Monday, February 21, 2005

Teen's Lawsuit Could Alter North Carolina Care WSOC-TV story - "North Carolina could be forced to spend millions of dollars to make mental health services more available statewide if it loses a lawsuit working its way through the courts. Wake Superior Court Judge Howard E. Manning Jr. ruled after hearings in December that the state is required to provide the services prescribed for a Henderson County 16-year-old by his psychiatrist. Manning has sent the case of Thomas Reiter back to an administrative law judge to determine whether the state has fulfilled its obligation. A hearing is expected in the next few weeks. But Thomas Reiter's mother, Kathy, has no more patience. The state has failed for decades to provide adequate care, she said. She doesn't believe the state will meet a July 1 deadline to launch new local programs that will keep her son out of institutions. The widely watched case has the potential to affect community-based care for the mentally ill across the state. In Wake, Durham and Johnston counties alone, 7,014 children receive such services..."  
  

Family advocate can relate to her clients (Maryland) Herald-Mail story - "As a family advocate hired to support Washington County families caring for children with mental health issues, Vivian Miller says she knows what many of them are facing. And it's not from reading about it in books. 'I have a 12-year-old son with four mental disorders so I know what it's like,' Miller said from her office at 33 W. Washington St., Room 210. When she first came on board, Miller sent out 300 letters in December to anyone and everyone she could think of who would be interested in the issues families face with such children, both at home and at school. 'I wanted them to know there is no cost associated with any of the services I offer,' Miller said. 'And I wanted them to know they aren't alone.'"