Addressing Mental Health in Cabarrus

Shape of a Man's Head With a Burning Brain

Local Mental Health News

Independent Tribune, July 25, 2019: ‘It’s Your Business’: Teens with mental disorder make products for community at camp

Independent Tribune, July 22, 2019: Work on updated Cabarrus Community Needs Assessment to start in fall (sixth and final story in series about address mental health illness and finding resources in Cabarrus County)

Independent Tribune, July 19, 2019: Daymark Recovery offers treatment services for mental health issues

Independent Tribune, July 18, 2019: ‘We take it very seriously’: County, school officials address mental health in schools

Independent Tribune, July 5, 2019: ‘Knowledge is power’: Learn about Mental Health First Aid

Independent Tribune, July 3, 2019: Finding ways around barriers to find mental health treatment

Independent Tribune, July 1, 2019: County leaders collaborate on ways to help mental health crisis

Independent Tribune, May 26, 2019: Teens paint a picture of mental health and substance use in Cabarrus County

Independent Tribune, May 7, 2019: How Cabarrus residents can achieve life balance this month

Independent Tribune, July 6, 2018: Daughter's overdose death spurs mom to raise awareness

WCNC, June 13, 2018: Mental Health 'first aid' training

Independent Tribune, May 30, 2018: Cabarrus prepares for 2-year program to battle opioid crisis

Independent Tribune, March 8, 2018: A CommUNITY Conversation about Prescription Opioid and Heroin Use

Spectrum News, February 3, 2018: Cabarrus Co hosts mental health first aid training

As part of the County’s commitment to addressing mental illness in Cabarrus, local leaders have initiated a series of opportunities to connect with our community and raise awareness of mental health. Learn how you can #bethedifference in Cabarrus.

Our goal is to ensure public safety, heighten public awareness and improve the treatment and recovery of individuals with mental illness in our community through appropriate evaluation, intervention, diversion and supervision.

What you can do

  • Enroll in one of MHA's free daylong Mental Health First Aid trainings
  • Equip yourself to reduce suicidal behaviors in others--take a 90-minute QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Training.
  • Learn how to break stigma and have an open dialogue about mental health at one of MHA's monthly Coffee & Conversations
  • Take the conversation on the road--host a Coffee & Conversation or other training at your workplace, home, school or church group, etc.
  • Take the pledge to break stigma. Visit National Alliance on Mental Health Stigma Free Pledge and add your name.

Mental Health Advisory Board

To actively move forward with the Stepping Up Initiative, Cabarrus County created a Mental Health Advisory Board. Approved by resolution in October 2016, this take force serves as a resource for determining early intervention efforts, assessing available mental health resources, and evaluating the criminal justice system and County jail for improvements in relation to their clients who suffer from mental illness.

The Mental Health Advisory Board is inclusive, with 25 positions for those who need, provide, respond to and use mental health services in Cabarrus County. This includes mayors, law enforcement, schools, public health, human services, EMS, mental health providers, judges, the District Attorney’s office, hospital, etc.

Initial discussions uncovered a wide spectrum of crosscutting issues and needs in our community. The County hopes to lead this effort to raise public awareness, improve access to services and care and improve crisis response—the most notable concerns and initial focus of the Mental Health Advisory Board.

The Mental Health Advisory Board is not in name only—it will provide recommendations with which the County can move forward. We will move forward by directing future decisions and funds to support this initiative. And we will move forward through open and honest conversations that give us the courage to admit our shortfalls as a community and the wisdom to make a change.

Anyone interested in serving on the Mental Health Advisory Board should submit their name to the clerk to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) by calling 704-920-2100