Press Releases

We know that events like this are stressful and there is no right or wrong way to feel. People can experience a wide range of emotions as anxiety manifests differently in everybody. Signs of distress can include: changes in sleep, appetite, energy or substance/medication use and physical manifestations such as headaches or stomach aches. The important thing to know is that there are resources to help people cope with the ramifications of traumatic events. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Social Services is holding a town hall meeting Friday, May 3 in Winterville to receive public comment on improving child welfare in the state. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Safety are partnering to create a new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program to reduce the overdose-related deaths of people with an opioid disorder who are re-entering their communities upon leaving prison.

North Carolina families with young children can now take advantage of free online parenting support programs. The Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) offers advice and ideas to help parents create a positive home environment for their children. This resource is now accessible to North Carolina parents through the program’s Triple P Online and Teen Triple P Online courses. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released today an interactive online dashboard, "Alcohol & the Public's Health in North Carolina," which provides alcohol-related information on all 100 counties. Assembled by the Chronic Disease and Injury Section of the Division of Public Health, the dashboard was developed in response to requests from DHHS' public health partners who have asked for more accessible data related to excessive alcohol use.

High school students are at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, a fact confirmed by a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services analysis of vaping devices confiscated from students at seven schools in various parts of the state.

To highlight the importance of healthy, caring connections between children and their parents and the communities in which they live, Governor Roy Cooper declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in North Carolina.

Eight museums in North Carolina have been added to the list of attractions offering free or reduced admission to families that receive benefits from the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program. The project started in 2017 at the state’s aquariums as a joint initiative between the North Carolina Departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Health and Human Services and was inspired by the national Museums for All program.  

North Carolinians struggling to pay heating costs have until March 29 to apply for help. The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program has $11 million in funding available to cover up to $400 for heating assistance per family. 

Because of the federal government shutdown at the beginning of the year, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services continues to adjust distribution schedules for Food and Nutrition Services benefits.  “We thank families for their patience and understanding during this difficult and uncertain period while we’ve worked to make sure their access to food was uninterrupted. Now it’s time to return them to their normal benefit cycles,” said DHHS Deputy Secretary for Human Services Tara Myers.