Healthy Citizens, Healthy Families, Healthy Economy

As a member of the Buncombe County Board of Health for over 12 years, one of the original board members of HealthPartners, and a current member of CarePartners Health Services, Patsy is knowledgeable about the need for and delivery of health services to the public. She is a firm believer in the research demonstrating that healthy children become healthy adults. Healthy adults, in turn, are much better equipped to become contributing members of society. Patsy will continue to:

• Support programs that promote wellness as a preventive health measure which will save valuable tax dollars.
• Support health insurance for all citizens, especially children; expand SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program).
• Support access to primary care for all citizens and prevent the need for emergency rooms as a source of primary care.
• Support a public option as part of national health care reform.
• Support the restructuring of mental health services – especially fund programs for adolescents and young children.
• Support drug  abuse prevention and rehabilitation programs which is a more fiscally responsible use of taxpayer money than building more prisons.
• Examine the distribution of funding for the developmentally disabled and streamline the process so that funds actually get where they are most needed.
• Help injured workers return to the workforce. Hard-working people who get injured on the job deserve care – not just some care, but the care that it takes to get them back on their feet and working again.