The Bladen County Commissioners have been asking a lot of questions about mental health and getting answers. Some answers are leaving more questions.
Eastpointe, the Managed Care Organization for Bladen County’s Mental Health, Behavioral and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Services provided the commissioners with a presentation of services and a Needs and Gaps report.
The Eastpointe LME MCO Community Behavioral Health Service Needs, Providers and Gaps Analysis has a graph showing in the Fiscal Year 2015 the percentage of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Medicaid members [patients] served in Eastpointe’s area falls under the state average at about 5% served.
The same report shows gaps of service in the six disability populations. All but two populations show 60% or more are underserved with services they need. Children with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities are 90% underserved by Eastpointe and Children with Substance Abuse needs are 85% underserved according to the report.
The same report shows the Overdose Deaths Comparison from 2013-2014 went from 2 deaths in 2013 to 7 deaths in 2014. The 2016 Needs, Providers and Gaps Analysis report Eastpointe provided our local Commissioners does not show Overdose Deaths Comparison details from the Fiscal year 2015 or 2016. The report also uses the 2014 summary of issues and strategies under their progress and achievements in addressing gaps. Some local citizens and officials are concerned with the lack of 2015 and 2016 information.
While Eastpointe staff presented an overview of their service to Bladen County Commissioners they mentioned to the Bladen County board, Eastpointe Human Services approving consolidation with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. This week numerous reports address concerns about the North Carolina state’s Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions Performance Audit.
Following are the key findings of audit:
1. Cardinal spent money exploring strategic opportunities outside of its core mission
2. $1.2 million in CEO salaries paid without proper authorization
3. Cardinal’s unreasonable spending could erode public trust
The News & Observer reported about the state’s audit finding the $1.2 million pay for government employees without required state approval and other concerns. According to the News & Observer report, Amy Kendall, Cardinal’s chief administrative officer voiced Cardinal Innovations responses to the audit and added, “The auditor did not find any problems with the way Cardinal is managing patient care.”
The report Eastpointe provided to the Bladen County Commissioners has a graph with Cardinal Innovation members served falling below the state average as a Managed Care Organizations (MCO) for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse for their Medicaid members at about 6% of members served. According to the same report Cardinal’s non-insured members served also fall well below the state average with only 1% non-insured members served.
Local officals and citizens have contacted BladenOnline.com stating concerns with the reports. Some Bladen County officials stated there is a need to discuss the mental health issues with our state elected officals because currently the mental health services for Bladen County are managed at the state level. However, each member of the Bladen County Board of Commissioners expressed concerns to Eastpointe and Cardinal at recent meetings. All the commissioners reported they have been working on getting results for the Opioid Epidemic and the lack of mental health services by working with Eastpointe and state elected officials.
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