Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tues., April 30, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss cancer prevention, guidance, resources and care for the Hispanic/Latino community.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Leaders from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, NC Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education will join a roundtable with Guilford County Schools on Wednesday, April 24, to discuss the importance of school-based resources in improving physical and behavioral health outcomes for North Carolina children and families. NCDHHS received a historic $835 million to transform behavioral health care in North Carolina, with $80 million specifically focused on children and family well-being. Of that funding, this year, NCDHHS is investing $7 million in services like school-based telehealth to ensure children have better access to behavioral health support and treatment.

MEDIA ADVISORY — The 32nd annual North Carolina Paramedic Competition will take place Sunday, April 28, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center. Six groups from across the state will complete for the title of Top Paramedic Team, including the reigning champions Pender EMS. The competition occurs during the annual NC Emergency Medical Services Expo.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tuesday, April 23, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention as well as HPV-related cancer guidance, resources and care.

PRESS RELEASE — As indicated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services,  Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected in a dairy herd in North Carolina. HPAI was previously detected in dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, New Mexico and Ohio. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today issued the following statement in regard to public health concerns:

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a statewide increase in mpox cases. Over the past six months, 45 cases have been reported in 12 counties across North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating two years of the Healthy Opportunities Pilots in North Carolina and announcing the intent to expand these life-saving services statewide. The Healthy Opportunities Pilots is a first-of-its-kind innovative program that is described as a “life changer” for thousands of North Carolina families. The program addresses people’s social needs with services like food, housing, transportation and services related to interpersonal violence and toxic stress. Preliminary research also shows a significant savings in medical costs to the state of North Carolina from Healthy Opportunities Pilots participants.

PRESS RELEASE — As warmer weather approaches, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” by taking measures to reduce their risk of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. In 2023, almost 900 cases of tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses were reported across the state.

PRESS RELEASE — As part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ ongoing effort to respond to the rise in syphilis and congenital syphilis cases and increase access to treatment, NC Medicaid will now cover an additional treatment for syphilis and congenital syphilis, Extencilline. This new coverage is being added to address the ongoing national shortage of Penicillin G Benzathine (Bicillin L-A), the first-line treatment for syphilis. In response to this additional resource being offered for people in North Carolina, State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson released this statement:

PRESS RELEASE — Approximately 6,800 people in North Carolina have sickle cell disease, of which approximately 95% are Black or African American. This health disparity is paralleled at the national level with more than 100,000 people across the country battling this painful illness. New therapies offer an opportunity to provide long needed relief to these individuals and close long-standing disparities in our country.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tues., Feb. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.

PRESS RELEASE — In support of ongoing efforts to combat rising cases of syphilis, including congenital syphilis, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is raising awareness among providers and patients of a recent rate increase to support treatment for Medicaid beneficiaries. As of Feb. 1, 2024, the Medicaid reimbursement rate has been increased to reflect the updated costs of the medication Bicillin L-A, which can be used to treat syphilis and is the only known effective treatment for preventing congenital syphilis.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tues., Feb. 20, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.

PRESS RELEASE — February is National Children's Dental Health Month, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is emphasizing the importance of children's dental hygiene to overall health and well-being. Currently in North Carolina, nearly one in five kindergartners have untreated tooth decay, which can have long-term health impacts such as chronic disease.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion, including impacts on rural communities, who is newly eligible and ways to apply for health care coverage.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated its weekly Respiratory Virus Summary Dashboard, which shows high volumes of people being seen in hospital emergency departments with respiratory illness symptoms across North Carolina. NCDHHS is urging people to get tested and seek treatment early to prevent severe illness. People with mild symptoms should seek testing and treatment from their regular health care provider, urgent care or a telehealth provider instead of going to the emergency department during this spike in COVID-19 , flu, RSV and other respiratory illnesses.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing 5,000 free residential radon test kits during Radon Action Month.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is joining southeastern states, insurers and national leaders in health care and public health for a collaborative effort to combat the congenital syphilis crisis. Participants from NCDHHS and other states’ public health and Medicaid programs aligned on recommendations for standard syphilis screening in pregnant women and for providers to adhere to the requirements around control measures for diseases like congenital syphilis. A group of states agreed to come together to bring case counts down, particularly in the southeast.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the first pediatric flu-related death for the 2023-2024 flu season. A child in the western part of the state recently died from complications associated with influenza infection. To protect the family’s privacy, additional information will not be released.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control, the second oldest state cancer coalition in the nation, will celebrate 30 years of vigorous efforts to reduce North Carolina’s cancer burden on Friday, Nov. 17.