a North Carolina » Systems integration

Agency integration, 2016

• Child welfare

  North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Social Services

  Does not centralize child welfare administration services at the state level.

• Integration level

  One or all are decentralized

• Juvenile corrections

  North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Corrections and Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Justice Section

  Centralizes administration of delinquency services at the state level.

Coordination, 2014

• Uses for coordination
• Does not use for coordination

• Data sharing

  Facilitated through the use of statewide information systems allowing for consistent data sharing between systems.

• Committees or advisory groups

  Multidisciplinary groups that often have regularly scheduled meetings to brainstorm ways to improve systems integration.

• Formal interagency MOUs

  Collaborative agreements to guide systems integration efforts

• Informal interagency agreements

  Commonly based on historical practice, mutual trust, and recognition of the need to collaborate in order to serve dual-status youth.

• Statute and/or rules

  Rules that mandate systems integration efforts

Summary

In North Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services provides services for dependent youth and the Department of Public Safety, Division of Juvenile Justice provides services for delinquent youth. There is currently no formal data sharing about dual status youth at the state level between these agencies, but local examples exist for data sharing and coordination, including formal information sharing agreements between juvenile justice departments, social services departments, and schools.

For example, Durham County (Durham) has established a dual jurisdiction court pilot program. Through the program, district courts hear cases for delinquent and dependent youth and dual status cases are consolidated with one judge in specialized dockets. Services are coordinated through a working group that focuses on dual status issues. There are local court regulations and several practices in place to facilitate case coordination and court activity for dually involved youth. For example, planning meetings occur between court counselors, District Attorneys, guardians ad litem, county attorneys, and judges. There are also inter-agency liaisons and joint hearing appearance requirements for probation officers and social workers.

Reported data