Bill > H391

Introduced Session

AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES, TO FUND ADDITIONAL ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKERS AT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO INVESTIGATE AN INCREASING VOLUME OF ELDER ABUSE REPORTS. Whereas, Article 6 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes mandates county departments of social services to evaluate reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults through a system of protective services known as Adult Protection Services (APS); and Whereas, reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults may include all forms of abuse such as physical, sexual, emotional, mental, passive neglect, and financial exploitation, and may include acts of confinement and willful deprivation; and Whereas, the federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) provides 21% of the funding for APS staff at county departments of social services, and the counties provide the remaining 79%; and Whereas, in North Carolina, the State does not allocate State funds for Adult Protective Services; and Whereas, according to the National Council on Aging, pre-pandemic sources estimated approximately one in 10 Americans 60 years of age or older have experienced some form of elder abuse, a more recent study found that one in five older adults reported elder abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic; and Whereas, in county departments of social services with APS units, SSBG funds earmarked for APS are often depleted by mid-year, if not earlier; and Whereas, with the growth in the older adult population, county departments of social services APS staff are overwhelmed by the increased demand in elder abuse cases; and Whereas, while the population increase of those 60 years of age or older contributes to the increased number of APS reports, analysis shows that the number of abuse reports per capita has increased as well; and Whereas, North Carolina counties report the need for additional APS staff; Now, therefore,

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Allen Buansi (D)*,  Renée Price (D)*,  Amber Baker (D),  Cynthia Ball (D),  Mary Belk (D),  Cecil Brockman (D),  Gloristine Brown (D),  Kanika Brown (D),  Deb Butler (D),  Becky Carney (D),  Maria Cervania (D),  Bryan Cohn (D),  Mike Colvin (D),  Sarah Crawford (D),  Carla Cunningham (D),  Julia Greenfield (D),  Pricey Harrison (D),  Zack Hawkins (D),  Carolyn Logan (D),  Tim Longest (D),  Jordan Lopez (D),  Nasif Majeed (D),  Marcia Morey (D),  Ben Moss (R),  Lindsey Prather (D),  Amos Quick (D),  James Roberson (D),  Phil Rubin (D),  Donna White (R), 

Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (on 03/17/2025)

Official Document