April 27, 2020
The State, and particularly the Department of Health and Human Services, continues to add to its pool of resources for individuals and organizations to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To find community resources, including housing, food, health care, mental health and substance use disorder services:
Text COVIDNC to 898211
Call 211, access the website or call 888-892-1162
NC DHHS has also established two helplines to provide telephonic one-on-one support:
The Hope4NC Helpline (1-855-587-3463) is available to connect individuals to additional mental health and resilience supports that help them cope and build resilience during times of crisis.
The Hope4Healers Helpline (919-226-2002) is being provided in partnership with the North Carolina Psychological Foundation. It provides mental health and resilience supports for health care professionals, emergency medical specialists, first responders, other staff who work in health care settings and their families throughout the state who are experiencing stress from being on the front lines of the state’s COVID-19 response.
Both helplines are available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
Two main websites provide all materials the State has developed on COVID-19:
General NC website for COVID-19
Index of NC DHHS COVID-19 Resources for BH/IDD Stakeholders
To assist you with navigating the NC DHHS website, i2i Center has developed an index of some of the resources and guidance NC DHHS has provided that are particularly pertinent to the BH/IDD service system.
Main web page of guidance for consumers, providers and LME/MCOs:
Special Bulletin COVID-19 #46: Behavioral Health Service Flexibilities
Consumers and Family Members:
Guidance for COVID-19 home care: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/2019-nCoV-Interim-Guidance-for-Home-Care.pdf
Guidance from CDC on What to Do If You Think You Have COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf
Webpage of resources for families and individuals: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/covid19/individuals-and-families
Long-Term Care and Congregate Settings:
Change in Therapeutic Leave Days Policy: https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020/04/15/special-bulletin-covid-19-45-increase-therapeutic-leave-days-icfidd-facilities-due
Guidance for long-term care facilities: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/interim-covid-guidance-long-term-care-settings.pdf
Guidance for congregate settings: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/interim-covid-guidance-congregate-living-settings.pdf
INTERIM Guidance for BH/IDD group homes: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/NC-Interim-Guidance-for-BHIDD-Group-Homes-3-20-20-Final.pdf
Community-Based, Outpatient and Crisis Services:
Individual Placement and Support, Critical Time Intervention and Tenancy Management Services: State-funded service definitions for COVID-19 (IPS, CTI, TMS) https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/mhddsas/servicedefinitions
Guidance for Outpatient and Crisis BH/IDD Providers: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/NC-Interim-Guidance-for-BHIDD-Outpatient-and-Crisis-System-Providers-3-20-20-Final.pdf
Non-Medical Settings:
INTERIM Guidance for Non-Medical, In-Home and NEMT: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/NC-Interim-Guidance-for-PPE-in-Non-Medical-Setting.pdf
Guidance for In-Home and Community-Based Care Providers: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/covid-19/NC-Interim-Guidance-for-BHIDD-In-Home-Service-Providers.pdf
Telehealth:
Telehealth Outpatient Behavioral Health Services: Special Bulletin COVID-19 #59 https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020/04/23/special-bulletin-covid-19-59-telehealth-clinical-policy-modifications-outpatient
Staffing, Authorization and other Changes for Telehealth: Special Bulletin COVID-19 #46: Behavioral Health Service Flexibilities https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020/04/16/special-bulletin-covid-19-46-behavioral-health-service-flexibilities
Chart of Telehealth Coverage by Payer: https://files.nc.gov/ncdma/covid-19/NCPayers-Telehealth-Policies-COVID19-2020.pdf
Telehealth Communication Bulletins: https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/about-us/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-and-nc-medicaid/covid-19-telehealth
Funding:
Guidance to LME/MCOs on funding flexibility: https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/COVID-Letter-to-LME-MCOs-03-19-2020.docx.pdf
I2i also has a regularly updated webpage dedicated to COVID-19 crisis resources where these and other resources can be found.