Mental Health

"It is no secret that Rutherford County is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Too few providers and inadequate facilities leave people cycling through emergency rooms and courtrooms instead of getting the care they need."

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A Long-Term Mental Health Facility

Rutherford County has no long-term mental health facility of its own. Residents in crisis are sent hours away or cycled repeatedly through the emergency room with no real treatment plan. Phil will advocate for a county-supported long-term facility by pooling existing county resources and pursuing state and federal funding to make it a reality.

Partner with nonprofits to identify funding and suitable locations for a long-term care facility
Identify and consolidate existing county mental health resources
Pursue state and federal grants to fund construction and operations
Reduce reliance on emergency rooms as the default mental health response

Recruit and Retain Mental Health Workers

We cannot build a mental health system without mental health workers. Rutherford County struggles to attract and keep qualified providers. We need to create incentives that make our county a place mental health professionals want to build a career.

Partner with nonprofits to pursue funding that supports provider recruitment and retention
Partner with Isothermal Community College to develop local training pipelines
Work with NC Care Network and Unite Us to coordinate provider resources across the county

Establish a Re-Entry Council

People leaving incarceration return to our community with little support and high odds of cycling back into the system. Without addressing the root causes that put them there in the first place, nothing changes. A coordinated re-entry council would bring together county agencies, nonprofits, and employers to give returning citizens a real pathway to stability and break the cycle of recidivism for good.

Convene a county-wide re-entry council with representation from key agencies
Connect returning citizens to housing, employment, and mental health services

Help shape the agenda

Phil wants to hear from mental health professionals and families in District 5.

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