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CHILD WELFARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES REFORM LEGISLATIVE REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NC Session Law 2017-41, Rylan's Law' requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to submit "a p/an[to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services]that outlines regional supervision of and collaboration by local social services programs,"and also requires DHHS to submit "preliminary recommendations to the Committee... regarding legislative changes necessary to implement... a plan to reform the State supervision and accountability for the social services system, including child welfare, adult protective services and guardianship, public assistance, and child support enforcement." The recommendations presented by both the Social Services Working Group(SSWG)and the Center for Support of Families(CSF)were carefully analyzed by DHHS and have significantly informed DHHS'recommendations. SSWG and CSF included significant external stakeholder input gathered through surveys and focus groups held across the state in developing their reports. DHHS senior leadership actively participated as members of the SSWG.The Secretary's leadership team,as well as various DHHS division directors and section chiefs, helped to inform the CSF report. DHHS also considered these goals in developing recommendations: • All North Carolina citizens should have equal access to whole person-centered, high-quality social services. • North Carolina's social services system should produce better outcomes for the citizens it serves and deliver maximum value to its customers, communities and taxpayers. Detailed background and justifications for the 14 recommendations can be found in the full report. A. Geographic Regions The Department concurs with the recommendations from the SSWG to establish seven regions for regional supervision of county-administered child welfare and other social services. DHHS further recommends that legislation directing the establishment of regions allow for flexibility in determining county placement within regions. This will allow DHHS to make small adjustments as needed based on changes to judicial districts, new county level partnerships, significant population caseload changes, etc. Among the considerations were ensuring that single counties are not divided by regions and that regions be contiguous. Also considered were total county population, geographic size and not disrupting judicial districts. DHHS supports the SSWG's recommendation for establishing physical offices for regional supervision of child welfare and social services. However, it will take significant time and cost to procure and renovate or build offices. Therefore, DHHS recommends phasing in GEOGRAPHI( REGIONS regional supervision by Region 3 Region 5 Region 7 first establishing virtual ��>�.■.. '.��•� regions and using existing Region 1 communityac spaces es for1611110pmallillalibg shared trainings and flomin meetings411"/4111111101 4y while the 1A4m procurement of physical office space is pursued. Re9 Ion 1woolli10.7* Region 4 10111111 ea Region 6 NCS Session Law 2017-41,Rylan's Law:httos://www.ncleq.net/Sessions/2017/Bills/House/PDF/H630v6.odf 1 of 3