A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Health and Human Services, to establish a Pilot Training Program using geriatric/adult mental health specialty teams to conduct training in adult care homes on Preventing the escalation of behaviors leading to crisis, Based on Recommendation 5.1 from the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on the Co‑Location of different populations in adult care homes and as recommended by the north carolina study commission on aging.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Health and Human Services, shall establish a pilot training program using the Geriatric/Adult Mental Health Specialty Teams (GAST) to provide training on preventing the escalation of behaviors leading to crisis.  The training shall be piloted in a local management entity (LME) catchment area located within each of the three regions of the State.  The pilot training program shall include all adult care homes located within the coverage area of the selected LMEs.  Each adult care home shall be provided with at least three training opportunities per year.  These three training opportunities shall be one and one‑half hours each and shall cover preventing the escalation of behaviors leading to crisis.
Employees of adult care homes covered by the pilot training program must attend at least one training session per year. Adult care home employees specifically required to attend training include direct care workers, supervisors, and administrators, on all shifts. A list of employees, the type of training, and the date they attended training shall be maintained by the adult care home, and the list shall be available for inspection. 
SECTION 1.(b)  The Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Health and Human Services, shall evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot training program.  The Division shall also determine whether the existing GASTs have the resources to expand this training statewide, the possibility of incorporating this training into the current training delivered by the teams, and any associated costs. On or before September 1, 2012, the Division shall report to the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging and to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services on the effectiveness of the pilot and recommendations for expansion to all adult care homes licensed by the State.
SECTION 2.  Part 2, Article 1, of Chapter 131D of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 131D‑4.9.  Adult care home staff training.
Adult care homes licensed pursuant to this Chapter shall permit Geriatric/Adult Mental Health Specialty Teams to conduct staff training.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.