What We Do

Acute and Home Care Licensure and Certification Section

Section Chief: Azzie Conley, Azzie.Conley@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-4620

Mailing Address: 2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2711

The Acute and Home Care Licensure and Certification Section provides regulatory oversight and remedial activities to assure state licensed and federally certified providers maintain compliance with state and federal laws governing the quality of health care rendered to recipients of care.

Program areas include: clinical laboratories, acute care hospitals and licensing of nursing facility beds in these hospitals; rural primary care hospitals; psychiatric hospitals; ambulatory surgery centers; cardiac rehabilitation programs; abortion clinics; home care and home health agencies; hospice agencies; nursing pools; end stage renal disease facilities; rural health clinics; outpatient rehabilitation providers; comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities; portable x-ray suppliers.

Adult Care Licensure Section

Section Chief: Barbara Ryan, Barbara.Ryan@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3765

Mailing Address: 2708 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2708

The Adult Care Licensure Section licenses and regulates adult care homes and provides supervision, and consultation. The section also provides training and technical assistance to county departments of social services staff who regularly monitor the compliance status of the facilities in terms of rules and quality services. Training and other support services are provided to facility staff to enhance their ability to meet the needs of residents.

Certificate of Need Section

Section Chief: Craig Smith, craig.smith@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3873

Mailing Address: 2704 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2704

The Certificate of Need Section restricts unnecessary increases in health care costs and limits unnecessary health services and facilities based on geographic, demographic and economic considerations.

Complaint Intake Unit

Division Contact: Rita Horton, Rita.C.Horton@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 1-800-624-3004 [Toll free - N.C. residents only] or 919-855-4500 [local & outside North Carolina]

Mailing Address: 2711 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2711

The Complaint Intake Unit receives complaints for provider types regulated by DHSR. These provider types include: nursing homes; adult care homes; hospitals; home care, home health, or hospice agencies; dialysis centers; suppliers of portable x-ray services; providers of outpatient physical therapy or speech pathology services; rural health clinics; comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities; ambulatory surgery facilities; abortion clinics; cardiac rehabilitation programs; nursing pool agencies; clinical laboratories; and mental health group homes and other 24-hour facilities, outpatient, and day treatment facilities.

Construction Section

Section Chief: Steve Lewis, Steven.Lewis@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3893

Mailing Address: 2705 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2705

The Construction Section performs plan reviews and inspections of healthcare and jail construction projects. The section also conducts: state mandated inspections of existing 24-hour mental health and adult care facilities; life safety inspections of Medicare/Medicaid certified facilities; and operational inspections of city, county and regional jails. Technical and administrative assistance is provided to the North Carolina Medical Care Commission for the Health Care Facility Finance Program. Training and technical assistance is provided to facility staff, and state, county and local governmental entities.

Health Care Personnel Registry

Section Chief: Jesse Goodman, Jesse.Goodman@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3968

Mailing Address: 2709 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-2709

The Health Care Personnel Registry Section reviews and determines federal and state compliance of all nurse aide education programs offered in the state. The section also administers the standardized Nurse Aide I and Medication Aide Competency Evaluation programs, the approval of Nurse Aide I and geriatric aide education programs, the administration of the Nurse Aide I, Medication Aide, Geriatric Aide and Health Care Personnel Registries and the investigation of allegations of abuse, neglect, fraud, diversion of drugs, and misappropriation of property against unlicensed health care workers and the listing of substantiated findings on the Nurse Aide I Registry and Health Care Personnel Registry for use by health care providers in their hiring process.

Medical Facilities Planning Branch

Branch Manager: Nadine Pfeiffer, Nadine.Pfeiffer@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3865

Mailing Address: 2714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2714

The Medical Facilities Planning Branch provides staff support to the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council which makes recommendations to the department and the governor regarding the degree of unmet need for health facilities and services throughout the state. This branch publishes the annual State Medical Facilities Plan which provides background information and data on unmet need, including annual "need determinations" which are available for Certificate of Need review within the specified calendar year.

Mental Health Licensure and Certification Section

Section Chief: Stephanie Gilliam, Stephanie.Gilliam@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3795

Mailing Address: 2718 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2718

The Mental Health Licensure and Certification Section inspects and licenses facilities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, individuals with mental illness and individuals with substance abuse issues. This includes certification services for intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID).

N.C. Medical Care Commission

Assistant Secretary, CPA: Chris Taylor, Chris.Taylor@dhhs.nc.gov

Auditor: Kathy Larrison, Kathy.Larrison@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3750

Mailing Address: 2701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2701

The North Carolina Medical Care Commission was established in 1945. In 1946, the commission was designated as the agency empowered to administer the Hill-Burton program within the state. Pursuant to the Executive Organization Act of 1973, the 17-member Commission was incorporated into the Department of Health and Human Services.

The commission has the duty and power to promulgate, adopt, amend and rescind rules in accordance with the laws of the state regarding the regulation and licensing or certification, as applicable, of hospitals, hospices, free standing outpatient surgical facilities, nursing homes, adult care homes, home care agencies, nursing pools, facilities providing mammography/pap smear services, free standing abortion clinics, ambulances and emergency medical services personnel.

In 1975, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Health Care Facilities Finance Act, which enables the commission to issue tax-exempt revenue bonds to finance construction and equipment projects for non-profit and public hospitals, nursing homes, continuing care facilities for the elderly and facilities related to the foregoing.

Nursing Home Licensure and Certification Section

Section Chief: Beverly Speroff, Beverly.Speroff@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-4520

Mailing Address: 2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2711

The Nursing Home Licensure and Certification Section regulates nursing homes by conducting routine surveys and complaint investigations. It provides licensing services such as changes in beds and ownership. It provides regulatory education to promote compliance with Federal regulations for Medicare/Medicaid certification.

Office of Emergency Medical Services

Section Chief: Regina Godette-Crawford, Regina.Godette@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-855-3935

Mailing Address: 2707 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2707

The Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) ensures that all citizens have access to quality emergency medical care by providing technical assistance, services and regulatory oversight to all local EMS systems in North Carolina.

Radiation Protection Section

Section Chief: W. Lee Cox, III, Lee.Cox@dhhs.nc.gov

Telephone: 919-571-4141

Mailing Address: 1645 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1645

Radiation Protection Section (RPS) administers several programs in order to provide protection from the harmful effects of radiation for occupational workers, the public and the environment. The regulatory programs include x-ray, mammography, radioactive materials, and tanning. The non-regulatory programs include radon, fixed nuclear facility emergency response, and environmental monitoring efforts. Under the auspices of the Radiation Protection Commission, RPS strives to maintain a healthy balance between regulatory responsibility, environmental stewardship and customer service.  The RPS staff members are continually striving to streamline processes and offer the regulated community every opportunity for compliance with the regulations in the North Carolina Radiation Protection Act 15A NCAC 11.