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Local News Story
Changes on the way at NC mental health system
Raleigh, NC, 12.04.2008
AP
North Carolina Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue said Wednesday she is ``looking aggressively'' for a new chief of the state's troubled mental health system, indicating that Health and Human Services Secretary Dempsey Benton won't be a permanent part of her administration.
Perdue told WRAL-TV that Benton has agreed to stay on the job to help in the transition to his yet-announced successor.
``Secretary Benton has done a really good job of trying to fix the problems and make the train work again,'' she said. ``He has come into a situation that seemed to be broken when he took over, and he's trying as hard as he can and has been forthright.''
Perdue said she's been looking nationwide for her own HHS secretary. Benton became department secretary in September 2007 to replace Carmen Hooker Odom.
Benton has generally received good marks, leading to questions whether he would stay on after Gov. Mike Easley leaves office next month. But he's faced a system going through constant turmoil, including accusations of patient abuse and facilities that have lost federal backing.
The secretary told the News Observer that he told the Perdue team he did not want to continue in his position.
``I'm trying to get out of the day-to-day management responsibilities that I've had for a number of years,'' he said. ``I've done 40 years of public service, most of that being on the firing line management positions. I think I've completed that type of work.''
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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