TITLE
Title
DHHS - DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES UPDATE ON NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES ACCESSING SERVICES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY (NCFAST)
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Heather Skeens (Myra Thompson, Elizabeth White & Sharon Barlow)
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BACKGROUND
Background
North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (NCFAST) was developed as a tool to improve eligibility and benefits determination, and to establish a case management system for services. To date, NCFAST has been implemented in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Medicaid and Work First programs.
The next phase of programs transitioning to NCFAST are Subsidized Child Care Assistance (Daycare), Crisis Intervention Program (CIP), Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT). This implementation is known as Project 3 or P3. There is a mandate for Children’s Services to be transitioned to NCFAST in 2017, followed closely by Aging and Adult Services in 2018.
Daycare
Over the past several months, our Administrative Support and Daycare Units have met with Daycare providers to enroll them within the NC FAST system, where they can access and utilize the provider portal. Staff have worked each Saturday since August to assist with the enrollment process. All providers must be enrolled into the NCFAST provider portal to receive their payments from the state for childcare services.
Daycare staff will begin programmatic training in December. Conversion will take place during January and February 2017. Training will consist of five (5) web-based trainings, each lasting 1-1.5 hours and six (6) virtual trainings that last three (3) hours each. Every worker will need to complete all trainings prior to the launch in NCFAST. Training plans are being completed by management to ensure all workers are scheduled for training, and coverage is ensured for the unit.
Conversion will be a challenge, as it is estimated that each case will average approximately eighty (80) minutes to convert. With approximately 3,090 cases, it is estimated that 4,120 hours are needed for conversion. With a unit of ten (10), mandatory overtime is inevitable.
NEMT
The state of North Carolina will take over payments for Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation (NEMT) effective January 2017. Counties have been working with their NEMT vendors to assist with enrollment into NC TRACKS. Per the state, all providers who offer Medicaid services must bill thru NC TRACKS. The state has provided training to NEMT vendors, as well as county DSS staff, on the changes.
Children’s Services
To address the counties’ urgent need for a comprehensive statewide child services system, Children’s Services will be implemented in NCFAST in early 2017. This phase is known as Project 4 or P4. Five (5) counties, including Guilford County, have been selected to pilot the program and assist the state by working through any glitches before going live in the remaining 95 counties. Guilford County, along with Sampson, Franklin, Rockingham and Richmond counties, are looking forward to working alongside the state to ensure P4 is successful. This new technology will help us continue to provide efficient and effective services for the children and families of Guilford County.
Aging and Adult Services
After the successful implementation of the Children’s Services module into NCFAST, Aging and Adult Services is expected to begin conversion into the system as well. The anticipated time frame is 2018.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Receive DHHS - Division of Social Services update on NCFAST.
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