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Forsyth County Continues Efforts To Part Ways With Cardinal Innovations

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in November to have staff begin the process of disengaging from Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. On Thursday, the board approved the disengagement plan and also approved the county’s realignment with Partners Behavioral Health Management. File Photo: KERI BROWN/WFDD

Forsyth County could soon have a new provider for mental health services in the community. County commissioners recently approved a plan to disengage with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare and realign with a new provider.

Cardinal is the state's largest behavioral health managed-care organization. It oversees providers for mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services for Medicaid recipients.

Forsyth County officials say they've received a list of complaints, from access and placement for children in social services custody, to timely transition for care after emergency room visits or hospitalization.

Cardinal Innovations says it has worked with the county and has made improvements. But local leaders say it's not enough.

“Our ultimate and top priority is to ensure a seamless transition going from Cardinal to Partners Behavioral Health Management and our teams will be working very hard and diligently to ensure that for our residents,” says Forsyth County Deputy Manager Shontell Robinson.

A public comment period for the proposed changes will take place.

The county plans to submit its formal written request to disengage with Cardinal to the state by the end of June.

Ultimately, the final decision will rest with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, who has 90 days to approve the change.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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