lacy Hoyle spoke about the local priorities for addressing homelessness, how she incorporates the views of those who have different beliefs than she does about its causes and misconceptions about the homeless population.
Xpress heard from residents from all walks of life — some in health care, many not — about their thoughts on health and wellness in the region in 2023.
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.
“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.”
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.
“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?”
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.
The chief operating officer of Mission Hospital Behavioral Health Services, Melina Arrowood, gave Xpress a tour of the site prior to its opening while the building was under construction.
“Read, study and act in some way, through your church or one of the many active local groups to change our society.”
The Sweeten Creek facility, which is anticipated to open in August, brings 38 additional acute behavioral care beds to Western North Carolina.
Shared concerns about crime and an understaffed Asheville Police Department fostered an unusual alliance in today’s partisan times. An advocacy group called Asheville Coalition for Public Safety formed in October, bringing together community members of all political stripes who are concerned about crime, mental health, drug use and the unhoused population.
Last June, Umoja debuted HOPE 4 the Future, a summer camp for children and teens. In its initial season, it served 78 youths.
“It is blatantly obvious to me that there are many homeless advocates and agencies in such a small city, yet rarely do I read about collaboration and true problem-solving for the social issues among these agencies.”
