NCDHHS Leaders and Community Partners Discuss Olmstead Plan During i2i Spring Conference

This week, NCDHHS leadership came together at the i2i conference to talk about the Olmstead Plan. This plan helps people with disabilities get the support they need to live the lives they want in their communities.

NDHHS leadership shared their vision for Olmstead alongside three panel discussions that featured people with lived experience and providers. Participants talked openly about what’s working well and what challenges still need to be addressed.

Helping people avoid institutional care is a key goal of the Olmstead Plan. One way to measure that progress is by the number of people with severe mental illness who move into community-based settings rather than Adult Care Homes or institutions.

Only 33 people moved into Adult Care Homes or institutions in 2024 out of all people with severe mental illness considering moving into an institution. Everyone else moved into community-based settings.

This is a big improvement compared to the same data in 2018, when about 1,000 people moved into Adult Care Homes. This represents around a 97% reduction in the number of people transitioning into institutional care between 2018 and 2024.

Rethinking guardianship is another huge milestone to note. This process has been simplified so people who have guardians can petition the court to ask for changes. Watch a video about how the rethinking guardianship process helped Tylor Freeman.

NCDHHS leaders affirmed NCDHHS’ commitment to continue building on this progress. Read the Olmstead Plan for more information about how NCDHHS is addressing the health and wellbeing of children and families, youth, adults and elderly people with disabilities.

Left to right: Ginger Yarbrough, Chief Clinical Officer for IDD, TBI & Olmstead; Niki Ashmont, Acting Director, State Operated Healthcare Facilities; Gregory Daniels, Associate Director, Behavioral Health and I/DD, NC Medicaid; Dr. David Clapp, Deputy Director, Behavioral Health and I/DD, NC Medicaid; and Deb Goda, Olmstead Director, Office of the Secretary.

Left to right: Josh Walker, Olmstead Housing Director; Dr. Tamara Smith, Associate Director, Olmstead & Transitions to Community Living; Kenneth Bausell, Senior Director of Employment and Community Access; Steve Strom, Program Director, Money Follows the Person.

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