NC H658

Appropriates $12,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2017-2018 to support early literacy initiatives through the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc.

Allocates $7,000,000 to expand statewide access to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program that mails age-appropriate books to registered children monthly.

Allocates $5,000,000 to pilot Family Connects, a nurse home visiting program for newborn parents, in six counties representing different population sizes (two counties with less than 500 births annually, two with 500-2,000 births annually, and two with greater than 2,000 births annually).

Permits the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc., to use up to 2% of funds for program evaluation and exempts these appropriated funds from existing funding allocation and matching requirements.

Requires the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc., to report on the initiative's success, participation rates, and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2018.