GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 561

Short Title:  Coalition 2001 Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Alexander, Gardner (Cosponsors); Baddour, Beall, Black, Church, Cole, Crawford, Cunningham, Early, Easterling, Fox, Gamble, Goodwin, Hackney, H. Hunter, Hurley, Insko, Jeffus, Justus, Luebke, McMahan, Mercer, Michaux, Miller, Mosley, Nye, Oldham, Ramsey, Reynolds, Smith, Tolson, Wainwright, Wilkins, G. Wilson, Wright, and Yongue.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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March 20, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR COALITION 2001.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  MENTAL HEALTH
(a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for mental health services.
(b)	The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$815,000 each fiscal year for start-up and operating funds to support HUD Grant Housing, through the Mental Health Association in North Carolina, for persons with severe and persistent mental illness.  Of these funds, $225,000 shall be used for three adult group homes for 18 individuals, $180,000 shall be used for four child group homes for 24 individuals, and $410,000 for revolving housing assistance funds;
(2)	$125,000 each fiscal year to provide interpreters to enable the deaf mentally ill to take advantage of a variety of mental health services in the community. This is part of the 504 Settlement Agreement between the North Carolina Association of the Deaf and the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services;
(3)	$750,000 each fiscal year for supportive services and skills training to implement essential community-based projects aimed at developing personal skills needed by the client to live independently and cope effectively in the community;
(4)	$300,000 each fiscal year to expand and enhance transitional or supported employment services focused on the unique needs of individuals with mental illness;
(5)	$7,010,000 each fiscal year to provide essential clinical treatment, case management, and day services to individuals with severe and long-term mental illness; and
(6)	$1,000,000 each fiscal year to provide funding to support development of an array of 24-hour crisis services for the mentally ill including observation beds in order to reduce unnecessary hospitalization.
Section 2.  DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
(a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for developmental disabilities services.
(b)	The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$3,000,000 each fiscal year to expand vocational supports, including supported employment, to serve all individuals on the waiting list over a two-year period;
(2)	$375,000 each fiscal year to provide 120 individual, flexible subsidy slots for supported living;
(3)	$1,700,000 each fiscal year to provide services to those individuals with the most severe injuries, including returning residents to North Carolina from out-of-state placements;
(4)	$1,641,000 each fiscal year to provide supported living staff and supports for individuals throughout North Carolina;
(5)	$1,475,000 each fiscal year to eliminate the waiting list for services and promote the continued development of the Developmental Centers into more inclusive settings, while simultaneously meeting the educational needs of preschoolers with special needs;
(6)	$1,020,000 each fiscal year to establish family support programs;
(7)	$384,000 each fiscal year to expand respite services;
(8)	$205,000 each fiscal year to provide funding for the continued services to persons with developmental disabilities in the regional assistive technology centers; and
(9)	$200,000 each fiscal year to provide guardianship services for persons with severe disabilities, either limited or full, in order for the individual to continue receiving the necessary supports in order to live in the community.
Section 3.  SUBSTANCE ABUSE
(a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for substance abuse services.
(b)	The funds appropriated in subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$1,212,000 each fiscal year to develop 24-hour services for women with substance abuse problems and their young children in areas with significant need and evidence of the necessary organizational capacity in residential services programs;
(2)	$288,000 each fiscal year to provide four regional substance abuse specialists fluent in sign language, monies for deaf specialists' communications needs, and increased interpreter services with a goal of making substance abuse services directly accessible to deaf persons;
(3)	$1,000,000 each fiscal year to develop or enhance substance abuse intensive outpatient or day treatment services for adults in areas with inadequate services and evidence of the necessary organizational capacity;
(4)	$2,500,000 each fiscal year to develop or enhance substance abuse outpatient treatment and case management services for children and adolescents in areas with inadequate service access, lack of provider capacity, and evidence of organizational commitment;
(5)	$150,000 each fiscal year for expansion of services for families of substance abusers to include education and counseling services that will enhance the opportunities for recovery for the patients, especially those whose inpatient stays have been reduced as the need to decrease the waiting time for admission has intensified;
(6)	$1,350,000 each fiscal year to expand area program capacity to purchase substance abuse services from licensed not-for-profit or for-profit providers in the State in accordance with the Division's rules for the Substance Abuse Public Private Partnership Initiative;
(7)	$1,500,000 each fiscal year to develop or expand support services for housing for substance abusers as outlined in the Division's Strategic Housing Plan; and
(8)	$2,000,000 each fiscal year to establish 12 to 17 new E-Tasc sites and enhance existing TASC sites to include increased case management services for substance abusing offenders in need of services in addition to other wraparound services.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.