Justice System Spotlight: FIT Wellness; NCDHHS to Highlight Efforts to Support People Involved in the Justice System

MEDIA ADVISORY - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services along with FIT Wellness, part of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program (NC FIT), invites credentialed media on a tour and panel discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the FIT Wellness clinic in Raleigh. This event highlights efforts to expand access to behavioral health services for people involved in the justice system, as an estimated 50% of people in prisons and jails in North Carolina identify as having a mental health need and 75% identify as having a substance use disorder.

RALEIGH

Sep 13, 2024

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services along with FIT Wellness, part of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program (NC FIT), invites credentialed media on a tour and panel discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the FIT Wellness clinic in Raleigh. This event highlights efforts to expand access to behavioral health services for people involved in the justice system, as an estimated 50% of people in prisons and jails in North Carolina identify as having a mental health need and 75% identify as having a substance use disorder.

As part of its historic $835 million investment to transform behavioral health, the 2023-2025 state budget invests $99 million to support people involved in the justice system by increasing services related to diversion, reentry and capacity restoration. FIT Wellness is one of 29 reentry programs across the state helping coordinate care for people rejoining the community after incarceration to ensure successful integration and long-term recovery.

NCDHHS funding has created or expanded 23 diversion and deflection programs for substance use disorder across the state since 2022.

"We're supporting our justice system and law enforcement community with better tools to save lives, make their work easier, and over time, save money," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley.

Currently operating in Wake County, FIT Wellness offers continued psychiatric care for people with serious mental illness who are being released from state prison. Participants work with a Peer Support Specialist with a personal history of incarceration and other care team members who assist with the development of a comprehensive reentry plan for a participant's physical and behavioral health care needs. Currently, 18 prisons refer individuals to the program and 33% of patients have significant incarceration histories. 75% of FIT patients have no emergency department visit after release and 81% of patients have no hospitalizations after release.

Earlier this year, the department announced a $5.5 million investment in FIT Wellness to expand the program to Federally Qualified Health Centers serving Durham, Orange and New Hanover counties; support participant costs; and to promote training opportunities for medical students and psychiatry residence to enhance experience working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people with mental illness.

The department's behavioral health investments in services for the justice-involved population align with Governor Cooper's recently announced Executive Order No. 303, which provides for a whole-of-government approach to improving reentry for formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina.

Please join NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley, FIT Wellness leadership and staff and a FIT Wellness client to learn more about the work underway in North Carolina to help people involved in the justice system.

What: Justice System Spotlight: FIT Wellness

Who: Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary, NCDHHS
Kelly Crosbie, Director, DMH/DD/SUS, NCDHHS
Dr. Carrie Brown, Chief Psychiatrist, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, DMH/DD/SUS, NCDHHS
Dr. Ted Zarzar, Lead Psychiatrist for FIT Wellness
Dr. Evan Ashkin, Program Director for FIT Wellness
Shawn Baker, Community Health Worker
LaChrystal Williams, FIT Wellness Clinic Manager
Dr. Daniel Whitesides, Family Doctor
Anthony Ferarra, FIT Wellness Client

When: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024
10:30 a.m.-11:40 a.m.
Brief Tour, Panel Discussion followed by Press Q&A

Where: FIT Wellness
401 E. Whitaker Mill Road
Raleigh, NC 27604

Media: Credentialed media should arrive at 10:20 a.m. Please RSVP to [email protected] if you plan to attend.

Related Topics:

• Mental Health