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North Carolina

4 WORK FIRST STATE PLAN TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF)

INTRODUCTION

Vision and Mission The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) works to advance the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians in collaboration with a wide array of partners and stakeholders. Much of this work involves managing the delivery of services to North Carolina’s most vulnerable populations, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals and families. DHHS touches the lives of millions of North Carolinians and our goals reflect the wide range of programs administered and service populations.

Goals NC DHHS believes health is affected by many factors beyond the medical care provided within the four walls of a hospital or clinic. While access to high-quality medical care is critical, research shows up to 80 percent of a person’s health is determined by social and environmental factors and the behaviors that emerge as a result. A substantial body of research has established that having an unmet resource need — including experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, unmet transportation needs and interpersonal violence or toxic stress — can significantly and negatively impact health and well-being. It can also increase healthcare utilization and costs. To that end, NC DHHS has innovative programs to help connect people to needed resources to improve their health and well-being.

Departmental Goals for 2019-2021 are to: 1. Advance the health and well-being of North Carolinians utilizing the programmatic tools of the Department. 2. Build an innovative, coordinated, and whole-person centered system that addresses both medical and non-medical drivers of health. 3. Turn the tide on North Carolina’s opioid crisis. 4. Ensure all North Carolina children get a healthy start and develop to their full potential in safe and nurturing families, schools and communities. 5. Achieve operational excellence.

These goals support our key work to: • Buy health for people through our Medicaid program, including working with underserved communities to improve access to quality health care and reduce health disparities. • Safeguard public health by protecting communities from communicable and chronic diseases, epidemics, and contaminated food/water. • Protect the safety, security and well-being of children and vulnerable adults. • Support individuals with disabilities and older adults in leading healthy and fulfilling lives. • Promote family economic independence and self-sufficiency. • Ensure high standards in the many health care facilities we operate or regulate.