Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Health and Human Services <br />Approved Goals <br />HHS- 1:Support increased state funding for behavioral health services and facilities at <br />the state and local level including dedicated resources for Community Paramedicine <br />.projects. Support Medicaid reimbursement to EMS for behavioral health transport to <br />crisis centers and structure appropriate county participation in behavioral health <br />program governance. <br />The budget included $2 million for new child- focused behavioral health crisis <br />facilities and $17 million for additional inpatient behavioral health beds at five <br />hospitals across the state. The budget also continued the community <br />paramedicine pilot program in three counties with $350,000 in funding and <br />directs DHHS to establish a plan using Medicaid funds to reimburse county <br />paramedics for transportation to behavioral health facilities instead of <br />emergency departments. <br />HHS -2: Seek increased state funding to support access to early childhood education. <br />• The budget provided additional resources for early childhood education using <br />$3 million in FYI and $6.1 million in FYI combined with $18.8 million in TAN <br />block grants across both years to reduce the NC Pre -K waitlist. <br />HHS -3: Support increased funding and legislation to strengthen adult protective <br />services. <br />The budget provided an additional $1 million for 21 new positions to increase <br />staff and improve timeliness of inspections at various adult care facilities. It also <br />appropriated over $100,000 in each year to fund background checks for long <br />term care staff. H657 passed the General Assembly and modified the process by <br />which deficiencies at adult care homes are handled by the Division of Heath <br />Service Regulation and county departments of social services <br />HHS -4: Support legislation to align oversight standards for lawful body piercing with <br />lawful tattooing. <br />• H250/S256 would add body piercing and other body art practices to existing <br />tattooing laws and regulations. H250 passed the House but was not heard in the <br />Senate. It is eligible for short session. <br />