H259 - 2023 Appropriations Act. (SL 2023-134)

Overview: Section 9H.11 of S.L. 2023-134 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to allocate $6.25 million in recurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and $6.25 million in recurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, to the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship (CPCF), a nonprofit corporation. The recurring funds are to be allocated as follows:

• $2.9 million to provide grants for services to pregnancy centers located in the State.
• $1 million to provide grants to purchase durable medical equipment and to provide training on the use of the durable medical equipment and pregnancy centers.
• $250,000 to provide grants to cover the cost of nonreligious, nonsectarian educational training and resources about pregnancy.
• $2.1 million to fund the operation of the CPCF Circle of Care Program.

This section directs the CPCF to establish an application process for the grants authorized under this section, and the CPCF cannot use more than 10% of the funds allocated for administrative purposes. The funds allocated under this section are to be used for nonsectarian, nonreligious purposes only.

The CPCF is required to report by July 1, 2025, and each July 1st of odd-numbered years thereafter, to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division on the identity of each grantee and the amount of funding awarded, the number of persons served by each grantee, and the number of persons served by the Circle of Care Program.

This section became effective July 1, 2023.