TITLE
Title
DHHS/COUNTY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING PURSUANT TO NCGS 108A-74
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sharon Barlow, DHHS - Division of Social Services
Rosanne Wiley-Hayes, Child Support and Court Services
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BACKGROUND
Background
Session Law 2017-41 / N.C.G.S. 108A-74 requires all counties to enter into an annual written agreement, referred to as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) for all social services programs excluding medical assistance (Medicaid). State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2018-2019 was the first year of these agreements.
The Department worked jointly with the NC Association of County Directors of Social Services to vet all measures prior to the finalization for the upcoming MOU with an effective date of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026. The measures for the SFY 2024-2025 and SFY 2025-2026 MOU can be found in Attachment I entitled Mandated Performance Requirements. These are the only measures that will be evaluated as part of the MOU for SFY 2024-2025 and SFY 2025-2026 and are subject to performance improvement actions.
Attachment II includes information concerning the upcoming Child and Family Services Review Round IV and the measures that will be reviewed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and will not be included in any corrective action. Ongoing monitoring and support activities will continue as they have in prior years for these measures. NCDHHS will work with the NC Association of County Directors of Social Services and counties to assist with the data validation process.
COVID-19 changed our world and had a tremendous impact on the work of human services. NCDHHS recognizes that counties experienced significant increases in requests for the safety net services you provide. NCDHHS also recognizes that through Medicaid unwinding, Medicaid Expansion, Tailored Plans, and workforce shortages, there continues to be barriers that are difficult to overcome in meeting the performance measures outlined in the SFY 2024-2025 and SFY 2025-2026 MOU.
Based on the conditions established in 2019, NCDHHS has determined that the barriers that counties are currently facing meet the criteria for a pause in issuing corrective or development plans. This pause will give counties time to establish procedures to meet the barriers outlined in the previous paragraph. The pause will be reevaluated in December 2024. In the future, NCDHHS will consider a pause on issuing a correcting action plan on a county-by-county basis if there are barriers outside the control of the county that has a significant impact on the counties ability to meet their performance requirements (i.e., a significant hurricane, tornado, etc.). While the state will continue to monitor performance and share data with counties and provide support, if the pause is in place there will be no formal performance improvement or corrective actions taken related to MOU performance. NCDHHS will also hold off publishing the Rylan’s Law Dashboard to the public at this time.
The cover letter from the State with an overview of the MOU process as well as other related documents are attached; these include:
1. A cover letter providing an overview of the MOU process for FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026
2. Memorandum of Understanding between DHHS and counties and Addendum A for state FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026.
3. Attachment I - MOU Performance At-A-Glance
4. Attachment II - Child Welfare Performance Measures At-A-Glance
5. Facts Sheets for each program area that provide information on the measures
6. Child Support Fact Sheet providing information on the measures
There are no changes in the overall performance standards or the activities that are measured. There are several standards that are measured based on a county's prior year performance, but the State is still reviewing those county-specific performance rates. In addition to the MOA and performance standards, the State will be implementing several operational changes requested by various county staff including:
- A website that serves as a single repository of policies materials and significant communication from the State in a single place.
- A new webpage is being created for county security officers that will bring all necessary documents into one location.
- A monthly call for county security officers is being scheduled to provide updated and relevant information.
- Development of training for county security officers.
- Establishment of a county/state workgroup to explore options for obtaining workload studies in county DSS offices.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve, in substantial form, and authorize staff to execute the Memorandum of Understanding between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Guilford County as required by North Carolina General Statute 108A-74.
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