Press Releases

With COVID-19 cases reaching record highs last month, North Carolina laboratories reported 2,627,371 tests performed across the state during the month of January. This included 11 days with more than 100,000 tests and a one-day high of 135,031 on Jan. 12. To help meet the unprecedented demand for testing and promote greater equity in test availability, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 response team shipped 441,038 rapid antigen test kits across North Carolina since Dec. 23, 2021.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Cafecito and Spanish language tele-town hall on Thursday, Feb. 3, from 6 –7p.m. to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and more.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the approval of its staffing support request, in partnership with Atrium Health, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. North Carolina is also receiving an additional 25 Advanced Life Support Ambulances.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced due to global shortages and delays in shipments it was unable to include return envelopes in the monthly mailing of the Food and Nutrition Services recertifications for February. Return envelopes will likely not be included in the monthly mailings for March as well.

North Carolina households receiving Food and Nutrition Services benefits will continue to receive the maximum amount for their household size for the month of February, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced. FNS recipients have been receiving the maximum allotment, though they may qualify for less, since March 2020 to help families access food during the COVID-19 pandemic and compensate for financial and economic hardships resulting from the pandemic and widespread business and industry closures.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated vaccination data from the U.S. Department of Defense and Federal Bureau of Prisons to more accurately reflect the county of residence for the person vaccinated. The updated data will result in the vaccination rate changing for the state and for several counties on the North Carolina COVID-19 Dashboard.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today launched its first online data dashboard visualizing information and trends about the statewide early care and learning network.

On Jan. 19, 2022, the North Carolina Court of Appeals granted a request from two insurance providers to voluntarily dismiss appeals of their suit over contracts awarded for NC Medicaid Managed Care by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The COVID-19 mass testing site at the Greensboro Coliseum will be staffed by a new federally supplied testing services provider beginning tomorrow, Jan. 22, in response to a recent request from North Carolina state officials to the Federal government.

People who received their COVID-19 vaccine or booster in North Carolina from a pharmacy or grocery store participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program are now able to access their COVID-19 vaccine information in the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.

The highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 is sending record numbers of people to North Carolina hospitals, straining hospital capacity. As hospitals continue to take steps to protect their ability to provide patient care in the face of nationwide COVID-19 related staffing shortages, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and North Carolina Emergency Management are requesting federal support for the Charlotte region to help alleviate capacity constraints.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of Promoting and Expanding Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Strategic Plan.

The rate of COVID-19 infections is once again disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic North Carolinians. Since Dec. 26, the rate of infections was twice as high among the Black population as compared to the white population and as much as 57% higher among the Hispanic population as compared to the non-Hispanic population, according to an analysis of positive cases reported to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has taken action to ensure NC Medicaid beneficiaries have access to free at-home tests for COVID-19. In alignment with the Biden administration’s requirement last week to provide free at-home tests for COVID-19, State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., signed an order on Jan. 14, 2022, enabling NC Medicaid beneficiaries to receive free at-home COVID-19 tests from their local pharmacies.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Jan. 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and more.

The recently adopted North Carolina state budget includes funds to give a one-time bonus to eligible home- and community-based direct care workers and support staff who provide services to Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries. The budget also includes a provision to implement a home- and community-based direct care worker wage increase for eligible employees who provide services to Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries.

Debra Farrington, chief of staff for NC Medicaid, was honored today as the recipient of the 2022 John R. Larkins Award. Established in 1988, the award recognizes commitment to justice and equality in the workplace and in the community and was announced during the state’s annual North Carolina State Employees’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance Program. The ceremony was presented virtually due to the ongoing pandemic, and the award will be provided to Farrington at an event to follow.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated the COVID-19 vaccination dashboard to better show how many people in North Carolina are up to date with current COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services published its Olmstead Plan, designed to assist people with disabilities who receive or are eligible for publicly-funded services to reside in and experience the full benefit of being part of day-to-day life in communities alongside those without disabilities. Developed with stakeholders from across the state, the plan’s goal is to divert people from entering institutions and to support those wishing to leave.

In the face of nationwide competition for testing supplies and shortages of testing staff, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is pulling all available levers to support existing testing sites, to open more sites across the state and to increase access to at-home collection kits.