North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai today visited Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, one of three psychiatric hospitals operated by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Cherry Hospital serves 38 counties in the eastern region of the state with a mission to provide excellent psychiatric care to individuals with the greatest need and the fewest resources.
The Secretary was joined by Chief Deputy Secretary Dr. ClarLynda Williams-Devane, Deputy Secretary for Health Karen Burkes, Assistant Director of State Psychiatric Hospitals Heather Brewer and Cherry Hospital leadership and staff to tour the treatment mall, patient units and the on-site Riverbend Middle/ High School.
During the visit, NCDHHS leadership and Cherry Hospital staff discussed successes and challenges the state-operated facility faces. Some of the challenges include recruiting full-time healthcare staff and the dire need for an updated budget that reflects an increase in staff cost, food and utilities. Currently, the staffing vacancy rate is more than 21% with nearly 200 open positions.
The staffing challenge limits Cherry Hospital’s operating capacity to 178 beds, although the facility has the physical capacity for 259 beds. The Senate budget proposal eliminates hundreds of NCDHHS positions, including many at the state psychiatric hospitals, which would limit the ability to staff and operate more beds. If the position eliminations in the Senate Budget proposal become law, this cut would permanently reduce the number of patients the facilities can serve.
“Workers who care for and ensure the health of North Carolinians are the backbone of our ability to prosper as a state,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We need to retain these positions and funding for the Department to attract and maintain staff in critical positions.”
Leadership at Cherry Hospital shared their priority to implement electronic health records which is expected to launch this year at state health facilities to modernize records, improve healthcare quality and increase efficiency. They also discussed Cherry Hospital’s enhanced support for community and jail-based capacity restoration services for patients determined to be Incapable to Proceed to trial. Last week, NCDHHS announced the launch of capacity restoration services at the Wake County Detention Center, which followed the success of expanded services in Mecklenburg and Pitt Counties. Pitt County covers the catchment area for Cherry Hospital.