Bill Summaries: S549 CHILD WELFARE/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PILOT/FUNDS.

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  • Summary date: Apr 5 2019 - View Summary

    Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Social Services, in collaboration with the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services (Division), to establish a two-year child welfare and behavioral health pilot project in Davie, Forsyth, Rockingham, and Stoke counties, to provide easier access to comprehensive services for children in foster care in regards to continuity of care, alternatives to therapeutic foster care, and uninterrupted care and services pending treatment of trauma. Establishes the pilot's purpose is to provide a trauma-informed integrated health foster care model to facilitate partnerships between county departments of socials services and local management entities/managed care organizations (LME/MCOs) regarding children placed in foster care. Sets nine goals of the pilot, including addressing safety and health needs of children with the application of trauma informed tools, and allowing for wrap-around services for the child to support a singular, unified goal of children in foster care having a single placement.

    Appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund for each year in the 2019-21 fiscal biennium to the Division of Social Services to implement the pilot. Restricts use of the funds to the provision of technical assistance and consultation to the counties, as described, and evaluation of the pilot to determine statewide viability. 

    Directs the Division of Social Service and the Division to report to the specified NCGA committee by October 1, 2022. Details minimum requirements of the report, including the average cost of providing alternatives to therapeutic foster care and a plan outlining the potential for replication across other counties.

    Effective July 1, 2019.