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PIEDMONT AP. EX MBNTAL HEALTH CENTERS ~. rea Office · t57 Lake Concord Road P O. Bo× 1{15{) Concord. N.C. 28025 . Teleph,,n,: 70,i.788-I TO: Cabarrus County Commissioners DATE: January 12, 1983 FRObI: Robert C. Loris~, Ed.D., Area Dfreetor Piedmont Area blental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Program THROUGH: Charles McGinnis, County Manager SUBJECT: Proposed 120 Bed Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF-F~) This memorandum reflects solely my views and not those of the Piedmont Area Board. It is written Jn the spirit of cooperation in the hope that the information and suggestions contained in the memo are helpful to you in your decision-making prohess. BACKGROI~D Beginning in the late 1960's a major movement began in the United States affecting the manner in which handicapped citizens were to be provided with needed human services~ The term "handicapped" includes mentally ill, mentally retarded, physically handicapped and substance abusing citizens. Previous to the late 1960's it was thought that the only way to serve these individuals was ~n large state operated facilities. The Western Carolina Center (a 500 bed residential facility in Morganton for the mentally retarded) and Broughton State Hospital (an 800 bed hospital for the mentally ill in Morganton) are the two state facilities that have served Cabarrus County citizens. In response to horror stories about the conditions in state facilities and developing civil rights movement for handicapped citizens, the states began in the early 1970's a process called deinstitutionalization. This process has resulted in a moving of people from large state facilities such as Broughton and Western Carolina Center to small community based facilities. This movement gave impetus to the legislation that created area mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse programs such as the Piedmont Program, as well as the state and local funding for the community based programs. The goal of these programs is to allow handicapped citizens to live as normal a life as possible. This means that they should have access to public schools, community recreation, shopping, transportation, medical services and normalized living arrangements. Cabarrus County has developed for its mentally retarded citizens the following quality programs: 1. Two group homes, five beds each. 2. One ten bed ICE-MR for significantly handicapped children (Piedmont Residential Development Center).