(a)        To promote coordinated policy development and strategic planning for the State‘s health and human services systems, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish an Office of Policy and Planning from existing resources across the Department. The Director of the Office of Policy and Planning shall report directly to the Secretary and shall have the following responsibilities:

(1)        Coordinate the development of departmental policies, plans, and rules, in consultation with the Divisions of the Department.

(2)        Development of a departmental process for the development and implementation of new policies, plans, and rules.

(3)        Development of a departmental process for the review of existing policies, plans, and rules to ensure that departmental policies, plans, and rules are relevant.

(4)        Coordination and review of all departmental policies before dissemination to ensure that all policies are well-coordinated within and across all programs.

(5)        Implementation of ongoing strategic planning that integrates budget, personnel, and resources with the mission and operational goals of the Department.

(6)        Review, disseminate, monitor, and evaluate best practice models.

(b)        Under the direction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director of the Office of Policy and Planning shall have the authority to direct Divisions, offices, and programs within the Department to conduct periodic reviews of policies, plans, and rules and shall advise the Secretary when it is determined to be appropriate or necessary to modify, amend, and repeal departmental policies, plans, and rules. All policy and management positions within the Office of Policy and Planning are exempt positions as that term is defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5 (2005-276, s. 10.2.)