Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON -- Burke County commissioners Tuesday approved a formal plan for merging mental health services with Catawba County this summer.
The plan, which was formalized after several months of discussions between Burke and Catawba counties, outlines the strategy for combining mental health services, establishes bylaws and designates a governing structure for the new agency.
The board approved the plan 4-1 Tuesday, with commissioner Ruth Ann Suttle voting against it.
In March, commissioners voted to withdraw from Foothills Area Programs, the organization that administered mental health services in Burke and three other counties, and to merge with Catawba County's mental health agency.
Since then, representatives from each county have been meeting to talk about merger details, including budget, employee benefits and structure of the agency. The permanent merger is effective July 1.
Changes in state law last year required local mental health service agencies to serve populations of at least 200,000. The Burke-Catawba agency would serve about 241,000 people.
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