North Carolina § 143B-150 - 6. Program services; eligibility; grants for local projects; fund transfers.

§ 143B-150. 6. Program services; eligibility; grants for local projects; fund transfers.

Services: Services to be provided under the Family Preservation Services Program shall include but are not limited to: family assessment, intensive family and individual counseling, client advocacy, case management, development and enhancement of parenting skills, and referral for other services as appropriate. Eligibility: Families eligible for services under the Family Preservation Services Program are those with children ages 0-17 years who are at risk of imminent separation through placement in public welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems. Service Delivery: Services delivered to eligible families under the Family Preservation Services Program shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements: Each eligible family shall receive intensive family preservation services, beginning with identification of an imminent risk of out-of-home placement for an average of four weeks but not more than six weeks; At least one-half of a caseworker's time spent providing family preservation services to each eligible family shall be provided in the family's home and community; Family preservation caseworkers shall be available to each eligible family by telephone and on call for visits 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each family preservation caseworker shall provide services to a maximum of four families at any given time. Grants for local projects: The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services shall award grants to local agencies for the development and implementation of locally-based family preservation services projects. The number of grants awarded and the level of funding of each grant for each fiscal year shall be contingent upon and determined by funds appropriated for that purpose by the General Assembly. Inter-agency fund transfers: The Department may allow the Division of Social Services and the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, to use funds available to each Division to support family preservation services provided by the Division under the Program; provided that such use does not violate federal regulations pertaining to, or otherwise jeopardize the availability of federal funds. History (1991, c. 743, s. 1; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1999-423, s. 9; 2001-424, s. 21.50(g).) Intensive Family Preservation Services Funding and Performance Enhancements. - Session Laws 2017-57, s. 11C.2(a)-(c), provides: "(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 143B-150.6, the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) Program shall provide intensive services to children and families in cases of abuse, neglect, and dependency where a child is at imminent risk of removal from the home and to children and families in cases of abuse where a child is not at imminent risk of removal. The Program shall be developed and implemented statewide on a regional basis. The IFPS shall ensure the application of standardized assessment criteria for determining imminent risk and clear criteria for determining out-of-home placement. "(b) The Department of Health and Human Services shall require that any program or entity that receives State, federal, or other funding for the purpose of IFPS shall provide information and data that allows for the following: "(1) An established follow-up system with a minimum of six months of follow-up services. "(2) Detailed information on the specific interventions applied, including utilization indicators and performance measurement. "(3) Cost-benefit data. "(4) Data on long-term benefits associated with IFPS. This data shall be obtained by tracking families through the intervention process. "(5) The number of families remaining intact and the associated interventions while in IFPS and 12 months thereafter. "(6) The number and percentage, by race, of children who received IFPS compared to the ratio of their distribution in the general population involved with Child Protective Services." "(c) The Department shall establish a performance-based funding protocol and shall only provide funding to those programs and entities providing the required information specified in subsection (b) of this section. The amount of funding shall be based on the individual performance of each program." For prior similar provisions, see Session Laws 2005-276, s. 10.51A(a)-(d); Session Laws 2011-145, s. 10.50(a)-(c); and Session Laws 2015-241, s. 12C.2. Statewide Implementation of Intensive Family Preservation Services Program. - Session Laws 2009-451, s. 10.44, provides: "(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 143B-150.6, the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) Program shall provide intensive services to children and families in cases of abuse, neglect, and dependency where a child is at imminent risk of removal from the home and to children and families in cases of abuse where a child is not at imminent risk of removal. The Program shall be developed and implemented statewide on a regional basis. The IFPS shall ensure the application of standardized assessment criteria for determining imminent risk and clear criteria for determining out-of-home placement. "(b) The Department of Health and Human Services shall require that any program or entity that receives State, federal, or other funding for the purpose of Intensive Family Preservation Services shall provide information and data that allows for: "(1) An established follow-up system with a minimum of six months of follow-up services. "(2) Detailed information on the specific interventions applied, including utilization indicators and performance measurement. "(3) Cost-benefit data. "(4) Data on long-term benefits associated with Intensive Family Preservation Services. This data shall be obtained by tracking families through the intervention process. "(5) The number of families remaining intact and the associated interventions while in IFPS and 12 months thereafter. "(6) The number and percentage by race of children who received Intensive Family Preservation Services compared to the ratio of their distribution in the general population involved with Child Protective Services. "(c) The Department shall establish performance-based funding protocol and shall only provide funding to those programs and entities providing the required information specified in subsection (b) of this section. The amount of funding shall be based on the individual performance of each program." For prior similar provisions, see Session Laws 2001-424, s. 21.50(a)-(e), Session Laws 2003-284, s. 10.48(a)-(e), and Session Laws 2007-323, s. 10.33(a)-(d). Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2009-451, s. 1.2, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2009'." Session Laws 2009-451, s. 28.3, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium." Session Laws 2009-451, s. 28.5, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2013-360, s. 12C.2(a)-(c), provides: "(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 143B-150.6, the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) Program shall provide intensive services to children and families in cases of abuse, neglect, and dependency where a child is at imminent risk of removal from the home and to children and families in cases of abuse where a child is not at imminent risk of removal. The Program shall be developed and implemented statewide on a regional basis. The IFPS shall ensure the application of standardized assessment criteria for determining imminent risk and clear criteria for determining out-of-home placement. "(b) The Department of Health and Human Services shall require that any program or entity that receives State, federal, or other funding for the purpose of IFPS shall provide information and data that allows for the following: "(1) An established follow-up system with a minimum of six months of follow-up services. "(2) Detailed information on the specific interventions applied, including utilization indicators and performance measurement. "(3) Cost-benefit data. "(4) Data on long-term benefits associated with IFPS. This data shall be obtained by tracking families through the intervention process. "(5) The number of families remaining intact and the associated interventions while in IFPS and 12 months thereafter. "(6) The number and percentage, by race, of children who received IFPS compared to the ratio of their distribution in the general population involved with Child Protective Services. "(c) The Department shall establish a performance-based funding protocol and shall only provide funding to those programs and entities providing the required information specified in subsection (b) of this section. The amount of funding shall be based on the individual performance of each program." Session Laws 2013-360, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2013.'" Session Laws 2013-360, s. 38.2, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium." Session Laws 2013-360, s. 38.5, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2015-241, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as 'The Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2015.'" Session Laws 2015-241, s. 33.4, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium." Session Laws 2015-241, s. 33.6, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2017-57, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2017.'" Session Laws 2017-57, s. 39.4, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium." Session Laws 2017-57, s. 39.6, is a severability clause. §§ 143B-150.7 through 143B-150.9: Repealed by Session Laws 2001-424, ss. 21.50(h) to (j), effective July 1, 2001.