Children and Families Specialty Plan

Children and Families Specialty Plan to Launch December 2023

NCDHHS released the new Children and Families Specialty Plan Policy Paper on Feb. 18, 2022.

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 (temporary new name of the Plan) and is moving the launch to no later than December 2023.

This revised date will allow time for additional design and input on key features of the Plan for children and youth currently and formerly served by the child welfare system.

  • Foster care fact sheet for children, youth and their families

Frequently Asked Questions

Comments, questions or feedback regarding the new policy paper should be submitted by March 4, 2022, to Medicaid.NCEngagement@dhhs.nc.gov.

About the Children and Families Specialty Plan

The Children and Families Specialty Plan (CFSP) will be a statewide specialty NC Medicaid Managed Care plan to ensure access to comprehensive physical and behavioral health services while maintaining treatment plans when placements change.

The Children and Families Specialty Plan will include care management services to improve coordination among service providers, families, involved entities (such as the Department of Social Services, Division of Juvenile Justice and schools) and other stakeholders involved in serving Plan members. 

    Interim Plan to be Developed

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

    • Ensure children receive a full range of physical and behavioral health services.
    • Leverage 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.
    • Ensure children in foster care receive increased coordination of care.
    • Include legislative changes necessary to support the 2023 launch of the Children and Families Specialty Plan that enables children's access to behavioral health services.

    Additional Stakeholder Engagement to Come

    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.

    Children and Families Specialty Plan Workgroup

    In 2021, NCDHHS continued to advance the development of the Children and Families Specialty Plan. NCDHHS conducted extensive stakeholder engagement earlier in the year and feedback received through workgroup sessions held from April through August 2021 has been instrumental in informing 2022 updates to the Children and Families Specialty Plan design. 

    Fact Sheets

    Fact sheets that address questions related to the Standard Plan disenrollment process for children in foster care are available:

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

    This page was last modified on 05/23/2022

    https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/beneficiaries/children-and-families-specialty-plan