Fiscal Research Division
Justification Review
Health and Human Services
May 25, 2012
In fall 2011, the Fiscal Research Division conducted
a justification review of the NC REACH post-secondary
education program. Although the program
has been in existence for only four years, the
program is meeting its objective to increase access
to post-secondary education for foster youth. The
number of foster youth attending college has
increased and students are progressing in their
studies. However, whether the program is
accomplishing its objectives efficiently cannot be
determined from the available data. Additionally
data suggest that the program support services may
be inadequate and potentially ineffective at meeting
the needs of the students. Relying on a virtual
(internet based) support program for this population
of students is unsupported by the available research.
The following recommendations are offered:
1. NC REACH should be subjected to a formal
program evaluation which should inform the
future structure and content of the program.
2. The Division of Social Services should examine
whether program shortcomings can be corrected
by incorporating lessons from other states’
programs.
3. Program size should be examined to determine
if it is possible to achieve better outcomes
through more targeted service delivery.
4. The Division should determine if the case
management function is achieving the best
outcomes for the students being served.
5. The General Assembly should examine the
effectiveness of the Tuition Waiver for Foster
Youth (G.S. 115B).
Scope and Methodology
The findings of this review are based on
information obtained through a variety of sources
and data collection methods. Interviews were
conducted with numerous key stakeholders
including agency representatives from the
Division of Social Services, university program
administrators, the contract agency, and student
scholarship recipients. Staff conducted a rigorous
review of relevant fiscal data, program outcomes
data, and reports produced by the contractor and
the Division of Social Services. In addition, staff
interviewed student interns who are program
participants.
This review of the NC REACH Program is one of
four “justification reviews” of State government
programs required by S.L. 2011-145, Sec. 6.6.
The Fiscal Research Division’s (FRD) objectives
for each justification
review are to:
 Provide a description of each program;
 Identify major policy issues that the
General Assembly should address;
 Explore means to achieve program
objectives more efficiently;
 Characterize the likely results of
alternative funding levels and
opportunities to save taxpayer dollars; and
 Identify performance measures that have
been established by the agency and the
usefulness of those measures as well as the
agency’s progress toward meeting their
established measures.