HHS Omnibus.

This bill modifies North Carolina laws in three main areas: clarifying how protective services are provided to disabled adults, updating the definition of family child care homes, and modernizing qualifications for local health directors. Regarding disabled adults, the bill clarifies that petitions for protective services must be served according to specific rules and ensures the individual has the right to be present and represented by counsel at the hearing, with state funding for representation if the person is indigent. For child care, the legislation updates the definition of a family child care home to specify that it involves caring for more than two but fewer than ten children in a residence. Finally, the bill sets new education and experience requirements for local health directors, including options for various master's degrees paired with years of relevant experience, and establishes a review process where the State Health Director verifies if a candidate's degree is in a related field.