AN ACT to implement various provisions related to social services reform and make appropriations to transition to regional supervision, as recommended by the north carolina child well‑being transformation council.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  In accordance with the plan submitted by the Social Services Regional Supervision and Collaboration Working Group (SSWG) in its report on March 31, 2019, to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services as required by S.L. 2017‑41 (Rylan's Law), the Department of Health and Human Services (Department) shall establish seven regions for regional supervision of child welfare and social services and begin providing oversight and support within those regions through State regional staff and the central office team by March 1, 2021. To that end, the Department shall move forward, pursuant to existing authority, with repurposing and redeploying (i) positions identified in the report to support regionalization and (ii) all managerial staff needed to support regionalization in the central office. The Department shall pursue procurement of physical offices within each of the seven regions beginning in March 2023 and shall prioritize staffing to improve the child welfare system. The Department shall move towards full implementation of a regional model, with offices, by March 1, 2024.

SECTION 1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, the sum of nine hundred fourteen thousand seven hundred ninety dollars ($914,790) recurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to support 11 new staff positions to improve regional supervision and support of child welfare services pursuant to the plan as described under subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 1.(c)  This section becomes effective July 1, 2021.

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 108A‑9 reads as rewritten:

§ 108A‑9.  Duties and responsibilities.

The county board of social services shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

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(4a)      To attend education and training sessions provided for new board members during the first year they serve on the board.

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SECTION 2.(b)  The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, shall collaborate with key stakeholders, including the North Carolina Association of County Boards of Social Services, Association of North Carolina County Social Services Directors, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and the University of North Carolina School of Government, to create formal education and training sessions for new county boards of social services members in accordance with G.S. 108A‑9(4a), as provided in subsection (a) of this section. The education and training sessions shall include a segment on the potential liabilities of the county board of social services. The education and training sessions shall be available statewide by September 1, 2021.

SECTION 2.(c)  Section 2(b) of this act is effective when it becomes law. Section 2(a) of this act becomes effective April 1, 2022, and by April 1, 2024, all current county board of social services members must have participated in the education and training sessions provided in G.S. 108A‑9(4a).

SECTION 3.  Except where otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.