GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

S	1 

SENATE BILL 248

Short Title:  Coalition 2001 '95 Funds.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senators Conder and Forrester.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Appropriations.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

February 23, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT RECOMMENDED BY THE MENTAL HEALTH STUDY COMMISSION TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR OPERATING COSTS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S AND COALITION 2001'S PLANS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
Whereas, there are approximately 900,000 North Carolinians directly disabled by alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illness, and developmental disabilities; and
Whereas, the Mental Health Study Commission has completed a planning process to develop strategies to meet the needs of these citizens, many of whom are not receiving critical services; and
Whereas, this planning process has been a partnership involving legislators, professionals, State and county officials, business leaders, advocates, consumers, and hundreds of citizens throughout the State; and
Whereas, Coalition 2001, a group representing 50 organizations, has been formed to promote full implementation of these plans and initiatives; and
Whereas, the result of the Mental Health Study Commission work is a blueprint of long-range plans that document total service needs and set forth comprehensive strategies for required services, reflecting the unmet needs and the corresponding cost in each disability area; and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly have committed support for this project through incremental funding over the past two sessions; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  MENTAL HEALTH
(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of fourteen million nine hundred ninety-one thousand dollars ($14,991,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year and the sum of fourteen million nine hundred ninety-one thousand dollars ($14,991,000) for the 1996-97 fiscal year to implement the Mental Health Study Commission's and Coalition 2001's Plan for mental health services.
(b) The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$253,000 each fiscal year for demonstration projects of community-based training programs aimed at developing personal skills needed by the client to live independently and to cope effectively in the community;
(2)	$1,902,000 each fiscal year to fill critical and safety positions at the four State psychiatric institutions and the North Carolina Special Care Center;
(3)	$2,300,000 each fiscal year to award a 10% pay increase to health care technicians each year;
(4)	$198,000 each fiscal year to increase specialized community-based and inpatient services for deaf people with mental illness in accordance with the 504 Settlement Agreement with the North Carolina Association of the Deaf;
(5)	$1,254,000 each fiscal year to establish four regional high-management group homes to serve approximately 25 sexually aggressive youths per year, to provide community-based treatment services to 300 additional sexually aggressive youths per year, and to provide approximately 350 evaluations of sexually aggressive youths per year;
(6)	$1,207,000 each fiscal year to expand and enhance community-based services for approximately 400 additional children with serious mental health problems and their families;
(7)	$1,000,000 each fiscal year to provide the State share of one-time funding over the biennium to cover implementation costs associated with the Medicaid Waiver Carolina Alternatives (CA) Program, Child and Adult;
(8)	$1,207,000 each fiscal year to provide additional services to prevent an estimated 125 identified children with serious mental health problems from needing hospitalization or to reduce their hospitalization;
(9)	$2,843,000 each fiscal year to provide funding to support development of an array of 24-hour crisis services for the mentally ill, including observation beds in order to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, and focusing on a high-risk population served by area programs, which population is a frequent user of services, including repeat hospitalizations;
(10)	$367,000 each fiscal year to provide funding for the development of two group homes, five apartment projects, and one condominium complex to provide housing for approximately 78 adults who are mentally ill;
(11)	$2,160,000 each fiscal year to provide the State share to expand and continue intensive case management for individuals discharged from the State mental institutions, focusing on serving the elderly mentally ill in the community; 
(12)	$50,000 each fiscal year to provide funding for 200 units of housing, including funds for rental assistance, security deposits, and acquisition, for homeless people who are disabled by mental illness; and
(13)	$250,000 each fiscal year, in cooperation with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, to expand and enhance transitional and support vocational rehabilitation services focused on the unique needs of the mentally ill, which services shall be aimed at assisting the mentally ill to use vocational rehabilitation services so that these individuals can function effectively in the community.
Sec. 2.  DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of fifteen million fifty thousand dollars ($15,050,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year and the sum of fifteen million fifty thousand dollars ($15,050,000) for the 1996-97 fiscal year to implement the Mental Health Study Commission's and Coalition 2001's Plan for developmental disabilities services.
(b) The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$6,000,000 each fiscal year to provide developmental disabilities vocational day services for the 1,300 people on waiting lists, increase the reimbursement rate for existing providers of these services, and provide incentives for future supported employment;
(2)	$3,750,000 each fiscal year to increase developmental disabilities day slots for children and to increase the reimbursement rate for existing providers of these services;
(3)	$2,675,000 each fiscal year to provide funding for supported living, HUD, and UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) projects in supportive living, as recommended by the Division;
(4)	$1,875,000 each fiscal year to provide equalization funding for developmentally disabled adults' group homes receiving minimum funding, to be distributed as determined by the Division;
(5)	$500,000 each fiscal year to provide funds to expand respite care services to caregivers of the developmentally disabled and to fund pilot family support projects; and
(6)	$250,000 each fiscal year to provide funds to expand assistive technology services for people with developmental disabilities. 
Sec. 3.  SUBSTANCE ABUSE
(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year and the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) for the 1996-97 fiscal year to implement the Mental Health Study Commission's and Coalition 2001's Plan for substance abuse services.
(b) The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$3,500,000 each fiscal year to fund at least one case management position at each of the 41 area programs to work with "high risk" clients and their families and to fund additional positions based on catchment area need;
(2)	$1,000,000 each fiscal year to fund 20 certified substance abuse counselor positions to provide assessment and initial case management in those area programs that serve the greatest number of addicted people and their families, presenting in crisis;
(3)	$2,000,000 each fiscal year to fund one certified substance abuse counselor position at each of the 41 area programs to work with families having one or more addicted members;
(4)	$1,750,000 each fiscal year to continue to expand perinatal services to provide a full continuum of treatment to addicted pregnant women and their children;
(5)	$4,000,000 each fiscal year to establish intensive outpatient treatment services for addicted clients and their families, which services shall be based on the appropriate federal guidelines, according to a funding priority that gives preference to programs operating during evening and weekend hours and that thus allow clients to continue to work while in treatment;
(6)	$750,000 each fiscal year to initiate a drug monitoring system designed to use urine screening as a treatment support for clients and to provide outcome data on program effectiveness in order to provide client and program accountability, which system shall be similar to the model currently being implemented within the Department of Correction; and
(7)	$2,000,000 each fiscal year to purchase substance abuse residential treatment services to meet the specific needs of seriously addicted primary alcoholics and other drug-addicted clients and their families, including detoxification, residential treatment, extended treatment, and halfway houses.
Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.