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NC DEPARTMENT OF ROY COOPER • Governor <br />HEALTH AND KODY H. KINSLEY • Secretary <br />HUMAN SERVICES LISA TUCKER CAULEY • Division Director, Human Services <br />October 4, 2024 <br />DEAR COUNTY DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />ATTENTION: DIRECTORS, CHILD WELFARE PROGRAM MANAGERS, CHILD WELFARE SUPERVISORS AND <br />FISCAL STAFF <br />SUBJECT. EMERGENCY PLACEMENT FUND & CONGREGATE CARE BRIDGE FUNDING <br />REQUIRED ACTION: ❑ Information Only ❑ Time Sensitive ❑x Immediate <br />We are sharing some good news, NC DHHS has secured funding for the entire State Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the <br />congregate care Bridge Funding. These funds will cover the loss of IV-E revenue for children in congregate care that <br />occurred due to the Family First Prevention Services Act. <br />Background <br />The Division of Social Services (DSS) recognizes the current situation with locating the required residential treatment <br />placement for children in DSS custody with complex behavioral health needs. As LMEs continue to build the network <br />of providers to meet this need, NCDSS allocated $2,291,667 in SFY 2023-2024 and <br />$5,500,000 in SFY 2024-2025 of the behavioral health investment in the 2023 Appropriations Act and created the <br />pilot program, DSS Emergency Placement Fund. <br />At the end of SFY 2023-2024, there were unused funds remaining from the initial allocation of the Emergency <br />Placement Funds. While the remaining funds were combined with the funding for SFY 2024-2025, there was an <br />identified need to support counties with the cost of maintaining congregate care placements. Of the total available <br />Emergency Placement Funds for SFY 2024-2025, $2,500,000 has been reallocated to provide additional "Bridge <br />Funding." Therefore, the original 2024-2025 Emergency Placement Fund allocation to counties has been <br />decreased to a new total of $4,355,690. <br />Congregate Care Bridge Funding <br />As a reminder, Section 6.9 of SL 2023-14 provided nonrecurring funds for the 2023-2024 state fiscal year to assist <br />counties and the state given the loss of federal IV-E funding for congregate care under the Families First Prevention <br />Service Act. NCDSS received approval to carry forward approximately $2.5 million that was remaining of that funding into <br />SFY 2025. NCDHHS has allocated $5 million to support this funding. With the additional $2.5 million allocation from the <br />Emergency Placement Funds, a total of approximately $10 million will now be allocated to fully support congregate care <br />bridge funding for SFY 2025. <br />County agencies should continue to follow the original guidance provided for data entry. <br />For previous guidance on the bridge funding for congregate care, please see the previously released Dear County <br />Director Letters, referenced below: <br />https://www.ncdhhs.gov/cws602O24/download?attachment. <br />https://www.ncdhhs.gov/cws442021/download?attachment <br />https://www.ncdhhs.gov/cws442021a/download?attachment <br />https://www.ncdhhs.gov/cws482023/download?attachment <br />NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES • DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />LOCATION: 820 S. Boylan Avenue, McBryde Building, Raleigh, NC 27603 <br />MAILINGADDREss: 2401 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2401 <br />www.ncdhhs.gov • TEL:919-527-6404 • FAx:919-733-3052 <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER <br />Page 268 <br />