Durham, North Carolina – Supporters gathered to fight for the Durham-based school that provides children with mental health care as the Wright School faces the threat of closure once again.
Cost-Cutting Proposal
The budget negotiations in the North Carolina (NC) senate includes the cost-cutting proposal for the Wright School. However, one of the NC house budget leaders did not support the proposal. House legislators would still back the school funding throughout the budget negotiations. The Durham-based school has served as an urgent care clinic for many children in the area, providing them with a unique mental health care facility.
Community Concern
Many community members were relieved to know that House legislators would still back the school funding in ongoing negotiations. Elizabeth Sydnor, originally from Raleigh honestly said that the school means the world to her. She was happy to know that somebody is coming to understand the school’s situation and the kids’ condition. The school, as a health care facility has served as an urgent care near me for children with behavioral and emotional issues.
Health Care Program
The Wright School has certainly served as an urgent care facility within the area. It is a residential program for 6 to 12 years old children with behavioral and emotional disorders. Sydnor’s son had a mood disorder, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and severe ADHD. Her son Burton, now 13 years old attended the school program twice. Burton was ten when he first attended the mental health care program as he could be aggressive, violent, and was restrained at times. Sydnor claimed that her son would be safe when in school, and that other people would be safe as well. She added that while Burton was in the program, she was able to learn how to better advocate for him, while Burton was able to learn on how to better advocate for himself.
Positive Reinforcement
Almost similar to other urgent care clinics that provide mental care, the school’s program make use of positive reinforcement techniques. The school is able to cater about 60 children every year, said Pete Rich, the school’s director. The majority of them are referred from different mental health agencies throughout NC. Aside from academics, the program also employs social skills, anger-coping techniques, problem-solving materials, occupational therapists and psychiatric consultants. A petition was organized last year to keep funding in place, which was able to collect 2,318 signatures, plus 1,264 this year in order to show continued support for children with mental health care issues back in sync with their families and the society.
