A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE Department of Health and Human Services TO DEVELOP A NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC HOUSING ADULT CARE HOME DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Health and Human Services shall develop and implement the North Carolina Public Housing Adult Care Home Demonstration Project (Project). The purpose of the Project is to provide personal care services to Medicaid recipients residing in adult care homes who are eligible for but do not need the higher level of care provided by nursing homes. Adult care homes qualified by the Department of Health and Human Services to provide Project services are those adult care homes that are owned by, under contract with, or administered by a North Carolina Housing Authority and that provide services to Medicaid recipients under contract with the Department of Health and Human Services.  The Department shall develop a comprehensive assessment tool to determine the level of support services needed for each individual qualifying for services under the Project. Medicaid recipients who are eligible for Project services are those who (i) are eligible for placement in a nursing home but who do not need the level of medical care provided by nursing homes, and (ii) whose comprehensive assessment results indicate a need for personal care services and other services that can be lawfully provided by the licensed adult care home. Medicaid funds for Project services shall be allocated under the Home and Community Care Services Medicaid waiver or the State‑County Special Assistance Program, or both. Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize adult care homes to provide services that they are not authorized by law to provide.
In developing the Project, the Department of Health and Human Services shall ensure that if an individual receiving Project services is determined at a later time to need medical care services, the individual shall be transferred to the appropriate medical care facility. As used in this section, "adult care home" has the meaning applied under G.S. 131D‑2.
SECTION 1.(b)  As no new adult care homes are being developed under this Project, the Certificate of Need requirements under Chapter 131E of the General Statutes are not applicable to services provided under the Project.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Department of Health and Human Services shall monitor and evaluate the qualitative benefits and cost-effectiveness of the Project authorized under Section 1 of this act.  The Department shall submit progress reports annually to the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services upon their convening, and shall also submit a copy of the report to the Fiscal Research Division of the Legislative Services office.  The report shall indicate at a minimum the number of individuals served under the Project and the resulting cost savings to the State Medical Assistance Program.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007, and expires July 1, 2012.