Gov. Josh Stein signs HB612, a major child welfare reform bill, alongside lawmakers and DHHS welfare officials at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh on June 26, 2025.
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NC Overhauls Child Welfare with New Law, Stronger Oversight, and Case Management System

@SpectacularMag Staff

Major Child Welfare Reform Law Brings New Oversight and Hope for NC Children

Gov. Josh Stein signs HB612, a major child welfare reform bill, alongside lawmakers and DHHS welfare officials at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh on June 26, 2025.
Gov. Josh Stein signs HB612—the Fostering Care in NC Act—into law on June 26, 2025, at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. He is joined by bipartisan supporters from the General Assembly and the NC Department of Health and Human Services, including (from left): Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch (D-Wake), Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash), DHHS Child Welfare Director Lisa Cauley, and Sen. Steve Jarvis (R-Davidson). (Photo: Lucas Thomae/Carolina Public Press)

RALEIGH, NC – With unanimous support from the General Assembly, Gov. Josh Stein signed the Fostering Care in NC Act into law on Thursday, marking the state’s most significant child welfare reform since Rylan’s Law in 2017. The bill, signed alongside bipartisan lawmakers and state health officials, expands oversight of local departments of social services (DSS) and aims to protect vulnerable children across all 100 counties.

The move follows years of investigative reporting and public criticism of North Carolina’s fragmented child welfare system, which has long left counties underfunded and children at risk.

A recent federal policy brief put it bluntly: “Children in North Carolina suffer the consequences of an inadequate child welfare system.”

What the New Law Does

The Fostering Care in NC Act gives the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) expanded powers to review child protective services cases—even those already closed. It also:

  • Requires written notification when county DSS declines to assess a report
  • Allows the public to appeal intake decisions directly to DHHS
  • Enables the state to override local decisions when necessary

The law builds upon reforms introduced by Rylan’s Law, including the creation of regional offices and corrective action plans for underperforming counties.

PATH NC Case System Launches

Coinciding with the new law, DHHS launched a modern case management system called PATH NC, which replaces the previously failed NC FAST platform. PATH NC is designed to:

  • Standardize data across all counties
  • Provide built-in decision tools for child safety
  • Enable better policy-making based on real-time data

The system is already live in 15 counties, with full statewide adoption planned by 2026.

Faster Path to Permanency

The reform also aims to reduce the time children spend in foster care by:

  • Ensuring DSS can’t remove a child who’s lived with prospective adoptive parents for over a year without a court hearing
  • Allowing post-adoption contracts between adoptive and birth parents, helping resolve disputes sooner

Gaile Osborne, executive director of the Foster Family Alliance of NC, called these provisions “low-hanging fruit” but emphasized the need for further reform, such as faster court processes and more support for social workers.

Why It Matters

Systemic failures in recent years—from improper adoptions to children abused in foster care—have led to civil suits, criminal convictions, and state takeovers of county DSS offices. DHHS has already assumed operations in Vance, Cherokee, Bertie, and Nash counties due to critical failures.

With expanded oversight, a modern case system, and new legal protections, state leaders hope this bill marks a turning point for child welfare in North Carolina.

SOURCE: Carolina Public Press