NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

CHAPTER 969

HOUSE BILL 1151

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO ENABLE THE WESTERN CAROLINA CENTER TO MEET INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITY STANDARDS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEDERAL MEDICAID-MEDICARE FUNDS.

Whereas, the General Assembly finds and declares, as did the Mental Health Study Commission, that the Western Carolina Center, located in Morganton, North Carolina, is close to meeting federal Medicaid-Medicare standards; and

Whereas, if these standards are not completely met by March, 1977, federal funds of considerable magnitude will be withdrawn from the receipts of that facility; and

Whereas, it is necessary for the Western Carolina Center to meet federal Medicaid-Medicare standards in order to assure the provision of adequate services to those mentally retarded and multiply handicapped citizens who, through no fault of their own, find themselves at the Center in need of treatment and care; and

Whereas, a class action suit has recently been instituted against several State agencies, including the Western Carolina Center, alleging that such facilities as the Center are not providing adequate treatment and education; and

Whereas, the Western Carolina Center is in need of additional funds to move as rapidly as possible toward meeting federal Medicaid-Medicare standards; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated for the fiscal year 1976-77 from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, in addition to all other sums, the sum of forty thousand dollars ($40,000) for the purpose of planning for constructing additional buildings and renovating existing buildings for the general purposes set forth in the preamble to this act.

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective upon its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 26th day of June, 1975.