GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 735*

Short Title:      Appropriate Funds/Dementia Caregiver Programs.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Pate and Robinson (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:	Health Care

April 26, 2016

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT appropriating funds to the department of health and human services to support the project caregiver alternatives to running on empty program and the no wrong door to accessing benefits initiative and directing the department of health and human services to explore and report on possible expansion of north carolina's medicaid home and community based services waiver programs, as recommended by the joint legislative oversight committee on health and human services.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2016‑2017 fiscal year to be used as follows:

(1)        Three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) to fund the Project Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty Program (Project C.A.R.E.), which provides support to individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

(2)        Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to create two full‑time equivalent staff positions within the Division of Aging and Adult Services to oversee continued development and implementation of the No Wrong Door to Accessing Benefits initiative. Development and implementation of this initiative shall include at least all of the following:

a.         Enhancement of the NC 2‑1‑1 database by migrating Alzheimer's disease and dementia‑related information from community resources into the existing NC 2‑1‑1 database.

b.         Management of Alzheimer's disease and dementia‑related stakeholder partnerships.

c.         Evaluation and planning for statewide implementation of the No Wrong Door to Accessing Benefits initiative.

SECTION 2.  By October 1, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services shall explore and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid and NC Health Choice on options for expanding the number of slots and the types of services available under North Carolina's Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver programs, including the Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA) and the Community Alternatives Program for Choice (CAP/Choice), in order to increase access to adult day care, personal care, and caregiver respite services. The report shall include at least all of the following:

(1)        A description of the expansion options considered by the Department.

(2)        Estimated costs and savings for each option considered by the Department.

(3)        An evaluation by the Department of the advantages and disadvantages of each option considered.

SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2016. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.