Coastal Horizons Center has expanded its horizons in recent weeks by formalizing relationships with other nonprofit organizations.

On Friday, the private, nonprofit behavioral health agency based in Wilmington announced a merger with Our Children’s Place. Now called Our Children’s Place of Coastal Horizons Center, the organization serves as an advocate and education resource for children of incarcerated parents.  

Friday’s announcement comes on the heels of other news involving Coastal Horizons. Wilmington Health Access for Teens (WHAT) and Coastal Horizons recently entered into a management agreement and will be working together to provide adolescents and families in the community with primary care services, mental health counseling and risk reduction education.

A final merger of the two organizations will take place on or before July 1, according to the WHAT announcement.

The formal combinations of agencies help all of the organizations expand their reach, news releases said.

“We look forward to working together to create a statewide community where children of incarcerated parents are recognized and supported rather than shamed and stigmatized,” said Karen Chapple, executive vice president of operations for Coastal Horizons Center in the release on Our Children's Place. 

Our Children’s Place has partnered with Coastal Horizons for years, with both organizations working to support families enmeshed in the criminal justice system, the release said.

Melissa Radcliff, executive director of Our Children’s Place, will continue in her role and the program will continue to be based in the Triangle.

“The work of Our Children’s Place directly relates to the mission and beliefs of Coastal Horizons Center, and together we will expand our involvement in, and impact on, the lives of the families we serve,” Chapple said.
 
The same is true for WHAT.
 
"WHAT and Coastal Horizons have had a long history of working together ... The WHAT Board of Directors and its leadership are excited about the increased opportunities to better serve the community by joining Coastal Horizons Center. As one entity, we will have greater impact and broader reach in our community," said Joy Grady, executive director of WHAT.

In the announcement about WHAT, Coastal Horizons president and CEO Margaret Weller-Stargell said, "Collaborations, mergers and acquisitions are a growing trend in the healthcare industry, and Coastal Horizons Center and WHAT are excited about the opportunities to create greater efficiencies and effectiveness in our delivery of healthcare services, such as developing a more robust electronic medical record (EMR) as well as continued delivery of evidenced based practices to better improve the outcomes for both the adult and adolescent populations we serve. Our Board of Trustees and Management are committed to ensuring the continued viability and sustainability of these two organizations."

Explaining specifics about the organization, Friday's OCP announcement said that the work of Our Children’s Place focuses on educating professionals about the impacts of parental incarceration; identifying and promoting policies, programs, and practices which improve the outcomes for their children; and supporting the relationship between children and their parents, not only to benefit the children, but also to ensure that the corrections system, agencies focused on serving families, and surrounding communities understand how best to facilitate those interactions.

The organization also works to coordinate Parent Days, so children have opportunities to interact with their incarcerated parents, and keep affected children’s needs in mind at the time of a parent’s arrest, during incarceration, and when they've finished serving their sentences.    
 
"We are pleased to become part of Coastal Horizons Center, an organization with a long history of identifying community needs and providing opportunities for individual and families to make better choices. We are excited about the chance to add the perspective of children of incarcerated parents to the work Coastal Horizons is doing throughout the state," said Chris Blue, outgoing board chair of Our Children’s Place, in Friday's announcement.
 
Coastal Horizons Center’s work in criminal justice focuses on alternatives to incarceration, diversion and re-entry programs, the release said. The Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) program provides assessment, referral and linkage to treatment and advocacy within the justice system for adults in in 53 counties of North Carolina.  Coastal Horizons also provides Recidivism Reduction Services (RRS) programs in eight counties via a contract with the N.C. Department of Public Safety. 

The most recent addition to Coastal Horizons in the area of criminal justice services is the ReEntry for Effective Systems of Treatment (RESET). 

"This program has a priority service area for women who are incarcerated in jail or prison and have a substance use and mental health disorder. The women are assessed while they are incarcerated and then linked to services in New Hanover County to enhance their likelihood of reduced recidivism. This program is currently funded by the U. S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and is a partnership between the City of Wilmington and LINC, Inc.," the release said.