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Safe for the Holidays
The widespread concern about stability for those living in .5600 a group homes has been solved... at least until January 31. One time funds of $l million from the Department of Health and Human Services budget have been found, and the Governor is exercising her power under the provisions of the State Budget Act to take action due to unforeseen events. This fund will be available from January l through January 31, in order to keep some of North Carolina's most vulnerable citizen's housing safe through the holiday season.
What Next?
The Governor has proposed a budget for the next biennium, urging that the fund for adult care homes be expanded and be used to aalso cover group home residents, and has shared this with Governor elect McCrory. The Legislature will now need to solve this problem for the long term.
"Over the past few weeks it has been made clear to me both that this threat is very real and that the General ASsembly as a whole was not aware at the time it's budget passes that this change could result in residents being made homeless," said Perdue.
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Questions?
If your home has already made an appeal, the funding for that appeal will be continued so there will be no need to apply through this $l M fund
Click here for information on how to access these funds
The funds will definitely be enough to cover this shortfall period.
Action Steps:
1. NAMI affiliates need to get in touch with their newly elected legislators (and there are a lot of them!) and educate them and ask them to IMMEDIATELY work on a long term solution to the .5600 group home crisis. It is a good time to familiarize them with our public policy agenda too - be on the lookout for that in the next couple of days
2. Thank the Governor for her short term solution.
Thank you for your advocacy- it definitely worked. l400 people are secure in their homes for the holidays
Deby Dihoff, MA
Executive Director |
