Children and Families Specialty Plan

NCDHHS released the revised Children and Families Specialty Plan Policy Paper on Jan. 16, 2024.

The original North Carolina's Specialized Foster Care Plan was released in February 2021, requesting input from those who support these populations and other interested stakeholders. After reviewing recommendations, NCDHHS offers several updates to the Children and Families Specialty Plan.

About the Children and Families Specialty Plan

 The Children and Families Specialty Plan (CFSP) - a single, statewide NC Medicaid Managed Care plan that will support Medicaid-enrolled children, youth, and families served by the child welfare system in receiving seamless, integrated and coordinated health.  As a statewide entity, the CFSP, regardless of a member’s geographic location, will provide members with access to physical health, behavioral health and pharmacy services, long-term services and supports (LTSS), and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) services, as well as services to address unmet health-related resource needs.

Stakeholder feedback has been instrumental in shaping CFSP design. The Department pursued multiple avenues for stakeholder engagement throughout 2021 and 2022 that has resulted in a CFSP design that will provide children, youth, and families served by the child welfare system in North Carolina with a specialized plan intended to improve near- and long-term health outcomes, increase access to health and health-related services, and strengthen and stabilize families.

Interim Plan

To ensure these children and youth are not required to make multiple transitions related to North Carolina's move to managed care, NCDHHS with input from key stakeholders, implemented an interim plan that:

• Ensures children and youth have access to the full range of NC Medicaid services.
• Leverages the existing NC Medicaid Direct primary care and LME/MCO behavioral health system while directly addressing challenges and mitigating problems children in foster care face today.
• Provides access to appropriate care management and coordination support across multiple settings of care, including ensuring children and youth with high medical, behavioral or social needs should have access to a program of care management that includes the involvement of a multidisciplinary care team and the development of a written care plan.

Upcoming Children and Families Specialty Plan information

NCDHHS will:

• Share details of the Children and Families Specialty Plan request for proposal not described in the policy paper.
• Consult with stakeholders on the policy paper feedback.
• Identify opportunities to align Children and Families Specialty Plan requirements with the Family First Prevention Services Act.
• Explore potential changes to reach children earlier and offer services to children in foster care and their families.

For more information email Medicaid.NCEngagement@dhhs.nc.gov.