Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE — To encourage and support more registered nurses to serve in rural areas, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing the opportunity for tax-free educational loan repayments. This new North Carolina Nurse Initiative is available to qualifying nurses committed to delivering high-quality care in safety net organizations and private practices in underserved areas across the state.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the November benefits for the 1.4 million North Carolinians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be delayed if the federal government shutdown continues.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new community-based housing support for women in Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at 11 a.m. Jubilee Home, is a recipient of NCDHHS funding to support people involved in the justice system in North Carolina. Much like the Jubilee men’s home, in active operation since 2020, the women’s home provides a safe space for justice-involved women to live in community with one another and receive wraparound supports: including mental health care, substance use treatment, employment resources and general wellness care as they begin their healing journey post-incarceration.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating one year of All Ages, All Stages NC, the state’s Multisector Plan for Aging. This plan addresses the needs of the state’s rapidly growing aging population in transforming the infrastructure and coordination of services to better serve these populations, ensuring that all North Carolinians can live and age well in their communities. To celebrate this milestone, NCDHHS’ Division of Aging is announcing a “Future Self Contest,” inviting students from Pre-K through 12th grade to imagine their future selves and reflect on what it means to live in an age-inclusive society.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Trillium Health Resources and Integrated Family Services PLLC celebrated the state’s continued investment in building a comprehensive mental health system today with a ribbon-cutting at a new Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) in Pitt County. The facility will open its doors to clients on Monday, Oct. 27. NCDHHS is committed to ensuring there is someone to contact, someone to respond and a safe place to go if you are experiencing a mental health crisis.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), CHESS Health and Diamond Mind, LLC, have launched an initiative to provide specialized resources and services for military veterans and mental health providers through the Connections app – the state’s free digital recovery platform.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Credentialed media are invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new peer respite mental health wellness center in western North Carolina on Oct. 23, 2025, in Henderson County.

MEDIA ADVISORY — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Trillium Health Resources and Integrated Family Services PLLC are hosting a ribbon-cutting on Monday, Oct. 20, for a new Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) in Pitt County. The facility is scheduled to open on Monday, Oct. 27.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the creation of the AdvaNCe Health Together Learning Community, a new initiative developed in partnership with national consulting firm Open Minds and Trillium Health Resources, a North Carolina LME/MCO. AdvaNCe Health Together is a training and collaboration model that will help Community Behavioral Health Clinics prepare to meet certification standards in their goal to increase access to care across North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — Governor Josh Stein and NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai announced today that through North Carolina’s Medical Debt Relief Program, more than $6.5 billion in medical debt has been relieved for more than 2.5 million North Carolinians over the past year. 

PRESS RELEASE — Governor Josh Stein, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities along with members of the community celebrated October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month on Friday at a reception at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. The event highlighted the personal stories of workers with disabilities and employers who are building a strong and disability-inclusive workforce in North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Social Work Coalition on Workforce Development are partnering to create a Public Service Leadership Program (PSLP) that will strengthen the state’s social work workforce.

PRESS RELEASE — As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second week, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is actively working with local, state and federal partners to understand and navigate the evolving impacts on essential services. Despite the uncertainty, North Carolinians who rely on federal food assistance programs will continue receiving benefits through October.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the first reported flu-related death of the 2025-2026 flu season. An adult in the western part of the state died due to complications of flu during the first week of October. To protect the privacy of the family, no additional information will be released.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will rescind the State Health Director’s standing orders that allowed people to receive COVID-19 vaccines in pharmacies following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s approval of updated recommendations that allow for vaccination without a prescription. The standing orders will be rescinded on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to give North Carolina pharmacies time to adopt protocols that align with the approved recommendations.

PRESS RELEASE — Governor Josh Stein and NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai got their annual flu shots today at Walgreens in Raleigh, North Carolina and encourage North Carolinians to get vaccinated against seasonal viruses to best protect themselves from serious illness and hospitalization. Flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines are available at a variety of locations including pharmacies, where many North Carolinians choose to receive their vaccines. October is a great time to get vaccinated to have the strongest protection during peak respiratory virus season through winter.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released the state’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan for 2026–2030. The five-year plan outlines a coordinated, evidence-based approach and promising practices to reduce suicide deaths and self-harm injuries statewide.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced Standing Orders issued by State Health Director Dr. Larry Greenblatt to allow pharmacists at retail locations to test and treat for influenza. Beginning on Oct. 1, 2025, pharmacists across the state will be able to test for the influenza virus and then immediately treat with the appropriate medications to reduce severity of illness when appropriate as authorized under House Bill 67.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the introduction of three new Citizen Review Panels to evaluate child welfare services and make system improvement recommendations aimed at strengthening the safety and well-being of children and families across the state. Applications to serve on a Citizen Review Panel are open now at the NCDHHS Citizen Review Panels website and will remain open until Nov. 15, 2025.

MEDIA ADVISORY — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a special webinar celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday Oct. 1, 2025. The session will explore the powerful connection between culture, identity, and mental health within Hispanic and Latino communities.