North Carolina: memogate and upended reform
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| Topics: hospitals, politics
The North Carolina News Observer learned of a standing order to destroy memos and emails after running a series about the “poorly executed mental health reform plan” in early March, leading to a “memogate” crisis for Gov. Mike Easley.
The bad news keeps coming. Spending $400 million to outsource community services to private companies, North Carolina experienced staggering shortages and poor staffing for people needing mental health service. Since 2000, in state run hospitals, at least 82 patients died suspiciously. Last week Easley ordered all deaths be reported to local medical examiners. Previously this applied only those caused by suicide, violence or an unknown cause, were reported, and the families were not always told the circumstances.
