North Raleigh Today

North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai recently toured Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro. The facility is one of three psychiatric hospitals run by the state and serves 38 counties in eastern North Carolina. Accompanying the Secretary were Chief Deputy Secretary Dr. ClarLynda Williams-Devane, Deputy Secretary for Health Karen Burkes, Assistant Director of State Psychiatric Hospitals Heather Brewer, and hospital leadership.

During the visit, discussions focused on the hospital's current challenges and accomplishments. Cherry Hospital faces significant staffing issues, with a vacancy rate exceeding 21% and close to 200 positions unfilled. This shortage impacts the hospital's operational capacity, restricting it to 178 beds, despite having room for 259 beds.

The Senate budget proposal, which includes cuts to numerous positions within the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, threatens to further reduce staffing. This could permanently limit the number of patients Cherry Hospital, and other facilities, can serve.

Secretary Sangvai highlighted the importance of retaining healthcare positions, stating, "Workers who care for and ensure the health of North Carolinians are the backbone of our ability to prosper as a state. We need to retain these positions and funding for the Department to attract and maintain staff in critical positions."

The hospital is also focusing on the implementation of electronic health records to improve healthcare quality and increase efficiency. In addition, Cherry Hospital is enhancing support for capacity restoration services in the community and jails. This initiative recently expanded to the Wake County Detention Center, following successful expansions in Mecklenburg and Pitt Counties.