Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY - North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley — alongside NC State Senator Jim Burgin, NC State Representative Howard Penny and Campbell University leadership — will host a community discussion in Lillington, N.C, on Aug. 24, at 6 p.m. on improving the mental health of college students across North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE - Walter B. Jones Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Greenville, N.C., has been recognized as one of the Best Addiction Treatment Centers in America for 2023 in Newsweek’s annual rankings.

PRESS RELEASE - North Carolina is making it easier for aspiring and current early childhood teachers to get classroom experience and college credit to meet the state’s growing child care needs. The NC Department of Health and Human Services announced today early care and learning teachers can now use their previous training and skills development to qualify for NC Community College credits to earn certificates and further their higher education.

PRESS RELEASE - As children across North Carolina head back to school this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reminds families that vaccinations are an important part of back-to-school success and overall health and well-being.

PRESS RELEASE - Increases in COVID-19 metrics have been seen in North Carolina and nationally during recent weeks, including in the early warning wastewater monitoring system. North Carolina’s COVID-19 metrics had been trending down throughout 2023 to the lowest levels since the pandemic began. Along with wastewater, increases have been seen in other COVID-19 metrics, including hospital admissions and emergency department visits, according to data on the North Carolina Respiratory Virus Dashboard.

PRESS RELEASE - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of BreastfeedNC.com, a new website dedicated to providing comprehensive information and resources to support mothers and families across North Carolina who are interested in breastfeeding.

MEDIA ADVISORY - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will join the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities for a statewide virtual and in-person town hall on Aug. 10 at 6 p.m.

PRESS RELEASE - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Thursday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss substance use, overdose prevention and how we can support teens and young adults in North Carolina.

MEDIA ADVISORY - The American Red Cross begins accepting donations Monday, Aug. 7, from newly eligible individuals, many in the LGBTQ+ community, under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded eligibility recommendations. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will be donating blood under these rules in Raleigh on Monday. State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., will also be donating blood.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging North Carolinians to be aware of the potential dangers of having wounds or cuts open to saltwater or brackish water following reports of three deaths due to Vibrio infections in North Carolina residents.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is moving forward with Medicaid expansion and announcing the anticipated start date of Oct. 1, 2023. This announcement is part of a compromise agreement NCDHHS obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that will allow the department to move forward with the required public notices for beneficiaries, counties and providers while still awaiting authority from the NC General Assembly.

On July 16, 2023, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services celebrated the one-year anniversary of 988, the three-digit suicide and crisis lifeline. 988 connects North Carolinians via call, chat or text to a trained counselor who will listen, offer support and provide community resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Radon Program is offering 12 free, four-hour classes for licensed real estate brokers so they can ensure their clients understand the importance of radon testing of the homes or other buildings they may purchase.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is recommending limits on consumption of certain freshwater fish from the middle and lower Cape Fear River based on concerns about exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) found in fish sampled from that area.

As part of the ongoing focus on behavioral health and resilience, changes promoted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are improving health and saving lives among people in the state with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders. New state level data is showing the lowest rate of tobacco use in more than a decade for people in North Carolina who struggle with their mental health or heavy drinking.

The Department of Health and Human Services is delaying implementation of the Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans. Tailored Plan launch was scheduled for Oct. 1, 2023, but will now go forward at a date still to be determined.

Access to nutritious food is foundational for overall health and well-being. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services offers several programs to support individuals’ access to healthy food, including Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Changes are coming to these two programs due to the end of the federal public health emergency on May 11, 2023.

This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, to ensure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. During two Accessibility for All events, the state of North Carolina will honor the passage of this landmark civil rights law by highlighting how assistive technology helps the more than 1.3 million North Carolinians who have a disability gain access to these rights and opportunities, independent living and economic self-sufficiency.

As summer activities heat up and North Carolinians flock to recreational waters to beat the higher temperatures, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging residents to prioritize safety and adopt best practices for enjoying water activities with their pets. When swimming in lakes and rivers, it is crucial to ensure the well-being of both humans and their pets.

Public health officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are advising North Carolinians take precautions to protect themselves, their children and their pets from heat-related illness as temperatures across the state rise and remain high throughout the summer.