GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1604*

Short Title:  Child Caring Institution/Funds.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Representatives Cansler; and Sherrill.

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

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

May 28, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE CHILD CARING INSTITUTION FUND.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. (a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, the sum of four million four hundred thousand nine hundred dollars ($4,400,900) for the 1998-99 fiscal year to be allocated to the Child Caring Institution Grant-In-Aid Fund.  These funds shall be used as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this act to increase the private-child caring agency reimbursement rate for the State-funded portion of the services to children who are not eligible for federal IV-E subsidies, and to add new agencies to the list of agencies eligible to receive reimbursement from the Child Caring Institution Grant-in-Aid Private Child Caring Institution Fund.  Counties shall not reduce their contributions as a result of additional appropriations of funds under this act.  County contributions to the cost of care shall continue to be negotiated between the counties and the agencies.  County contributions shall not be used to reduce or offset State reimbursement for the cost of care in private child-caring institutions.
(b)	Of the funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section, the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year shall be used to further increase reimbursement rates to those child-caring agencies providing residential care services, family services, and behavioral health care services, under agreements with the county departments of social services.  Funds allocated under this subsection shall be allocated to agencies by the Division of Social Services according to the current or agreed upon formulas and reimbursement methodologies, adjusted to reflect the additional funds appropriated.  Funds allocated under this subsection may be used by the agencies to match federal funds for eligible children.
(c)	Of the funds appropriated under subsection (a) of this section, the sum of one million four hundred thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,400,900) shall be paid to the following private nonprofit child-caring agencies as State Private Child Caring Institution Grant-in-Aid:
(1)	Agape House, Inc. (McDowell County)
(2)	Ashe Youth Services, Inc. (Ashe County)
(3)	Haven House, Inc. (Wake County)
(4)	Phoenix Group Homes, Inc. (Burke County)
(5)	Rutherford County Youth Services (Rutherford County)
(6)	Watauga - Avery Youth Services, Inc. (Watauga County)
(7)	Wilkes Group Homes, Inc. (Wilkes County)
(8)	Ebenezer Gardens Christian Children's Homes (Wilkes County)
(9)	Emergency Child Care of Iredell, Inc. (Iredell County)
(10)	Family Center (Mecklenburg County)
(11)	Life Gains, Inc. (Burke County)
(12)	Mountain Youth Resources, Inc. (Jackson County)
(13)	Presbyterian Home for Children, Inc. (Buncombe County)
(14)	Rainbow Center for Wilkes, Inc. (Wilkes County)
(15)	Volunteer Families for Children of NC, Inc. (Wake County)
(16)	Youth Focus (Guilford County)
(17)	Youth Opportunities, Inc. (Forsyth County)
(18)	Youth Unlimited (Guilford County).
Funds allocated under this section shall be used to provide reimbursement for the State portion of the cost of care for the placement of certain children by the county department of social services who are not eligible for IV-E or other federal subsidies.  Funds allocated under this subsection shall be combined with all other funds allocated to the Child Caring Institution Grant-In-Aid Fund for payment to private child-caring institutions for the provision of care and services, and the 18 agencies named in this subsection shall be added to the list of agencies eligible to share proportionately in the child-caring institution grant-in-aid funds in accordance with rules adopted by the Social Services Commission pertaining to payments of grants-in-aid to private child-caring institutions.  Any future request for child-caring institution grant-in-aid to the 18 private child-caring agencies designated in this subsection shall be submitted as part of the requests of other eligible private child-caring institutions according to the rules adopted by the Social Services Commission pertaining to payments of grants-in-aid to private child-caring institutions.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1998.