GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1186

Short Title:  In-Home Assistance Project/Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Earle; Adams, Braswell, Clary, Easterling, H. Hunter, Mosley, Sutton, and Womble.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 30, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR A STATE-COUNTY IN-HOME SPECIAL ASSISTANCE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Department of Human Resources, Division of Social Services, in consultation with the Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging, shall develop and implement an In-Home Special Assistance Demonstration Project.  The purpose of the project is to determine the feasibility of using State and county funds to provide financial assistance to low-income elderly or disabled adults who are otherwise eligible for Special Assistance under G.S. 108A-41(b) but who would rather live at home than in an adult care home and whose daily care needs can be adequately met through in-home services.  
(b)	The Department shall select five counties to participate in the project.  Counties desiring to participate shall apply to the Department for selection. The Department shall provide information to all counties about the scope and duration of the project, the procedure for applying to be a participating county, and what will be required of participating counties. The counties selected to participate in the project shall be representative of the State as a whole.  In selecting the participating counties, the Department shall consider each applicant county's:
(1)	Total population;
(2)	Regional location;
(3)	Urban or rural composition;
(4)	Percentage of county population eligible for Special Assistance services; 
(5)	Ability to offer case management services to each client selected for the project;
(6)	Ongoing support system for the aging and disabled; and
(7)	Ability to effectively and efficiently administer the project.
(c)	Individuals who are eligible for Special Assistance under G.S. 108A-41(b) and who reside in a participating county shall be eligible for Project assistance.   However, each participating county shall allocate Project funds for not more than 40 eligible individuals.  Funds used for Project assistance and administration shall be matched State-County in the same proportion as under the State-County Special Assistance for Adults Program.  During the time a recipient receives Project funds, the recipient shall not receive adult care personal care paid by Medicaid.
(d)	The Department shall:
(1)	Monitor local administration to ensure that adequate case management services are provided to Project recipients and that the health, safety, and well-being of Project recipients are being protected;
(2)	Oversee approval of services purchased by Project recipients; 
(3)	Collect information about the service providers and types of services purchased by Project funds; and
(4)	Obtain comprehensive data and information to enable the State to anticipate, plan for, and provide in-home services to its elderly and disabled citizens in the future.
(e)	The North Carolina Study Commission on Aging, with assistance from the Division of Aging, Department of Human Resources, shall contract for professional services to evaluate the In-Home Special Assistance Demonstration Project.  The commission shall determine the scope of the evaluation and shall require the contractor to provide written reports to the Commission on July 1, 1998, and January 30, 1999.
Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Social Services, the sum of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year to fund the In-Home Special Assistance Demonstration Project.  Of these funds, not more than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) in each fiscal year may be used for administrative expenses in connection with the Project, including the cost of evaluation.
Section 3.  The Department shall report to the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging, to the Cochairs of the House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Human Resources, and to the Fiscal Research Division on October 1, 1997, March 1, 1998, and October 1, 1998, on the progress of Project development and implementation.  The Department's October, 1998 report shall include recommendations on whether the Project should be continued and, if so, the extent to which it should be continued, why it should be continued, and the costs associated with continuing the Project.  If the Department recommends that the Project not be continued, it shall provide the reasons for the recommendation.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997 and expires June 30, 1999.  Nothing in this act shall be construed as creating an entitlement to Special Assistance funds or services under the In-Home Special Assistance Demonstration Project created by this act.