WS Chronicle

Special to The Chronicle

Dr. David Mount of the Maya Angelou Center in Winston-Salem has been selected to lead a new movement: a human services integration movement.

Directed by Mount, the N.C. Network for Human Services Integration to Prosperity is designed to address diversely expressed social justice concerns and community insecurity based upon decades of adverse psychosocial and behavioral health outcomes.

“Prosperity and holistic health equity through human services integration. We owe it to the nation and future generations to address integrated human service systems optimization that a decade ago seemed completely inaccessible,” Mount said.

Stakeholders from across North Carolina are calling for integrated human services with both service users and taxpayers firmly in mind.

Mary Annecelli, a longtime community advocate, stated: “Taxpayers want the public systems they finance to be responsive to concerns regarding systemic barriers to services as well as implementing strategies to address our concerns.”

“Vulnerable people want a chance at prosperity but fragmented human services delivery remains a losing social policy proposition in great need of redesign,” said Michael D. Connor, a professor of Theatre Arts, professional actor, playwright and director.

“This movement is essential as we must continue to remind ourselves that integrative health and healthcare is uniquely tied to the psychosocial determinants of health,” said William O. Ntim, MD, Cardiologist and Cardio-Oncology Program director, Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute Charlotte.

“An objective for the N.C. Network for Human Services Integration to Prosperity is to focus on transforming views and opportunities through radical public interest engagement,” said Dr. Thomas Coaxum, a longtime higher education administrator who chairs the board of directors at the Carter G. Woodson School in Winston-Salem.

Michael Wittenberg, a board director for CenterPoint Human Services Manage Care Organization that oversees mental health, substance abuse and intellectual/development disabilities services in Davie, Forsyth, Rockingham and Stokes counties pointed out: “The network’s objectives are more closely aligned with a strategic vision for generating new ideas for improving human services integration, fostering data-driven decision making, growing taxpayers engagement and championing innovative public policy.”

The Rev. Dr. Carton Eversley, a community organizing expert, speaks about Mount’s qualifications.

“Dr. David L. Mount brings a diverse set of community engagement and leadership talents as an ordained Elder, a fellowship trained neuropsychologist, a National Institutes of Health designated health disparities scholar, certified foster parent, researcher, elected healthcare liaison to the Minister’s Conference of Winston-Salem & Vicinity, and the past recipient of the Dr. Maya Angelou Service Appreciation Award at Wake Forest University School of Medicine,” Eversley said.