Task Force on the Co-Location of Different Populations in Adult Care Homes

The North Carolina General Assembly directed the NCIOM to study “short-term and long-term strategies to address issues within adult care homes that provide residence to persons who are frail and elderly and to persons suffering from mental illness.” (Section 10.78ff(3) of Session Law 2009-451). The Task Force on the Co-Location of Different Populations in Adult Care Homes will also examine co-location of other people with behavioral health disorders, such as substance abuse or intellectual or other developmental disabilities, with frail elderly or other people with disabilities. The General Assembly asked us to provide an interim report to the 2010 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly and a final report to the 2011 Session.

According to the Division of Health Services Regulation, almost two-thirds of residents of adult care homes, and more than three-fourths of the residents of family care homes had a primary diagnosis of mental illness, intellectual or other developmental disabilities, Alzheimers or other dementia in 2009. Some of these individuals have significant behavioral disorders, which can create safety concerns for themselves, other residents, or the staff. Staff do not always have the training or expertise to appropriately manage people with significant behavioral disorders. Thus, the legislature asked the NCIOM to convene a task force to develop strategies to address this concern.