Issue Summary:

1) Memorandum of Agreement, Relative to Older North Carolinians with Developmental Disabilities, Between the NCDHHS’  DOA, DMH/DD/SAS, and DSS

This grew out of the North Carolina Task Force on Aging and Developmental Disabilities report entitled  “Blue Print for Change”.  The Division of Mental Health was tasked with writing the agreement and each Division Director was asked to sign the agreement.  Pheon wanted the Directors to review prior to her signing.  Our committee reviewed and although we support the concept of multi-agency approaches and collaborative planning, we had numerous problems with the wording as there was no acknowledgement of our role with the aging population, focused heavily on our role with economic services, gave us the only acknowledged role with guardianship, etc.  After much discussion, we recommended it be sent back to the Department where all three Divisions plus a representative from their local provider network could sit at the table and jointly develop a Memorandum that better reflected roles and what needed to occur in Raleigh and locally.

2) Members brought concerns to the meeting about the local phase-out of Mental Health services as the reorganization begins to occur.  Clients are arriving at DSS having been told they don’t meet the target groups and that they need to seek services elsewhere.  They don’t know who will serve them.  DSS staff are seeing increased APS referrals from Mental Health and increased payee referrals.  There is a great deal of confusion at the local level both at Mental Health and DSS as we go through this transition.

Position or Policy Recommendation for Board Action: 

1) We make a motion that the Association request that the MOA be taken back to the three Divisions for rewrite and that the Divisions include local representation in the workgroup.

(Marvin Rouse and Carol Addington, if her director concurs, have offered to be our local representation)

2) We would make a motion that the Association work with the Divisions of  MH/DD/SAS and SS so that there can be better coordination, education and planning, paying particular attention to the transition issues.

General Information for Dissemination:

We heard a presentation on the Family Caregiver Support Program from Chris Urso of DOA.  For information go to www.dhhs.state.nc.us/aging/fcaregr/fchome.htm  It appears the knowledge of this program is scattered as are the programs.  We recommended to Chris that she work through our Association to get information out about trainings, etc.

The Division’s monitoring plan was presented for Adult and Family Services area.  (This is just 1 of the many monitoring plans being developed throughout the Department.) Over a period of 4 years they will monitor all counties providing SSBG funded services, state APS funded services, state AHS funded services. Maternity and refugee assistance programs are monitored on different schedules.  The samples are based on county size or percentage of caseload.  70% is passing and corrective action will be required for each area that is less than 70%. In addition, the Division of Social Services will continue to monitor the HCCBG at the local DSS.  Charge backs can occur in some situations (i.e. totally ineligible using any funding source)  There will be a web site where all this information will be posted by county.  At this point the plan is to password protect the site.  The degree to which we will be subjected to monitoring over the coming years is an issue, the pulling of staff to carry this out is of concern, cost of charge backs and access to the web site might be issues we want to address.  We have argued excessive monitoring for several years to no avail.  (Your APR can provide additional information about the plan and the instruments to be used.) 

The Department is working with Emergency Management and others to develop a repatriation plan similar to the one used in 1990.  Conference call is scheduled with the counties most likely to be affected (Orange, Wake and Durham) on Friday.  RDU has been designated an entry site.  Depending on volume and other issues, some of the folks could go to other counties or states.  They are eligible for some assistance in first 3 months.  Efforts are underway to determine if they will be eligible for regular assistance programs such as FS, MA, etc.