ValueOptions
About
ValueOptions (VO) is the company which denies the funding for whatever mental health service you might happen to vitally need at the moment. They are sort of like corporate Norns, apparently with only one computer and one phone between them which they are constantly fighting over.
From VO's web page for NC Medicaid: "ValueOptions provides utilization review for all residential services regardless of bed size for individuals under 21 years of age. .. A Person-Centered Plan is required for all residential services."
Reports through backchannels indicate that The Durham Center is already planning to get rid of them (and bring this "service" back in-house), but the 2008 financial meltdown and subsequent recession have pushed this off to April 2010 (as of November 2009; was originally planned for this past July).
There is more at HTYP.