Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend the “Stronger Together Conference” on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The conference is an interactive experience centered on cultural connection, creative expression and community care. It is designed to offer culturally competent and trauma-informed resources to support wellness for Black youth and young adults.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend the "Responding to the Opioid and Substance Use Crisis in North Carolina’s Rural Coastal Communities" conference on September 19, 2025, in Morehead City. Kelly Crosbie, Director of the Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Use Services at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, will deliver the keynote address on how opioid use impacts rural coastal communities.

PRESS RELEASE — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating national 988 Day and commemorating the second anniversary of American Sign Language (ASL) service being available through the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend a ceremony on Sept. 8, 2025, commemorating 988 Day and the second anniversary of ASL being offered through the nationwide 988 service. The event will be held at the REAL Crisis Center in Greenville, which is the state center for answering calls to the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media and members of the public are invited to attend Ignite Your Future: A Project Spark Event, hosted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Project Spark was created by NCDHHS to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) explore, prepare for and keep a job in their community and is paid for by the U.S. Department of Education. Project Spark also helps people with I/DD transition from subminimum wage jobs to competitive, integrated employment alongside their peers.

PRESS RELEASE — North Carolina on Tuesday took an innovative step in efforts to reduce opioid use and related deaths with the launch of the state’s first Mobile Opioid Treatment Program. First Lady Anna Stein helped celebrate the occasion at a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Kelly Crosbie, Director of the NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, and Dr. Eric Morse, founder and president of Morse Clinics.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend the unveiling of the first Mobile Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) unit in North Carolina. Mobile OTPs reduce barriers to participation in treatment by making it easier for those seeking treatment to move into and maintain recovery. The mobile unit is sponsored by Morse Clinics opioid treatment programs in North Carolina. Morse Clinics are committed to providing Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and counseling services for those experiencing Opioid Use Disorder. Morse Clinics serve Wake, Chatham, Johnston, Halifax, Granville, Franklin, Warren, Northampton, Person, Orange, Randolph, Vance, Harnett and Durham counties.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of a two-year pilot program in which 22 Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF) for youth, operated by seven provider agencies, will begin using an innovative system called Ukeru® to de-escalate crises. Ukeru is a safe and comforting alternative to restraint and seclusion, which are high-risk techniques used to contain someone who is considered a danger to themselves or others.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Community College System have partnered to launch an Advanced Training Certificate program for current Direct Support Professionals or people interested in pursuing a career in the field. The DSP workforce is critical in helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live, work and thrive in communities of their choice. They provide a wide range of supports from daily tasks like bathing, eating and taking medications to connecting people with community resources and employment opportunities.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Talkspace, a virtual therapy platform now available for free to justice-impacted teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 in North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and First Lady Anna Stein, in collaboration with Shatterproof, announced the launch of the Unshame North Carolina (Unshame NC) campaign to end stigma related to substance use disorder. Unshame NC has two primary goals: to increase knowledge and awareness of substance use disorder and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) as a treatment option.

PRESS RELEASE — In response to a sharp increase in suicide rates among young Black youth, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announces the NC Black Youth Suicide Prevention Action Plan. Coinciding with the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, this effort sheds light on communities which have been marginalized, where mental health challenges persist, and outlines initiatives to be implemented over the next five years to reduce injury and save the lives of Black youth and young adults.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend a meeting of the Wake County Drug Overdose Coalition to hear from Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services, First Lady of North Carolina Anna Stein, and NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services Director Kelly Crosbie. The meeting will focus on addressing stigma related to substance use.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services this week celebrates three years of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides help and support for anyone suffering from depression, anxiety or interpersonal/family issues or who just needs someone to talk to during a time of personal crisis. North Carolina is a national leader in 988 implementation with a focus on answering every call and ensuring every person gets the care they need. A recent survey shows many people reported feeling hopeful, grateful and motivated after calling 988 with more than 90% finding the service valuable in their community. Additionally, 33% of people in the survey say 988 saved their life or the life of someone they care about.

STATEMENT — The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently announced it would eliminate federal funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline service dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth services. On July 17, 2025, people who call 988 will no longer have the option to Press 3, specific to LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide. In response, and to reaffirm North Carolina’s commitment to serving everyone who calls 988 for crisis care, Kelly Crosbie, NCDHHS Director of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, released the following statement.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of a new behavioral health urgent care respite center for children and families in eastern North Carolina. In partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Life Changing Behavioral Health Services, and Trillium Health Resources, the Life Changing Behavioral Health Urgent Care respite facility will open June 17, 2025.

PRESS RELEASE — As part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services commitment to transforming mental health care, the department is seeking public comment on its Suicide Prevention Action Plan (2026-2030). This work is critical in improving the lives of all North Carolinians and addressing the mental health crisis. The public is invited to read the plan and provide feedback by July 9, 2025.

MEDIA ADVISORY — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai is traveling to western North Carolina to learn about recovery efforts and highlight mental health resources available to people impacted by Hurricane Helene. The Secretary will also visit a Healthy Opportunities Pilot program providing essential services to people recovering from the storm. Credentialed media are invited to attend the visit at Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness in Hendersonville on June 12, 2025, at 12:45 p.m., and the visit at Caja Solidaria in Hendersonville on June 12, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. Together, Love and Respect and Caja Solidaria has served as a hub of recovery efforts following Helene.

MEDIA ADVISORY — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will hold a discussion on the Olmstead Plan and its mission to improve the lives and well-being of people with disabilities at the i2i Center for Integrative Health Spring 2025 Conference. The event is open to credentialed media and will take place on Monday, June 9, at the Hilton Raleigh North Hills Hotel from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tuesday, May 13, from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss how people can support their mental well-being, find resources and get help for themselves or someone else who is struggling with mental health or experiencing a crisis.