Home Care In Union Cross, NC

A State Employees’ Credit Union land deal announced Wednesday will preserve a landmark building and bring new jobs to Chapel Hill, officials said.

The credit union signed a $35 million agreement to buy the former U.S. 15-501 headquarters of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. SECU officials could close this fall on the deal for the 39-acre site, which includes six houses and two vacant parcels of land.

SECU plans to upgrade and refurbish the building – a rhomboid, glass structure that opened in 1973 – as the home for a new disaster recovery center. The center will take advantage of an existing Blue Cross data center, backup generators and data communication lines, SECU President Jim Blaine said.

The move includes relocating an existing branch office on Elliott Road. SECU has seven Orange County branches and more than 70,000 members in the Chapel Hill area, officials said, but the Elliott Road office, which employs roughly two dozen people, has outgrown its location.

Blue Cross plans to lease back the property from SECU while completing the expansion of its 48-acre Durham campus. The move, which started in 2013, could wrap up by next summer, officials said.

Local officials called the deal good news for Chapel Hill and Orange County.

SECU will continue to pay taxes on the $35.4 million property; Blue Cross paid $584,889 in town, county and school district taxes last year. Dwight Bassett, the town’s economic development officer, said he expects SECU to add more jobs in the future.

“They thought that it would grow rather quickly,” he said, “because (information technology is) their fastest-growing division right now.”

The data center also would be less than a mile from GoTriangle’s planned Gateway light-rail transit station off Old Chapel Hill Road. The plan for the 17-mile Orange-Durham light rail line is that land surrounding the stations would be developed with a dense mix of homes, offices and retail.

Bassett said the first step is getting the data center off the ground and deciding how the customer service branch fits that space. Company officials are aware of plans for the light rail station, he said, and have indicated a desire to work with the town to ensure community benefits.

SECU officials are not developers, Blaine said, but they “can take a little longer view” of how the property might be used. The company could lease the space that it won’t use initially to UNC and others in the community, he said.

Much of the business will be automated, he said, but SECU has many younger workers and could grow into the building. Transit connections among Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh would make dense development more attractive, he said.

SECU had been looking several years for the right location, said Blaine, who is a Chapel Hill native. The Blue Cross building’s underground data center “allows us to avoid incurring the cost of trying to replicate that,” he said. The building itself will be retrofitted to modern standards.

Architect A.G. Odell Jr.’s firm designed the international, contemporary style building in the late 1960s. The exterior is covered with nearly 5,000 panes of reflective glass, and the rectangular floors – 90 feet wide by 550 feet long – are roughly the length of two city blocks.

The five-story, 240,000-square-foot building has an open, flexible floor plan. About 900 Blue Cross employees still work there, but company officials had said the building was too costly to operate and no longer met the needs of its workforce.

David Bracken contributed

Grubb: 919-932-8746

This story was originally published July 1, 2015, 11:26 AM.

A trauma-informed approach to mental health will empower youth to heal, build resilience and navigate emotional challenges with greater effectiveness and long-term well-being

CHICAGO, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced a partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to combat the youth mental health crisis in the United States through trauma-informed approaches to behavioral health care. By investing more than $10 million over four years, this partnership will help Boys & Girls Clubs of America implement trauma-informed practices in its more than 5,000 Clubs by 2026 to train over 48,000 staff to better support the emotional and mental well-being of over 3.6 million children.

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"The United States has been grappling with a growing and alarming youth mental health crisis that demands a multi-faceted approach to provide kids with the tools they need to confront the challenges they face in school, at home and in their everyday lives," said Kim Keck, BCBSA president and CEO. "Between 5,000 Clubs across the country and the Blues' deep roots in every Zip code, together we are uniquely positioned to intervene early, get kids the help they need, and set them on the path for the future they deserve."

With BCBSA's support, Boys & Girls Clubs of America will be able to incorporate trauma-informed practices in Clubs across the country by:

"Providing physical and emotional safety for our young people is fundamental to everything we do in Boys & Girls Clubs," said Jim Clark, Boys & Girls Clubs of America president and CEO. "We know every child and teen is better equipped to succeed when we meet them where they are to address their needs, and that includes providing access to reliable mental health resources and support. Through our partnership with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, we're eager to expand our trauma-informed work in Clubs and deepen their capacity to serve as safe places for youth across the nation."

Today's youth are living through a time of increasingly collective trauma with almost half of youth experiencing a mental health disorder. While the pandemic exacerbated the mental health crisis, trauma, isolation and other societal factors are increasingly impacting youth mental health at staggering rates.

New BCBSA research finds that diagnosed rates of anxiety among those 13 to 18 years of age have steadily risen between 2017 and 2021 and rates of ADHD and depression have grown roughly 50% to 60% during the same period. Black and Hispanic youth with a mental health condition are more likely to have negative outcomes compared to their white counterparts. And all youth of color, as well as youth in rural areas are less likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions.

This national partnership builds off the more than 250 mental health programs that Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies offer to meet the unique needs of their local communities. A localized approach to care fosters trust, accessibility and engagement, making it easier for young people to access the mental health resources and support they need to thrive.

"When we come together, I believe we can meaningfully improve children's lives and turn the tide on today's youth mental health crisis," Keck said.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield AssociationThe Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 34 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaFor more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,000 Clubs serve over 3.6 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Kelsey Chmiel and the North Carolina State women’s cross country team were at it again last Saturday in Stillwater, Okla.

Chmiel, a senior from Saratoga Springs and a Saratoga High graduate, finished third out of 254 runners to help the Wolfpack women win their second straight Division I championship. She earned her second straight first team All-American honor with a 6,000-meter time of 19:37.1. She finished sixth in last year’s meet. She also earned second team All-American honors by finishing ninth as a sophomore and 22nd as a freshman.

The team finished with 114 points, 26 ahead of runner-up New Mexico in the 31-team field.

The senior was the fourth best finisher for the Syracuse men’s cross country team at the Division I Championship last Saturday in Stillwater, Okla. The Orange finished 12th, their best showing since 2016. The Guilderland High graduate finished 82nd out of 255 runners with a 10,000-meter time of 30:04.9. Columbia senior Tyler Berg (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High) earned an at-large bid to the meet and was 78th with a time of 30:02.2.

The Oneonta senior finished first in the 285-pound class at the Eastern Collegiate Wrestling Conference Tournament last Saturday in Oswego. The Hoosick Falls High graduate won his first two matches with pins and took a 6-0 decision in the semifinals. In the championship match he rallied to tie the match and then went on to win the title with a 3-1 sudden victory. The effort earned Pine All-Conference honors and lifted his early-season record to 10-1.

The graduate student led the William Smith field hockey team in scoring, the Herons finishing 17-5 after dropping a 1-0 decision to Johns Hopkins in the Division III NCAA Tournament second round. The Saratoga High graduate started all 22 games and finished with 32 points. She had 14 goals and four assists and four of her goals were game winners.

The 6-foot-5 redshirt senior is off to a big start for the Daemen men’s basketball team, the Wildcats 2-1 after a 62-61 loss to Mercyhurst in a non-league game on Nov. 16. The Watervliet High graduate had 17 points and six rebounds in the game. The guard/forward is second on the team in scoring with a 15.3 average. He’s averaging 6.0 rebounds a game. Last season, he averaged 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 29 games.

The 5-foot-10 sophomore has helped the Bluefield State (N.J.) women’s basketball team start the season with a 5-0 record. The Queensbury High graduate has started all five games and is averaging 7.6 points and is second on the team in rebounding with a 6.6 average. Thomas leads the team in blocked shots with five and has nine steals and seven assists.

The senior outside hitter, a Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High graduate, was named to the Empire 8 Conference second team after helping the St. John Fisher women’s volleyball team post a 21-8 record. She finished with 212 kills, 186 digs and a .228 attack percentage. Freshman Libero Kiera Hartpence (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High) finished with 357 digs, 87 assists and 33 service aces.

The graduate student led the 14-4-1 Babson women’s soccer team in scoring with 21 points on seven goals and seven assists. She had two game winners. The Niskayuna High graduate was named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference first team and was selected on the College Soccer Coaches All-Region Academic team. Sophomore Olivia Maltbie (Niskayuna High) was named to the CSC All-Region and the NEWMAC All-Academic teams.

Nov 22, 2022

Bill Arsenault is a frequent contributor to the Times Union.

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A nonprofit and a nurses union lodged a complaint Monday to block the reorganization of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, charging state regulators failed to properly apply a series of tests meant to ensure the reorganization would benefit the insurer’s policyholders.

The filing by New Jersey Citizen Action and Health Professionals and Allied Employees claims the state Department of Banking and Insurance erred when it found the reorganization would not lead to higher insurance premiums. The plaintiffs allege the reorganization failed to comport to a 2020 law enabling Horizon’s move to a new corporate structure.

“The state of New Jersey is putting policyholders at risk without doing due diligence to ensure this move by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, our biggest insurer, is in their best interests,” said HPAE President Debbie White.

A spokesperson for the Department of Banking and Insurance declined to comment.

As part of Horizon’s reorganization, the insurer will pay the state $600 million in June to make up for a $50 million reduction in its annual tax burden. It will pay an additional $625 million over the next 17 years.

The firm additionally won approval to spend $300 million on the creation of for-profit subsidiaries and other investments, including in medical practices. Horizon itself would remain a nonprofit.

The plaintiffs claim those payments and the $300 million in spending are functionally a tax increase that will push premiums upward.

“Horizon can’t have it both ways,” said Maura Collinsgru, director of policy and advocacy for New Jersey Citizen Action. “Horizon testified repeatedly that higher taxes drive up premiums and the commissioner agreed. Given the high increases policyholders are already suffering, the reorganization’s payouts will drive up premiums by Horizon’s own logic even higher for millions of New Jerseyans.”

Horizon, the largest health insurance firm in the state and the biggest nonprofit of its kind in New Jersey, has said the reorganization of its corporate structure would allow it to reduce its tax burden and remove regulatory hurdles that it said made it unable to compete with for-profit insurers.

At a hearing in October, Horizon general counsel Jennifer Velez told state officials the move to a mutual holding company would allow the insurer to shed limits on investment size, avoid a unique tax on premiums, and remove caps on revenue from certain services, including Medicaid.

A spokesperson for Horizon declined to comment on the suit, to which the insurer is not a party. The insurer has roughly 3.7 million policyholders and administers health benefits for public health plans that cover more than 800,000 state, local, and county government workers.

Horizon has recently faced criticism from local and union officials over premium increases in excess of 20% for the State Health Benefit Plan.

The suit also questions the propriety of the department’s finding that the reorganization would benefit Horizon’s policyholders, as the legislation enabling the structural shift requires.

A health impact study conducted by consultant Manatt Health that was released after the state’s banking and insurance commissioner, Marlene Caride, approved Horizon’s reorganization found the restructuring is in line with the law.

Caride’s department faced criticism for the breakneck pace at which it approved Horizon’s transformation into a mutual holding company.

The enabling legislation requires the department to hold three public hearings on the reorganization within a 90-day span. The hearings followed a far tighter schedule, with all three held during a two-week period in October. Caride approved the restructuring on Nov. 4.

“We believe the Banking and Insurance Department has moved too quickly and that this decision should not be rushed,” White said.

Diamondback Investment Group, which is planning the 460-plus-acre Castleton Village residential development in the Jamestown area, has plans to develop a multifamily housing community in a fast-growing Triad location.

The yet-to-be-named Kernersville development (for now, referred to as "Glennview") includes 275 two-story townhomes on 47.1 acres along Glennview Drive, off Union Cross Road, southeast of the Union Cross interchange with Interstate 40. Diamondback partner Zach Tran told Triad Business Journal that Glennview would have one builder.

Tran said Diamondback has an option on the property, which has an assessed total value of $926,900 and is owned by the Edith S. Blackburn Family Trust. The development would consist of townhomes ranging from 1,600 to 2,200 square feet with attached one-car garages. Tran said construction was on track to begin in July but was unsure what, if any, effect the COVID-19 pandemic would have on the timeline.

A zoning change from "Business Center" to "Mixed Residential" for Glennview was recommended last week by Kernersville's planning board. The Board of Aldermen is expected to vote on it in April.

Tran said he expects the townhomes, shown on the site map in buildings with 4-6 units, to sell from the upper $100,000s to the low-$200,000. The plans include a mail kiosk, pool area with cabana, dog park, two wet ponds, and 3.63 acres of landscaped, common open space along Glennview Drive that will act as a linear buffer. Stub streets will be to the north and west for future connections.

Accessible from Union Cross via right turn only, the property has been marketed for non-residential purposes for more than nine years. Kernersville had attempted to convince the adjacent Caleb's Creek residential development to purchase the property.

The property is across Union Cross Road from new development, including Bojangles', O'Reilly Auto Parts and Sheetz, and is near Glenn High School. On March 5, Triad Business Journal reported that construction was ready to begin on a Tractor Supply Co. store behind Bojangles'. Just north of I-40, Chris Parr is developing The Grand at Union Cross, a 272-unit apartment community, behind the new Cracker Barrel restaurant.

As TBJ reported March 4, Diamondback responded to feedback from Jamestown residents at a pair of Feb. 13 meetings with a new Castleton Village site plan that replaces a commercial area with playing fields across from the Cedarwood neighborhood and moves an amenities center with a swimming pool further from the Jordan Creek neighborhood. Tran said Diamondback is waiting on Jamestown to vote on a proposed PUD ordinance before moving forward on Castleton Village.