Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated its weekly Respiratory Virus Summary Dashboard, which shows high volumes of people being seen in hospital emergency departments with respiratory illness symptoms across North Carolina. NCDHHS is urging people to get tested and seek treatment early to prevent severe illness. People with mild symptoms should seek testing and treatment from their regular health care provider, urgent care or a telehealth provider instead of going to the emergency department during this spike in COVID-19 , flu, RSV and other respiratory illnesses.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched a dashboard to track monthly enrollment in Medicaid for people eligible through expansion.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is joining southeastern states, insurers and national leaders in health care and public health for a collaborative effort to combat the congenital syphilis crisis. Participants from NCDHHS and other states’ public health and Medicaid programs aligned on recommendations for standard syphilis screening in pregnant women and for providers to adhere to the requirements around control measures for diseases like congenital syphilis. A group of states agreed to come together to bring case counts down, particularly in the southeast.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has launched a performance dashboard for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to highlight how the suicide and crisis lifeline is being used in North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley celebrated the launch of Medicaid expansion, extending health care coverage to more than 600,000 newly eligible North Carolinians through NC Medicaid.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced eligible hospitals in the state will begin receiving payments through the Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program (HASP). Nearly $2.6 billion in funds will be distributed to 102 hospitals across the state throughout the week. Earlier this year, state leaders authorized Medicaid Expansion and HASP as part of a broader strategy to support access to care for low-income North Carolinians.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the first pediatric flu-related death for the 2023-2024 flu season. A child in the western part of the state recently died from complications associated with influenza infection. To protect the family’s privacy, additional information will not be released.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is taking steps to modify the representation of tribal affiliation on birth and death certificates.

MEDIA ADVISORY — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley is visiting the Harnett County Department of Social Services on Monday, Nov. 20, to announce a new initiative that provides payment to relatives and family members who step in to care for children in need. The kinship care reimbursement payments are a vital resource that will support positive outcomes for children and families and encourage more people to become kinship care providers.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Low Income Energy Assistance Program will begin accepting applications from older adults and people with disabilities on Dec. 1, 2023.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health is proud to recognize the selfless, community-minded spirit of health professionals and volunteers in communities across the state during National Rural Health Day 2023. National Rural Health Day falls on the third Thursday in November each year and recognizes the efforts of those serving the health needs of residents in rural areas, including those who serve the 4.6 million people living in one of the 70 rural counties across North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control, the second oldest state cancer coalition in the nation, will celebrate 30 years of vigorous efforts to reduce North Carolina’s cancer burden on Friday, Nov. 17.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced historic Medicaid reimbursement rate increases will soon be implemented for most mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) services in North Carolina. This transformative change is the first increase to the state minimum reimbursement rates for behavioral health services in more than a decade. Raising these rates will strengthen the care workforce who provide these services and increase access to care for every North Carolinian. It will also make Medicaid expansion more impactful for the estimated 600,000 people who will gain access to these Medicaid health care services.

MEDIA ADVISORY — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Rural Health, the first Office of Rural Health in the nation, is “Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present and Embracing the Future” as they celebrate 50 years serving North Carolina’s rural communities on Thursday, Nov. 16.

PRESS RELEASE — The 47th annual holiday parade at J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, at 3 p.m. This year’s theme is a “Parade of Songs.” The Center is expecting marching bands, fire trucks, floats and a visit from Santa Claus. This year’s Grand Marshal will be America’s Got Talent Semi-Finalist Dani Kerr.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss diabetes prevention, management and support available for Hispanic/Latino communities across North Carolina, as well as the importance of staying up to date on regular health visits and vaccinations.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is issuing a public health alert following five stillbirths or neonatal deaths in babies with congenital syphilis born between Jan. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2023. This alert follows a provider memo issued last week by NCDHHS asking for health care providers’ help to prevent congenital syphilis and reverse the alarming trend. Previous provider memos from NCDHHS were released Dec. 20, 2022, Nov. 15, 2021, and Nov. 9, 2018.

MEDIA ADVISORY — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley and Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will be celebrating North Carolina’s first Collegiate Recovery Program and its successes during a visit to UNC Charlotte. The Charlotte program began 11 years ago and is one of 18 Collegiate Recovery Programs supported by NCDHHS. There are approximately 30 total collegiate recovery programs across the state.

PRESS RELEASE — Today the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services began contacting up to 300,000 people who are enrolled in Medicaid’s limited Family Planning program and who are eligible for full NC Medicaid benefits starting Dec. 1. Text messages, phone calls and emails will be sent by the department starting today letting those eligible know to look out for a letter from their local Department of Social Services.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the first two reported flu-related deaths of the 2023-24 flu season. Two adults in the western part of the state died due to complications of influenza during the third and fourth weeks of October. One person had tested positive for both influenza and COVID-19. To protect the privacy of both families, additional information will not be released.