DHHS Directive Number II-23

Title:	Delegation of Authority to the Director, Office of Rural Health and Community Care
Effective Date:	November 3, 2008
Revision History:	January 1, 2002
Authority:	G.S. 143B-10

Purpose

The purpose of this directive is to delegate, clarify and specifically confirm certain authorities of the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) to the Director of the Office of Rural Health and Community Care. These authorities are delegated under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Health Policy and the Director shall report to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Health Policy.

Delegation of Authority

As provided in G.S. 143B-10(a), the Secretary of the DHHS delegates the following functions concerning management and administration the Director of the Office of Rural Health and Community Care, subject to state and departmental policy:

1. The functions of management, related to the Office of Rural Health and Community Care, as defined in G.S. 143B-10, which include: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.



2. The management and rulemaking authority (in coordination with the Office of the General Counsel) to develop and carry out programs, including, but not limited to:
1. Provision for a broad range of assistance to rural communities in developing and implementing programs to enhance local health care;


2. Recruitment and retention of primary care physicians and dentists and other health care professionals to undeserved communities;


3. Identification of the additional resources and/or actions needed to respond to worsening trends as they occur in the health care delivery arena;


4. Coordination of federal health manpower and delivery programs;


5. Responsibility for NC's role in the federal critical access hospital program;


6. Development of demonstration programs designed to improve the coordination, delivery, quality, and cost effectiveness of care for low-income citizens of the state; and


7. Management of the ACCESS II and ACCESS III program.
3. The Director shall be responsible for coordinating the division's monitoring functions with other divisions and local partners to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.



4. The Director shall be responsible for ensuring that the division is familiar with and adheres to the department's policy and procedures manual.

This delegation of authority shall not deprive the Secretary from performing, in lieu of the Director of the Office of Rural Health and Community Care, any of the acts set forth above. This delegation of authority may be amended or withdrawn by the Secretary at any time and without notice. This delegation of authority shall not apply to any actions, which by law, state policy or NC Governor’s Executive Order, may only be executed by the Secretary.

	APPROVED
	Dempsey Benton, Secretary
	Department of Health and Human Services