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Department: Social Services <br />Date: January 24, 2012 <br />Goal: To receive state funding to provide guardianship services as required under <br />Chapter 35A of the North Carolina General Statutes <br />History: Under the General Statutes, a Department of Social Services may be appointed the <br />guardian of an individual deemed incompetent by the state. The statute allows for the <br />Department to be appointed as a "disinterested public agent" and requires the Department to <br />ensure the needs of any wards are met. The Department performs at least monthly monitoring <br />visits, conducts status reports, provides consent for all medical treatments, ensures their well- <br />being and safety, and provides for their basis needs with the ward's available resources. <br />Funding: While this service is mandated by General Statute, the state provides no funding <br />source for these services. Other federal funding sources are capped and do not provide any <br />revenue for these services. <br />Other Considerations: Over the past year, the local mental health agency has cited a <br />conflict of interest in its required duty to be appointed a guardian by the state. Consequently, <br />more wards are now coming to Social Services. Over the past 6 months, the Department has <br />added at least 7 wards from the mental health system. These wards require more time due to <br />the nature of their issues. The Department is carrying approximately 32 wards at this time with <br />this number expecting to increase. This service is provided at a 100% cost to the county. <br />The NC Directors of Social Services Association has advocated for state funding to assist with <br />guardianship services for years and funding has never been provided. With the increasing aging <br />population and the loss of the mental health system in providing these services, the <br />Department projects this caseload will continue to increase. Being the service is required by <br />General Statute, it is the position of the Department the state should provide funding to <br />counties for this service to help offset cost to county and for the Department to meet the <br />future growth needs. <br />Page 148 <br />