November 10, 2010; Source: Charlotte Observer | It is not just smaller organizations disbanding right now, In Mecklenberg County, North Carolina the county’s mental health department has severed its ties with a $6 million-a-year program called Open Door and it is dissolving.
Open Door is currently under investigation by the FBI for a string of apparent misdeeds. One problem that surfaced was the use of residents’ social security money, which was supposed to be put into custodial accounts for the organization’s operating budget. This money has since been replaced by the organization.
Also HUD cited the 25-year-old agency for inadequate record keeping and then an internal investigation at Open Door found that unauthorized advances and credit card expenses totaling $200,000 were taken from the organization by the executive director. Another organization will be adopting much of the work of Open Door.–Ruth McCambridge
