North Carolina SB 400: Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-23
SENATE BILL 400

*S400-v-4*
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL ADULT PROTECTION
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. Chapter 108A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new
Article to read:
"Article 6B.
"Local Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams.
"§ 108A-118. Declaration of public policy; purpose.
(a) The General Assembly finds that it is the public policy of this State to prevent the
abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults and older adults. The General Assembly
further finds that professionals from disparate disciplines have expertise that can promote the
safety and well-being of disabled adults and older adults and prevent re-victimization and that
multidisciplinary reviews of selected cases can lead to a greater understanding of the causes of
the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults and older adults. It is, therefore, the intent
of the General Assembly, through this Article, to promote the establishment of local adult
protection multidisciplinary teams.
(b) The purpose of this Article is to authorize local adult protection multidisciplinary case
review teams to share information pertaining to selected cases in which disabled adults and older
adults are being served by adult protective services and to coordinate multiagency solutions for
adult victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
"§ 108A-118.1. Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1) Case Review Multidisciplinary Team. – An adult protection multidisciplinary
team that reviews selected active cases in which disabled adults and older
adults are being served by adult protective services through a local department
of social services.
(2) Director of social services. – As defined by G.S. 108A-74.
(3) Disabled adult. – An individual 18 years of age or older or a lawfully
emancipated minor who is present in the State of North Carolina and who is
physically or mentally incapacitated, as defined in G.S. 108A-101(d).
(4) Older adult. – An individual 65 years of age or older.
(5) Systemic Review Multidisciplinary Team. – An adult protection
multidisciplinary team that works together to do all of the following:
a. Address systemic problems and service gaps that may exist in the
delivery of services to disabled adults or older adults by public and
nonpublic agencies.
b. Develop information networks.
c. Provide coordinated community education and outreach designed to
protect against abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults or
older adults.

Page 2 Session Law 2025-23 Senate Bill 400
"§ 108A-118.2. Case Review Multidisciplinary Team; creation and composition.
(a) Creation. – Each county may establish its own Case Review Multidisciplinary Team
or participate in a multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary Team, as determined in
accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Determination of Single County Versus Multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary
Team. – Each county board of commissioners may evaluate and determine whether the county
will establish its own Case Review Multidisciplinary Team or become part of a multicounty team.
This determination shall be made in consultation with the director of the local department of
social services. A multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary Team may be formed upon
agreement of the county boards of commissioners of each of the counties involved. The board of
commissioners of a county that is a member of a multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary
Team may choose to withdraw from the multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary Team upon
prior written notice to the boards of county commissioners of all other counties that are members
of the multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary Team.
(c) Mandatory Members. – Each single county Case Review Multidisciplinary Team
shall consist of the following persons identified in subdivisions (1) through (11) of this
subsection, and each multicounty Case Review Multidisciplinary Team shall consist of the
following persons identified in subdivisions (1) through (11) of this subsection from each county
represented on that multicounty team:
(1) The director of social services.
(2) A staff member of the local department of social services, designated by the
director of social services.
(3) A local law enforcement officer, appointed by the board of county
commissioners after consultation with the district attorney's office and the
local department of social services.
(4) An attorney from the district attorney's office, appointed by the district
attorney.
(5) The public guardian appointed in the county by the clerk of superior court
under Article 11 of Chapter 35A of the General Statutes.
(6) A local mental health professional, appointed by the director of the area
authority established under Chapter 122C of the General Statutes.
(7) The long-term care ombudsman serving in the county, to