Laserfiche WebLink
Telephone 704-636-0361 <br /> <br />Rowan County Office of the Manager <br /> 130 West Innes Street · Salisbury. NC 28144 <br /> <br />May 29, 1997 <br /> <br />FAX 704-638-3092 <br /> <br />Sue Casper, Chairperson <br />Cabarrus County Board Of Commissioners <br /> <br />Leroy Pitt~an, Chairman <br />Union County Board of Commissioners <br /> <br />David Morgan, Chairman <br />Stanly County Board of Commissioners <br /> <br />Dear Chairperson Casper, Chairman Pittman and Chairman Morgan: <br /> <br /> The Rowan County Board of Commissioners requests your <br />consideration and support of the_merger of th~ Rowan County Menta'l <br />Health Program with the Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare System. <br /> <br /> During the past several years, Tri-County Area Mental Health <br />Program (which Rowan County has been a member) has incurred major <br />programmatic and financial crisis. While the State Division of <br />Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse has <br />attempted to assist in improving the area program, it has not been <br />successful. As a result of the unsuccessful attempt to strengthen <br />the Tri-County financial position, Representative Julia Howard of <br />Davie County secured State legislation in the General Assembly to <br />abolish the Tri-County Area Program effective July 1, 1997. <br /> <br /> Rowan County has been working diligently with the State <br />Division to identify the best solution for providing services to <br />the citizens of Rowan County. It is the State Division's position <br />that larger catchment areas will increase the efficiency and <br />effectiveness of the provision of mental health services <br />particularly under the recent surge of the "managed care" <br />concept. Several possible options were therefore reviewed, <br />including a merger with Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare. Dr. <br />Robert Lorish, Area Director and his sta~ have been excellent to <br />work with during our preliminary discussions about a possible <br />merger and have been willing to enter a serious dialogue with us <br />on the financial and organizational requirements for a merger. <br /> <br />Equal Opportunity Employer <br /> ~ r~ecycledpaper <br /> <br /> <br />