The SEANC View

A Correctional Captain's Perspective on the Vacancy Crisis

In this episode, SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins and Communications Director Jon Owens sit down with First Vice President Wendell Powell, a Captain at Harnett Correctional Institution. Powell delves deep into an urgent issue plaguing the North Carolina prison system - the ongoing correctional staff shortage. 
Wendell talks about the changes he's seen in his 20+ years in corrections, from his early days having a team of 40 officers to the present dire scenario where less than ten officers are tasked with managing hundreds of inmates every day. Through this episode, Wendell highlights the grave impact of staff shortages, and emphasizes how detrimental they are to the primary rehabilitation missions of the prison.
The episode also underscores the importance of respect in uplifting staff morale while pointing to the risks of privatization. Lastly, we touch upon the dire need to address the mental health of correctional officers, shedding light on the significance of individual roles in ensuring a smoothly functioning system. 
We end with a little Taylor Swift Grammy talk and Ardis professes her love for Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."

State Health Plan nixes weight loss drug coverage

By a 4-3 vote on Thursday, the State Health Plan Board of Trustees voted to end coverage of GLP-1 drugs for the treatment of weight loss on April 1, including for those patients currently grandfathered in. The Plan will continue to cover the drugs in the treatment of diabetes.
The vote came after a long debate over the drugs’ cost and impact on the State Health Plan. Around 25,000 members currently take the drugs – five times as many as this time last year. Continued coverage of the drugs would result in a $48.50 increase in premiums for all plan members.
In our first podcast episode, SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins and Communications Director Jon Owens dive into the topic. Why are these drugs four times higher in the US than in Europe? What's a PBM? Who is really to blame here?