The grant awarded was announced recently by Kathy S. Baker, director of Planning & Collaboration and agency spokesperson.
The money will be used to expand integrated primary care/psychiatric services to people in Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties. The two-year grant will also expand the use of tele-psychiatry.
“Our organization has conducted a pilot project in Robeson County that integrates psychiatrists and primary care physicians in working together,” Baker said.
“Our organization has also been utilizing state-of–the-art tele-medicine equipment on a limited scale to make psychiatric services more easily accessible to citizens. The grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust will enable our organization to expand primary care/psychiatric integrated services to all four counties of the catchment area. Tele-medicine will be an integral component of this project in order to optimize the available resources,” said Baker, who authored the grant proposal.
Southeastern Regional Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services was established in 1964 and is the Local Management Entity that provides oversight for public behavioral health care services, encompassing an array of needs such as depression, anxiety, dementia, mental retardation, risk for delays, drug and alcohol abuse and more.
In 2008, more than 14,750 people received mental illness, developmental disability and substance abuse services in the four county area. Sharen Prevatte is the area director/CEO and Jeff Maidment is chairman of the board of directors.
The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust was created in 1947 by the will of Mrs. William N. Reynolds of Winston-Salem. Three-fourths of the trust’s grants are designated for use for health-related programs and services across North Carolina and one-fourth for the poor and needy of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
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