Press Releases

Since September, new COVID-19 cases have been increasing faster in rural counties, according to a new report by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it has upgraded the mobile-friendly ePASS website to include a Spanish language option.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance for Thanksgiving celebrations and Black Friday shopping to help North Carolinians gauge the risks, protect their friends and loved ones, and slow the spread of COVID-19.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of NC Medicaid's managed care enrollment website, www.ncmedicaidplans.gov, in preparation for the launch of Medicaid Managed Care scheduled for July 1, 2021.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) have entered into a contract to support the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) in addressing the health needs of American Indian/Alaskan Native Medicaid beneficiaries.

Starting today, North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services participants will be able to purchase groceries online using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards at an additional authorized online EBT retailer, Carlie C's. This flexibility will allow participants to buy food while also promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and helping families with transportation and mobility barriers.

Four popular Latin American sports figures are sharing videos about the importance of mask wearing with North Carolinians on social media. The influencer partnership with Fiore, Landeros, Suárez and Trujillo is part of the "Whatever Your Reason" campaign from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services designed to encourage North Carolinians to get behind the mask.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today launched an online portal for primary care providers to request reimbursement for COVID-19 related costs for individuals without insurance.

As North Carolinians look towards the holidays and begin to plan celebratory gatherings, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launches a new advertisement as part of the statewide "Whatever Your Reason" campaign. This newest television commercial reminds everyone the decision to wear a mask is not about “who you know, or how well you know them.'

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Benefits (NC Medicaid) is extending temporary provider rate increases related to COVID-19 through the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, which goes through Jan. 21, 2021.

With North Carolina's COVID-19 trends moving in the wrong direction, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the NC Department of Public Safety sent a letter to local leaders asking them to help slow the spread of the virus by promoting the 3 Ws and considering local actions to improve compliance with executive orders.

In the past two weeks, North Carolina has seen an increase in COVID-19 clusters from social events and other gatherings such as parties, family gatherings, weddings and funerals according to a new weekly report the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services added today to the NC COVID-19 Dashboard. The department has also released new guidance for private gatherings.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is adding new county-level data to the COVID-19 NC Dashboard on the County Map by Cases section of the Summary dashboard page.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the state's highest one-day increase of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases to date with 2,684 new cases reported. The department is also reporting the second highest number of hospitalizations in the past 30 days, with 1,148 reported.

North Carolina today submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention its COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. The goal of the plan is to immunize everyone who is eligible for and wants a COVID-19 vaccine.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing guidelines for voters and local polling locations to help protect the health of North Carolinians during the voting process. In addition, NCDHHS and the NC Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management provided personal protective equipment to local election boards and locations.

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health today announced the first reported flu-related death of the 2020-21 flu season , which occurred the first week of October and involved an adult over 65 years of age in the central part of the state. NCDHHS staff and leadership extend their sympathies to the family and loved ones of this individual during this difficult time. To protect the privacy of the family, the person's hometown, county, age and gender will not be released.

State leaders from the NC Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMHDDSAS) are partnering with UNC-TV and the Governor's Institute to host several virtual town hall meetings during October and November to listen to the concerns and experiences of consumers, family members and advocates of the state's MH/DD/SAS services and system.