Press Releases

North Carolina Reports 40% Increase in Overdose Deaths in 2020 Compared to 2019; NCDHHS Continues Fight Against Overdose Epidemic

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced that an average of nine North Carolinians died each day from a drug overdose in 2020, a 40% increase from the previous year.

NCDHHS Releases Plan, Data Dashboard Updates for Next Phase of COVID-19 Response

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released its plan for the current stage of the pandemic, Moving Forward Together (Spanish). NCDHHS also announced upcoming changes to its COVID-19 Data Dashboard starting March 23.

North Carolina Garners National Recognition for Program That Helps Families Pay Water Bills

North Carolina is earning national recognition for its success in helping low-income families through a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCDHHS to Host Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall on COVID-19 Vaccines for Children on March 10

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on March 10 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to discuss COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 and older.

NCDHHS Makes Key COVID-19 Vaccine Information Available in N.C.’s Most Used Languages

To ensure more North Carolinians have access to the information they need to make decisions about their health and wellbeing, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has made key COVID-19 vaccine information available in the state’s most used languages. In addition to a dedicated Spanish webpage for COVID-19 vaccines, vacunate.nc.gov, materials and videos in English and Spanish, NCDHHS now has COVID-19 vaccine materials in the state’s five other most used languages.

NCDHHS Partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Host Mental Health Summit Feb. 23

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, is hosting a mental health summit to assess the mental health needs of minority students on campus and the effects of the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCDHHS to Host Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall Tonight on COVID-19 Vaccines, Boosters, Health Equity and More

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall today, Feb. 16, from 6–7 p.m. to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, boosters and more. In recognition of Black History Month, the event will hone in on health disparities and initiatives to advance health equity.

North Carolinians Encouraged to Seek Mental Health Support Amidst Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services encourages North Carolinians to seek mental health support through the Hope4NC helpline (1-855-587-3463) available 24/7 via call, text or chat.

CDC Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for People Who Are Immunocompromised

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

NCDHHS Updates StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit to Focus on Most Effective Strategies to Keep Students in Classroom; Recommends Students Be Excluded from School Only When Sick or Test Positive for COVID-19

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced updates have been made to the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit focusing on strategies that are most effective at this stage of the pandemic, like vaccines, boosters, testing and masking, and no longer recommending individual contact tracing in K-12 schools. Additionally, NCDHHS recommends students and staff no longer be required to stay home from school following a COVID-19 exposure, unless they have symptoms or test positive.