WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Thieves target a rehabilitation center in Wilmington for the fourth time this year.

Someone broke into the Ocean House Mental Health Association on South 16th Street and stole three computers and hundreds of dollars worth of food.

The facility provides services and resources to mentally ill adults.

Now the group only has one computer.

A language barrier, the undocumented status of many Latinos in Wilson and the cultural stigma of being mentally ill are all combining to keep some in the Latino population from getting help.

But the isolation that many Latinos find when they come to the United States, particularly for women, makes them prime candidates for mental health problems.

Emelina Marsh, Hispanic outreach specialist at Wesley Shelter, said despite the barriers of language and culture, her job is to help those Latinos in the Wilson community who need it.

To find those who may need help, Marsh goes into the Latino communities to talk to people.

But she said she must use the right words when telling someone he needs mental health screening.

Read more here …

To say living with a mood disorder is challenging is an understatement.

To live with it alone, or to feel like you are the only one in the world with a mood disorder, can be excruciating.

That’s why Concord resident Tina Kennon is reaching out to others with mood disorders. She is starting a new support group for people who suffer mood disorders and their family and friends.

Read more here …

Albemarle Mental Health Center last week paid a big chunk of money owed to private service providers, a move the agency’s director says should pave the way for providers to begin taking over services previously operated by AMHC staff.

The shift from “direct services” to a private provider network is part of the mental health reform called for by state officials.

Dick Oliver, who was appointed director of AMHC by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services in February after the AMHC Board of Directors relinquished control to the state in January, said providers had been paid $700,000.

Read more here …

Blames state’s deficient mental health system for overload of “abandoned” patients seeking care for chronic pain.

Following an investigation by the state medical board, a Burlington psychiatrist has had his license suspended.

Dr. Kenneth J. Headen, who has practiced psychiatry and addiction psychiatry at 804 S. Church St. since last March, will also complete a two-year probation.

The board’s investigation stemmed from improper documentation of patients’ records and medical histories, and improper diagnosis of conditions or follow-ups on their drug use after prescribing narcotics several years ago while practicing from his former Reidsville office.

Read more here …

An annual “Point in Time” count of a five-county area showed fewer homeless people in Rowan County this year than last.

Rowan was the only county in the Piedmont Regional Continuum of Care to show a decrease, according to the results of the Jan. 28 count. The continuum also includes Cabarrus, Davidson, Stanly and Union counties.

The count for Rowan was 93, down from 148 last year, which was also down from 220 the previous year. The count for 2006 was 125, and the count for 2005 was 58.

This year, Davidson had the highest count with 201, followed by Cabarrus with 130, Rowan’s 93, Union with 89 and Stanly with 54. Rowan County had the highest count in 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Read more here …

RALEIGH — Less than $60 a day. That’s how much adult care home operators receive to care for older adults who need help caring for themselves. The money is expected to pay for everything from a place to live and three meals a day to assistance with a variety of personal needs and much more. It falls woefully short.

The result: Adult care homes across North Carolina are experiencing a financial crisis. And it is a crisis that threatens to affect the quality of care if it is not addressed quickly.

Read more here ….

A state investigation has been launched against The Beacon Center, which has been accused by African-American mental health service providers of discriminating against them and making it difficult for them to stay in business.

State investigators will be at The Beacon Center Monday to launch their inquiry into whether there has been racial discrimination at the center, which oversees mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services for Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe and Greene counties.

In addition to looking into the discrimination charges, investigators will also look into how the center is spending its money and complaints from parents about the lack of services for their developmentally disabled children.

Tim Williford, a Beacon Center Board member and Wilson County commissioner, said he is troubled by the racial allegations and doesn’t believe that they are true. Nevertheless, Williford said he and other board members have asked state officials to do an independent investigation of the allegations.

Read more here …