NC S421

Requires the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services to establish a pilot training program using Geriatric/Adult Mental Health Specialty Teams (GAST) in three regions of the state to train adult care home staff on preventing behavioral escalation and crisis situations.

Mandates that each participating adult care home receive at least three 1.5-hour training sessions per year, with direct care workers, supervisors, and administrators on all shifts required to attend at least one session annually.

Requires adult care homes to maintain and make available for inspection a list documenting employee attendance, type of training completed, and training dates.

Directs the Division to evaluate the pilot program's effectiveness by September 1, 2012, and report to the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services with recommendations for statewide expansion.

Amends Chapter 131D of the General Statutes to require licensed adult care homes to permit GAST teams to conduct staff training.