TITLE
Title
MOA GUILFORD COUNTY HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND TRILLIUM HEALTH RESOURCES LOCAL MANAGEMENT ENTITY - MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION: WORK FIRST SUBSTANCE USE INITIATIVE
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sharon Barlow, HHS-DSS Director
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BACKGROUND
Background
Work First is a Federally funded cash assistance program designed to promote personal responsibility and self-sufficiency, which operated by the Guilford County Department of Health & Human Services - Division of Social Services (HHS-DSS) as part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Legislation requires HHS-DSS to provide a wide range of services for families with income at or below 150 or 200% of the federal poverty line if the family meets eligibility criteria, which includes citizenship and income evaluation. Once applicants are deemed eligible, then County staff develops a work plan which must be abided by in order to receive monthly benefits. NCDHHS permits eligible clients to participate for a maximum of twenty-four (24) months, which, if reached, requires a three-year pause, and then those clients may reapply for a maximum lifetime benefit of sixty (60) months.
The Substance Use Initiative as part of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Trillium allows for early identification of substance use disorders or mental illness that will affect the Work First applicant's ability to secure and maintain employment as part of their established work plan. The Substance Use Initiative also facilitates substance use disorder services and mental health services to parents and caretakers of children, where there has been substantiated child abuse, neglect and/or dependency with an indication of substance use disorders, in order to better assure the safety, permanence and wellbeing of children. Eligible populations to be served by way of Substance Use Initiative are as follows:
1. Work First applicants and recipients
2. Class H or I Controlled Substance Felons applying for Work First assistance and/or Food and Nutrition Services.
3. Non-custodial parents and/or families with income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines (The eligibility status of this population is based on inclusion of this population in the county Work First Plan)
4. Parent(s)/caretakers who have a substantiated or in need of services finding that involves substance use.
For Fiscal Year 2023-24 Guilford County staff received 1,459 referrals, and completed 1,113 assessments. The number of assessments completed in Guilford was higher than any other county. Guilford was able to handle a higher influx of assessments based on utilization of two (2) clinicians plus the supervisor, whereas most counties refer out through community providers. A backlog from COVID also contributed to the large number of assessments through the first two (2) quarters of the fiscal year. Post assessment, the substance use disorder services/mental health services are not provided within Guilford County HHS-DSS, therefore the MOA allows for staff to refer through Trillium (Guilford's designated LME-MCO) to connect clients with needed services within the area.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve and authorize staff to execute the Memorandum of Agreement between the Guilford County Health & Human Services - Division of Social Services and Trillium Health Resources Local Management Entity - Managed Care Organization for Work First Substance Use Initiative.
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