Inside Raleigh’s FIT Wellness, the new clinic helping former inmates
The NC Department of Health and Human Services invites media to tour Raleigh’s FIT Wellness clinic on Sept. 17, highlighting expanded behavioral health services for justice-involved individuals.
In a groundbreaking move to address the intersection of mental health and criminal justice, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is opening its doors to showcase a program that’s changing lives. On Sept. 17, 2024, the FIT Wellness clinic in Raleigh will host a tour and panel discussion, highlighting efforts to expand behavioral health services for justice-involved individuals.
Here’s some more information about the event and clinic.
The need for change
With an estimated 50% of people in North Carolina’s prisons and jails identifying as having a mental health need and 75% with a substance use disorder, the state is taking decisive action. The 2023-2025 state budget includes a historic $835 million investment to transform behavioral health, with $99 million dedicated to supporting justice-involved individuals.
About FIT Wellness
FIT Wellness, part of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program (NC FIT), is at the forefront of this initiative. Operating in Wake County, it offers continued psychiatric care for people with serious mental illness being released from state prison.
The program’s approach is unique:
- Participants work with Peer Support Specialists who have personal histories of incarceration.
- Comprehensive reentry plans address both physical and behavioral health needs.
- The program receives referrals from 18 prisons, with 33% of patients having significant incarceration histories.
- Results are promising: 75% of FIT patients have no emergency department visits after release, and 81% avoid hospitalizations.
Expanding the impact
In a press release, NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley emphasized the broader goal: “We’re supporting our justice system and law enforcement community with better tools to save lives, make their work easier, and over time, save money.”
The department recently announced a $5.5 million investment to expand FIT Wellness to Federally Qualified Health Centers in Durham, Orange, and New Hanover counties. This expansion aligns with Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 303, aiming to improve reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals across North Carolina.
As the state continues to bridge the gap between mental health care and criminal justice reform, the FIT Wellness program stands as a beacon of hope and a model for innovative, compassionate care.
Attend the event
The “Justice System Spotlight: FIT Wellness” event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. It will include a tour, panel discussion, and press Q&A at FIT Wellness (401 E. Whitaker Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27604).
Credentialed media can RSVP to news@dhhs.nc.gov.
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