Officials say NC needs more mental health resources

CHARLOTTE — Confronting people with mental health issues is one of the most dangerous aspects of police work.

There was a confrontation Monday night at an apartment off East Independence Boulevard that resulted in a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer-involved shooting.

No officers were injured but the woman who officers were trying to help was shot.

Sources say that her young daughter was in the apartment with her and that officers heard a shot. Officers then made entry and ordered her not to go for her gun, but she did, CMPD said.

One officer fired their weapon.

The woman is expected to recover, and sources say she was combative with medical staff after she was taken to Atrium Health.

She was accused of attacking nurses with a pen and scissors.

The question is whether she can get the long-term mental help she needs in North Carolina.

There are 350 people per day who wait in emergency departments across the state for mental help, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Officials said that 94% of available beds are in use but 20% of beds are considered non-operational.

A spokesperson for NCDHHS says due to a lack of staff, they are using almost all the operational beds they have each day and that the state behavioral health system of care has been catastrophically underfunded for decades.

That shows up in the national rankings of mental health care.

North Carolina is 21st in the nation, according to a Forbes ranking. South Carolina ranked sixth place.

Texas was ranked the worst in the U.S., according to the Forbes list.

One of the big problems in the past is that many people could not afford to pay for mental help.

However, experts say that will improve now that the state accepted Medicaid expansion.

VIDEO: Woman involved in SWAT situation, now accused of stabbing nurse with pen

Woman involved in SWAT situation, now accused of stabbing nurse with pen

©2023 Cox Media Group