ChosenFast.com

Some of Western North Carolina’s mental health patients could be left without care in October when the region’s largest provider closes its doors, the company’s chief executive said today.

Will Callison, chief executive officer of New Vistas – Mountain Laurel, said people who rely on state funds to pay for their mental health care instead of Medicare, Medicaid or insurance might have no where to turn after Oct. 31.

Read more on 10,000+ In Western NC Losing Mental Health Services…

As officials continue to move mentally ill folks out of state facilities and into local communities that are often ill-prepared to care for them, Wake County is training law enforcement officers “to recognize symptoms of mental illness and defuse problems without violence… [S]tate and county mental health officials, advocates for the mentally ill and law enforcement agencies have teamed up to offer a voluntary 40-hour training program in crisis intervention.”

Read more on Cops Train to Respond to Mental Health Crisis…

Beth at Greensboring wrote a recent post about her encounter with a homeless panhandler on High Point Road. She wasn’t sure how to handle the situation, but she chose to buy the man breakfast. Great choice, and the one that I most often encourage people to do. If someone tells you they’re hungry, and you’re willing and able to give them something to eat, then by all means, do so.

Read more on On Panhandling & Chronic Homelessness In Greensboro…

Lex covered the Stand Down for homeless veterans in Greensboro on Friday. (Lex’s N&R article is here. My previous post is here.)

Of the 102 vets who came, 74 enrolled in Veterans Affairs’ homeless program, said Mark Byrd, a social worker at the Salisbury hospital, who helped organize the event.

Read more on Stand Down…

“For you have heard of my previous way of life… BUT WHEN GOD… then I went… and they praised God because of me.”

An interruption brings life. May it be so for each of us.

Read more on But When God……

Two articles in this morning’s New & Record caught my eye with their opposite commentaries on whiteness. (Neither article is currently posted at N&R, but I found them both online elsewhere.)

One article discussed the new season of Survivor and the controversial decision to divide the teams by race:

Read more on Whiteness: 2 Views…

I just wanted to share what Steve Still from Salvation Army wrote about this week’s NightWatch:

“As we walked along a stretch of the tracks that weave in and out through our town, I couldn’t help but wonder what or who we might find. We had a guide named Danny and he was excited to know that now he could put a face with the name. He had heard that we might be coming during the night to visit and maybe have some food or basics to leave. Mainly he was just glad that we made it. After about 100 yards we turned off the tracks onto a barely visible foot path. Through the trees you could just make out a light and hear muffled voices. As we turned the corner there it was, not too much unlike any other and yet uniquely its own.

Read more on NightWatch: “Her home has no walls…”…

At long last, the Pete and Ricky video, “Not Enough,” is on YouTube. (Thanks, Rick !) Pete and Ricky are friends who lived under a downtown Greensboro bridge for four years before moving into a home earlier this year. Their story was recently told by Tina Firesheets in the News & Record. This video shows them when they were still under the bridge. The video also shows the NightWatch team in action.

Read more on Video: Pete & Ricky Under the Bridge: “Not Enough”…

Driving home from a morning NightWatch meeting. Looking at the big, beautiful houses in the neighborhood next to ours. My flesh is wondering what it would be like to come home to one of those. My spirit is reminding me that “in My Father’s house are many mansions.” Yes, Lord, I can wait.

Read more on Prayer for Today: My Mansion Can Wait…

In her article about the South Elm Redevelopment Commission public hearing, the Carolina Peacemaker’s Faye Barber has a different take on the response to my concerns about the homeless folks in that area. Compare Barber’s article to my 8/22/06 blog post and Richard Barron’s News & Record article.

Read more on Well… Not Exactly…

“I’m just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
About somebody
Who can save anybody.”
– old Gospel song, sung for the NightWatch team by a homeless friend

We all loved his song, because that’s our story, too.

Read more on NightWatch: Tell Everybody…

It’s official: “NightWatch” is one word. And it’s becoming something of a brand, as well. In the past, it’s been written both as NightWatch and Night Watch (I’ve used the latter), but now that other Salvation Army groups are beginning to do street outreach and use the name, the one-word “NightWatch” has become official. Rather than try to sift back through all my (many!) posts and change it, I’m just declaring it officially here, and henceforth, Night Watch becomes NightWatch!!

Read more on From Night Watch to NightWatch…