AN ACT authorizing the north carolina department of health and human services to begin deployment of the North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (nc fast) cASE mANAGEMENT FUNCTIONALITY FOR the CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM and AGING AND ADULT SERVICES' PROGRAMs and appropriating funds for that purpose.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Health and Human Services (Department), Division of Social Services (Division), shall resume deployment of the North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (NC FAST) system as it relates to case management functionality for the child welfare system and aging and adult services' programs. The Division shall deploy the child welfare case management component of the NC FAST system statewide before July 1, 2022, as recommended in the Department of Health and Human Services' Child Welfare Request for Information and Child Welfare Case Management Legislative Report dated September 14, 2020, and the Program Evaluation Division's Report, NC FAST Child Welfare Case Management Software Demonstrates Adequate Functionality but Poor Usability, dated June 12, 2020.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Division shall enter into a contract to augment and enhance the child welfare case management component of the NC FAST system before January 1, 2022. The contract shall align with the recommendations developed by the Executive Advisory Committee within the Department, with favorable consideration given to software currently deployed by county departments of social services.

SECTION 1.(c)  This section is effective when it becomes law.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, the sum of seventeen million two hundred sixty‑two thousand eight hundred eighty‑two dollars ($17,262,882) in nonrecurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 1, 2021.