Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE - During the current period where COVID-19 cases are increasing, treatment is readily available and appropriate for the majority of North Carolinians. Using antiviral treatments reduces the risk of serious illness and preliminary data indicates treatment is associated with reduced risk of developing long-COVID.

PRESS RELEASE - In an ongoing effort to encourage increased awareness, understanding and recognition of the many contributions made by Deaf people across the state of North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed September 2023 as Deaf Awareness Month.

PRESS RELEASE - Governor Roy Cooper declared today Overdose Awareness Day in North Carolina. Overdose Awareness Day is about remembering those whose lives have been lost to overdose, honoring family and community grief, and renewing our commitment to ending the overdose crisis in North Carolina. This day also recognizes state, county and community partners as they continue to work together to reduce stigma associated with substance use and increase access to support and services so people can get the help they need to recover.

PRESS RELEASE - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has announced those who lost Food and Nutrition Services benefits through card skimming, cloning or other forms of fraud are eligible to have their stolen FNS benefits (formerly known as food stamps) replaced.

PRESS RELEASE - Medicaid expansion will no longer launch Oct. 1 as the North Carolina General Assembly failed to take needed action to meet that date. The NC Department of Health and Human Services has been working diligently, every day, to be ready for Oct. 1. And now, with five days left and clarity that no votes will be taken, the department is confident that legislators will not sign a budget this month, nor pass separate legislation giving the final authorization to provide health coverage to more than 600,000 North Carolinians. A new launch date will be announced following the needed legislative action, but it will not be Oct. 1.

MEDIA ADVISORY - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will hold a media availability on Monday, Aug. 28, to provide an important update about Medicaid Expansion. The Secretary will answer questions following a brief statement about the timeline for implementation.

PRESS RELEASE - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has become aware of a potential scam targeting Food and Nutrition Services beneficiaries. Within the last four days, at least 650 Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards have been compromised statewide, and more than 7,000 cards have been identified as potentially compromised.

PRESS RELEASE - As families and children enter a new school year, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching new public service announcements to showcase how communities across the state rely on early childhood teachers.

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.