AG 1996 12 16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3. AFDC-Emergency Assistance Seek legislation providing that the counties shall be held harmless for any loss or reduction in federal AFDC-Emergency Assistance funds used to supplant state appropriations for mandated services. (Cabarrus) Efforts have been undertaken in recent years to arrange for North Carolina to draw down federal funds to meet widely documented needs for preventive, protective, foster care, and treatment services. North Carolina began receiving funds under the AFDC-Emergency Assistance Program two years ago. This year, North Carolina counties will draw an estimated $45 million in this funding to protect children. The increased federal receipts have been used to supplant state appropriations for an array of social and mental health services. The federal Welfare Reform Act combines the Emergency Assistance funds with others in a capped block grant. 4. Human Service Delivery Seek legislation to provide that all counties have the flexibility to reorganize theirhuman services delivery system to be more cost effective and customer focused. (Catawba) G.S. 153A-76 provides authority for the Board of County Commissioners to organize County Government. However, it sets out certain limitations to that authority which in some instances are seen as prohibiting a more cost effective community friendly organization. This proposal would allow the Board of County Commissioners to assign functions and services as appropriate to their needs, provided that duties assigned by law to certain individuals are still carried out within the law. 5. Ituman Service Governance Seek legislation to amend G.S. 153A-77 to remove the population threshold and enable all counties to consolidate human service governing boards. (Legislative Goals Committee) In 1995, the Association sought legislation "to repeal the population limitation of G.S. 153A-77 that prevents counties fi'om choosing to consolidate human service programs." The General Assembly enacted Chapter 690 of the 1995 Session Laws (Regular Session 1996), permitting counties to create consolidated human services boards, combining boards of social senrices, health and mental health. As with the subsection permitting a board of commissioners to assume direct control of these boards, the subsection permitting a consolidated board applies to counties with a population in excess of 425,000. As the State looks at the impact of welfare reform, managed care, limited dollars, and operational efficiencies, the issue of how to best deliver human services, which have . traditionally been provided by local social services, mental health, and health departments, will need to be addressed.