A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the Department of Health and Human Services to Study Recommendation 3.1 From the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on the Co‑Location of different populations in adult care homes to assess the feasibility and implementation time line of a pilot program aimed at transitioning Adult Care home Residents to independent Community‑Based housing, as recommended by the North carolina study commission on aging.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Health and Human Services shall study Recommendation 3.1 from the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on the Co‑Location of Different Populations in Adult Care Homes.  The recommendation suggests that the Department develop a pilot program to evaluate the costs, quality, consumer satisfaction, and patient outcomes of a program that supports individuals who are in an adult or family care home and who want to move back into independent supported housing.  The Department shall, but is not limited to, evaluate and report on the elements below that are contained in the recommendation.
(1)	The feasibility, fiscal implication, and appropriate timing of the submission of a Medicaid 1915(i) State plan amendment or 1915(c) Home and Community‑Based Services waiver to support individuals living in adult or family care homes for 90 or more days who would like to move back to more independent living arrangements.
(2)	The feasibility and cost of developing and implementing a process to evaluate residents of adult care homes to determine whether they can live independently in the community with services, supports, counseling, and transition services.
(3)	The policy implications, impact on current programs, and cost of developing and implementing an additional Special Assistance program option that would be similar to the existing Special Assistance in‑home program but exempt from the limits established in S.L. 2007‑323. The Department should explore whether this program could be targeted to address concerns the Task Force raised on co‑location.
(4)	A time line for implementing the pilot with all of the above elements in place, or a time line for phased implementation of the pilot. This time line shall include evaluation of the pilot as described in the Task Force recommendation.
(5)	The fiscal requirements necessary to provide technical assistance to adult care homes interested in creating financially viable models to support people living more independently as recommended by the Task Force.
(6)	The existence of statutory and regulatory barriers to independent living for people with disabilities. 
(7)	The goal and intended outcome of this pilot program.
SECTION 1.(b)  On or before October 1, 2012, the Department shall report on the elements outlined in this section to the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.