GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1991 SESSION

CHAPTER 711
SENATE BILL 814

AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOME AND COMMUNITY CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 143B-181.9A reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B-181.9A.  Advisory Committee on Home and Community Care.
(a)	There is established the Advisory Committee on Home and Community Care for Older Adults within the Department of Human Resources.  In order to achieve a coordinated, county-based, full service system for older adults and their families, this Committee shall recommend to the Department of Human Resources and the General Assembly the design and implementation of managed care programs for high-risk older adults at the county level; initiatives and strategies to address the social, income security and employment, mental health, health, and housing needs of at-risk older adults.  To the end of achieving coordinated Programs on Aging in all North Carolina counties that both care for and invest in older adults, the Committee shall make recommendations regarding common service standards and guidelines for county-based Programs on Aging, county aging plans, and managed care programs for high-risk older adults.  These recommendations shall build on the needs and goals developed through local input of all 100 North Carolina counties and with the assistance and consultation of the Area Agencies on Aging and the Division of Aging.
(b)	The Committee shall be guided by the following program and policy goals:
(1)	To provide high-risk and at-risk older adults and their families with options for quality home and community based care;
(1.1)	To provide older adults with opportunities for continued productive aging through employment, volunteer, and self-help activities;
(2)	To ensure a coordinated and efficient utilization of public and private resources; and
(3)	To build on the current strengths and initiatives in North Carolina's aging and long-term care service networks.
(c)	The Committee's recommendations will include consideration of the following:
		(1.1)	Comprehensive County-Based Programs on Aging:  the establishment of comprehensive, coordinated county-based programs on aging in all North Carolina counties by the year 2000;
(1.2)	Managed Care for High-Risk Older Adults:  The establishment of managed care programs for high-risk older adults in all North Carolina counties by the year 2000.  These programs shall provide high-risk older adults with the option of remaining in the least restrictive environment of their choice with the support of a core of supportive home and community services;
(2.1)	Options for At-Risk Older Adults:  Strategies and initiatives for at-risk older adults that provide them with home and community care options for an improved quality of life in the areas of social functioning, employment and income security, mental health, health care, and housing;
(2.2)	Investment in Well Older Adults:  Strategies and initiatives for well older adults that facilitate productive aging in the areas of continued employment, volunteerism, and self-help;
(3)	Coordinated Aging Services Budget:  Compilation of a State aging services budget to coordinate existing program funding sources, to develop a common funding stream, and to identify new funding resources to meet the needs of older adults; and
(4)	Guidelines, Standards, and Procedures:  To the greatest extent possible, development of compatible service definitions, service standards, assessment instruments, eligibility criteria, reimbursement methods, and reporting requirements for in-home and community based services for older adults, throughout the Department of Human Resources.
		(d)	The Committee shall consist of the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources and 32 members, to be appointed as follows:
(1)	One member each appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources from the Divisions of Aging, of Medical Assistance, of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, of Social Services, and one director of an area agency on aging elected from among all the directors of the area agencies on aging.  One member appointed by the Secretary of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.
(2)	One member each appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources from the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, the Center for Aging Research and Educational Services at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Long-Term Care Resources Program at Duke University, the North Carolina Association of Long-Term Care Facilities, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, the Center for Creative Retirement, University of North Carolina at Asheville, the Geriatric Medicine Programs at the following institutions: (i) Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, (ii) the School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (iii) the School of Medicine at Duke University, and (iv) the School of Medicine at East Carolina University, the North Carolina Association of Continuity of Care, the North Carolina Association of Hospital Social Work Directors, the North Carolina Medical Society, and the North Carolina Hospital Association.
(3)	One member appointed from the House of Representatives by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(4)	One member appointed from the Senate by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
(5)	One member who is a county commissioner appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources, upon the recommendation of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners; and
(6)	Eight members appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources, one upon the recommendation of the North Carolina Association on Aging, one other upon the recommendation of the Association of Local Health Directors, one other upon the recommendation of the Association of the County Directors of Social Services, one other upon the recommendation of Hospice of North Carolina, one other from the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging, upon recommendation of that organization, two others upon recommendation of the American Association of Retired Persons, and one other from the North Carolina Senior Citizens Association, upon recommendation of that organization.
The Secretary of the Department of Human Resources shall be Chair of the Committee.  Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.  Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment.
(e)	The Committee shall, in performing its charge, develop an annual work plan and convene task forces or work groups comprised of interested State and local public and private service providers, older adult consumer groups, university programs on aging, distinguished gerontologists, and others, as appropriate for making recommendations.
(f)	The Committee shall make a written progress report of every odd-numbered year, beginning in 1991. The report shall be submitted to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Legislative Services Office, and the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging."
Sec. 2.  This act shall be funded from funds currently available.  No additional funds are required to be appropriated to implement this act.
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 16th day of July, 1991.

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James C. Gardner
President of the Senate

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Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives