HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 10-07-2025; 8-q - Approval of Budget Amendment #2-A to Fund the Mobile Crisis Team Pilot (CARE) with Grant Funding Awarded to Alliance Healthcare
ORD-2025-032
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:October 7, 2025
Action Agenda
Item No.8-q
SUBJECT: Approval of Budget Amendment #2-A to Fund the Mobile Crisis Team Pilot
(CARE) with Grant Funding Awarded to Alliance Healthcare
DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services, County
Manager
ATTACHMENT(S):
FY 2025-26 Alliance Health Budget
Form Expansion
August 22, 2025 Memorandum from
NCDHHS
Year-To-Date Budget Summary
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Caitlin Fenhagen, 919-245-2303
Kirby Saunders, 919-245-6123
Kim Woodward, 919-245-6133
PURPOSE: To approve Budget Amendment # 2-A to provide grant funding for an additional year
and expansion of the Mobile Crisis Pilot – the Crisis Assistance, Response and Engagement
(CARE) Team – in collaboration with Alliance Healthcare and the Town of Chapel Hill.
BACKGROUND: The CARE Team is a three person mobile unit that responds to 911 and crisis
calls in lieu of law enforcement or emergency medical services (EMS). The mobile team includes
a crisis counselor, a peer support specialist and an emergency medical technician (EMT). The
mobile team is complemented by a fourth position, a crisis counselor who is embedded in the 911
Call Center. The CARE Team is a collaboration between Orange County and the Town of Chapel
Hill. The Pilot started operation in May 2024 under the direct supervision of the Chapel Hill Police
Crisis Division, and with joint oversight by leadership at the Chapel Hill Police Department Crisis
Division, Orange County Emergency Services, County EMS and the Criminal Justice Resource
Department.
Alliance Healthcare provided start-up costs for the CARE Team in FY 2023-24 and sought and
received a grant from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Divison of
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, for Orange County in the
amount of $579,500 for FY 2024-25. The CARE Team’s coverage was limited to Chapel Hill calls
and the hours of operation were from 8:00am to 4:30pm.
In FY 2024-25, the CARE Team responded to 1,040 events and served 349 unique individuals.
93% of the responses did not result in any criminal charge. Only 5% of the responses required
transport to a hospital for a medical emergency, and only 7% required transport to a hospital for
behavioral health care.
Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill requested expansion funding for FY 2025-26 that
would allow the CARE Team to provide coverage to Carrboro and and extend the service hours.
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Carrboro separately funded a crisis counselor position to suport the CARE team for this potential
expansion.The request submitted to Alliance Healthcare and NCDHHS sought funding for three
(3) new positions to provide for a second mobile team to serve from late afternoon until late at
night on weekdays. On August 22, 2025, Alliance Healthcare notified Orange County that
NCDHHS had allocated $790,640 to Alliance Healthcare for the CARE Team’s expansion (see
attachment).
On September 4, 2025, the CARE Team expanded its operation to Carrboro. Hiring is underway
to fill the new positions in order to expand the coverage hours.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: This grant provides Fiscal Year 2025-26 funding of $790,640 to support
and expand the Mobile Crisis Team. The additional funding supports the existing Crisis Counselor
contract with the Town of Chapel Hill and the County’s Crisis Response Community EMT,
therefore reducing the General Fund appropriation by $173,298. This grant also expands the
Mobile Crisis Program by providing for an additional full-time equivalent (FTE) position with the
County, two additional FTE positions through a contract with the Town of Chapel Hill staff, and
additional operational costs.
Budget Amendment #2-A reduces the General Fund appropriation by $173,298 and updates the
following grant ordinance in the Multi-Year Grant Fund, outside of the General Fund by $790,640.
DHHS Care Grant ($790,640) - Project # 71501
Revenues for this project:
Current
FY 2025-26
FY 2025-26
Amendment
FY 2025-26
Revised
Grant Revenue $579,500 $790,640 $1,370,140
Total Project Funding $579,500 $790,640 $1,370,140
Appropriated for this project:
Current
FY 2025-26
FY 2025-26
Amendment
FY 2025-26
Revised
Expenditures $579,500 $790,640 $1,370,140
Total Costs $579,500 $790,640 $1,370,140
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports:
GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY
OBJECTIVE 1. Improve harm reduction, prevention, and support services for adults and
children experiencing behavioral health issues, substance use disorder, and intellectual or
developmental disability.
OBJECTIVE 2. Expand access to quality, affordable healthcare services. (e.g., Crisis
Diversion facility, Medicaid expansion, crisis response, healthy living campaign).
OBJECTIVE 3. Provide social safety net programming and the resources needed for our
most vulnerable community members (e.g., veterans, unhoused people, foster children,
older adults, etc.).
OBJECTIVE 4. Reduce impacts and barriers for justice-involved children and adults
through deflection, diversion, therapeutic interventions, and re-entry support, including
housing.
OBJECTIVE 5. Invest in, support, train, and retain our community safety, health, and
emergency services employees and direct care workforce.
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OBJECTIVE 6. Provide sustainable, equitable, and high-quality community safety and
emergency services to meet the community’s evolving needs.
OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life
of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.)
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve Budget
Amendment #2-A to include $790,640 in a Multi-Year Grant Fund to support the existing and
expansion funding for the Mobile Crisis Team Program. The Town of Chapel Hill will invoice
Orange County for payment of its share of the individual and joint expenses, and Orange County
will provide copies of invoices, payroll, and all expenses to Alliance Healthcare to ensure funds
are being used for allowable expenses.
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Provider Name Orange County
Program Name CARE Team
Please provide explanations and justifications for budget expenses below:
Budget Line Item Description Explanation and Justification
Travel/Staff Lodging/Meals Funding for conferences and training opportunities involcing travel.
Client Assistance Activities
Funding for basic needs including snacks, clothes, water, shoes, warm and cold weather
resources.
Office Equipment Rental
Cell phones and laptops for the new team members and monthly cell phone costs for all
the team.
Office Supplies/Materials Uniforms and office supplies for new team members.
Service Related Supplies Funding for medical supplies and harm reduction supplies for mobile unit.
Software Licenses Penelope and Apricot software and licenses.
Vehicle Rental Mobile van rental from Enterprise.
Alliance Health
Budget Form for Non-UCR Contracts
Narrative
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NC DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Mental Health, Developmental
Disabilities and Substance Use Services
JOSH STEIN • Governor
DEVDUTTA SANGVAI • Secretary
KELLY CROSBIE • Director
NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES • DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND
SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES
LOCATION: 695 Palmer Drive, Anderson Building, Raleigh, NC 27603
MAILING ADDRESS: 3001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-3001
www.ncdhhs.gov • TEL: 984-236-5000 • FAX: 919-508-0951
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
AAugust 22, 2025
MEMORANDUM
Allocation #: 26-A-51
UEI #: WX6EEKYAMG77
TO: Rob Robinson, Chief Executive Officer
Alliance
FROM: Deidra Oates, Business Allocations Manager
DMHDDSUS
RE: Behavioral Health Investments Special Savings Funding Non-UCR for Orange
County Mobile Crisis and Law Enforcement Co-Response Pilot SFY26
Alliance is allocated $$790,640 in Behavioral Health Investments Special Savings Funds on a oone-
time basis to support the development and operation of the Orange County Mobile Crisis and Law
Enforcement Co-Response Pilot.
Eligible expenditures must be incurred during the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
FORMAT FOR FUNDING:
These state funds are allocated ooutside of UCR and approved expenditures shall be reported by the
Tailored Plan through routine submission of monthly Financial Status Reports (FSRs) to the DMHDDSUS
Project Manager and Business and Financial Operations. Funds will be paid on a reimbursement basis
as these funds will not be paid via the Single Stream Funding payment schedule. Any exceptions to the
required timely reporting of funds expended shall be approved in writing by the DMHDDSUS Business
and Financial Operations Director.
Each Tailored Plan should review their program report received from Business and Financial
Operations for the latest expenditure update for funds paid by the Division. If Tailored Plans are
underutilizing funds, the Division reserves the right to make a mid-year adjustment in allocations.
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SSPECIAL CONDITIONS:
1. The award of these funds shall not be used by a county as a basis to supplant any portion of a
county’s commitment of local funds to the area authority.
2. These funds shall only be used for community-based services and supports.
3. The funds provided shall not be utilized to supplement any reimbursement for services or staff
activities provided through the NC Medicaid Program;
4. Funds shall be used in accordance with cost principles describing allowable and unallowable
expenditures for nonprofit organizations in accordance with OMB Circular A-122;
5. Tailored Plans are prohibited from withholding or deducting any portion of allocated state funds
for the support of any Tailored Plan activity or function, including, but not limited to,
administration, overhead, or indirect expenses. All allocated funds are required to be fully
contracted by the Tailored Plan for approved expenditure by eligible non-profit subrecipient
organizations.
6. If Tailored Plans are underutilizing the funds allocated, the Division reserves the right to make
adjustment in allocations.
7. Any payback of funds provided to the Tailored Plan pursuant to this allocation and determined to
be owed by the Tailored Plan as a result of the funding review and settlement process conducted
by DMHDDSUS for each fiscal year, must be paid within 60 days after the date of Tailored Plan’s
receipt of the non-Medicaid funding audit report memorandum (financial settlement
memorandum) from DMHDDSUS. If not timely paid, DMHDDSUS will take action to recover any
such payback amount due from the Tailored Plan. The Tailored Plan will be provided prior written
notice of the process to recoup any payback funds owed and not timely paid by the Tailored Plan
and any appeal rights to contest the payback amount due, in the financial settlement
memorandum from DMHDDSUS.
8. NC DHHS has an approved cost allocation plan which exempts the State from the indirect cost
rate requirement for Federal awards.
9. NC DHHS does not allocate pass-through funds identified as Research and Development.
SPECIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:
The following reporting requirements are required as referenced in G.S. 122C-144.1. Budget Format
and Reports: In order to ensure the Division has complete and accurate information on services
provided and expenditures, reporting of all services is required through NC Tracks and the Financial
Reporting Tool, Financial Status Reporting Monthly Expenditure Detail worksheets. This will enable the
system to assign eligible services to the correct disability-based accounts. Complete reporting of
services is also essential for performance measures calculated from NC Tracks claims and encounter
data. Monthly and Quarterly programmatic reports should also be submitted to the Program Manager.
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FFUND ALLOCATION:
NCFS:
Agency Budget
Fund
Account Agency
Mgmt.
Unit
(AMU)
Agency
Program
Funding
Source
Project Amount
3000 231013 56900100 30TB183 300003B 2000 2000400000 $790,640
Please do not hesitate to contact JJessica Kornegay at jessica.kornegay@dhhs.nc.gov regarding
any questions or concerns about this allocation.
cc: Tailored Plan Finance Officer
DMHDDSUS Business and Financial Operations Team
DMHDDSUS Executive Leadership Team
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Fund Budget Summary General Fund Grants
Fund
Original Budget Revenue $298,315,586 $283,500
Interfund Transfer Revenue $665,729 $0
Fund Balance Appropiation $7,056,130 $0
Total Original Budget $306,037,445 $283,500
Additional Revenue Received Through
Budget Amendment #2-A (October 7th)
Grant Funds $279,615 $953,558
Non Grant Funds $123,489 $23,611
Additional Interfund Transfer Revenue
Additional Fund Balance Appropriation ‐$69,497
Total Amended Budget $306,371,052 $1,260,669
Dollar Change in 2024‐25 Approved Budget $333,607 $977,169
% Change in 2024‐25 Approved Budget 0.11% 344.68%
Year-To-Date Budget Summary
Fiscal Year 2025-26
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