GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 881*

Short Title:  Single Portal Pilot/Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Harris; and Marvin.
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Referred to:  Human Resources.
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April 17, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO ESTABLISH SINGLE PORTAL OF ENTRY HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM PILOT PROJECTS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE STATE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Single Portal of Entry; definition.
"Single Portal of Entry Human Service Delivery System”means a system designed to integrate otherwise independent agencies and facilities into a unified and coordinated system wherein a client can make one application and be assured of consideration for all the services, whether local, regional, or State, which are available to address the client's individual needs.
Sec. 2.  Single Portal of Entry; pilot projects.
Five Single Portal of Entry Human Service Delivery Pilot projects shall be established to be administered by the Office of the Secretary, Department of Human Resources.  County and local units of government selected as pilot projects shall develop plans for the implementation of Single Portal of Entry Human Service Delivery Systems that may include one or more of the following:
(1)	The development of single application and intake systems to be used by all agencies providing human services.  Systems may address, within the constraints of federal and State information and eligibility requirements, the combination of and the design of application and intake forms;
(2)	The development of centralized case management systems to assure that human service clients access all services, for which they are eligible, through contact with one individual or agency, and the clients case is managed completely by one individual or agency;
(3)	The development of a common data base.  The design of the data base should allow access by service delivery personal to all non-confidential client data, or be designed in such a way as to provide a preliminary determination of eligibility without divulging confidential information;
(4)	The development of a single intake process, either centralized in one stand-alone agency or decentralized throughout the system of services;
(5)	The development of information and referral services to assist clients in locating appropriate services;
(6)	The development of a plan to co-locate or provide focal points for location of Human Service Agencies; and
(7)	The restructuring of local government authority and oversight to facilitate the coordinated planning, budgeting and delivery of human services.
Sec. 3.  Utilization of nonprofit human service agencies.
All pilot projects shall, to the fullest extent possible, incorporate the services provided by private nonprofit human services agencies into the single portal of entry service delivery plans.
Sec. 4.  Single Portal Plans.
The counties selected to develop plans shall provide detailed, comprehensive information regarding the design of the project, the projected cost of project implementation, the projected utilization of funding currently appropriated for agency administration, the projected utilization of the services provided by private nonprofit human service agencies, the projected fiscal impact of the project, and the projected benefits to the client and local and State government.
Sec. 5.  Project Steering Committee; appointments.
There is established in the Department of Human Resources, Office of the Secretary, a Single Portal of Entry Pilot Project Steering Committee.  The Secretary of the Department of Human Resources shall appoint members of the Committee, to include:
(1)	A representative from the County Commissioners Association;
(2)	A representative from United Way of North Carolina;
(3)	Representatives from other interested non-State agencies and organizations;
(4)	Representatives from agencies of the Department of Human Resources; and
(5)	Other interested parties as determined by the Secretary.
No legislators currently serving in the General Assembly may be appointed.
The Secretary of Human Resources or his designee shall serve as chair of the steering committee.
Sec. 6.  Steering Committee; duties.
The Single Portal of Entry Steering Committee shall devise:
(1)	The final application procedure for those seeking to be considered for funding;
(2)	The criteria for the development of the plan;
(3)	The selection criteria for pilot projects;
(4)	The time table for project development and planning reports; and
(5)	The criteria for the evaluation of the projected results of the pilot projects.
Sec. 7.  Pilot projects; selection.
(a)	Single Portal of Entry Pilot Projects shall be selected given the following consideration:
(1)	At least one project selected shall be from a rural area of the State;
(2)	At least one project selected shall be from one urban area of the State;
(3)	All projects should be selected giving consideration to the various methods of service delivery detailed in Section 2 of this act.
(4)	At least one project should be conducted in an area of the State having a multi-county health or mental health authority; and
(5)	At least one project should be conducted in an area of the State governed by a multi-county authority.
(6)	Each project selected must have the approval of the county commission, the area mental health authority, the area board of health, and the county department of social services.
Sec. 8.  Local government; powers and duties.
(a)	For the purposes of planning and implementing Single Portal of Entry Service Delivery Pilot Projects, units of local government shall have the authority to consolidate or restructure single county local governing and oversight boards, commissions, and authorities.  In this case the Single Portal of Entry Human Service Delivery Project oversight authority shall be vested in no less than one oversight authority to be separate from local government authorities.
(b)	In the event that the Single Portal of Entry plan calls for a consolidated or restructured oversight authority, the authority shall be appointed by the county commissioners.  In making such appointments, the county commission may consider members of the boards that are to be consolidated or restructured.
Sec. 9.  Reporting.
The Single Portal of Entry Steering Committee shall report quarterly to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations.
Sec. 10.  Pilot projects; implementation.
Projects may be implemented upon completion of the pilot project plan provided that:
(1)	The plan has been reviewed and approved by the Project Steering Committee;
(2)	The plan has been reviewed and approved by the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations;
(3)	The plan has been reviewed and approved by all local agencies and authorities; and
(4)	Funds are available.
Sec. 11.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, Office of the Secretary, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year and the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, for the planning and implementation of five Pilot Single Portal of Entry Human Service Delivery Projects.
Sec. 12.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.