Mental Health Town Halls

Improving Behavioral Health and Resilience is a top priority for the NCDHHS. In alignment with our mission to improve whole-person health, NCDHHS is committed to speaking with individuals in communities across the state about North Carolina’s behavioral health needs and key department initiatives through mental health town halls. We hope to visit as many counties as possible in the coming months and encourage residents to attend and join in the conversation.

Behavioral health is essential to overall health. More than 3 million people across North Carolina have mental health or substance use disorders. The behavioral healthcare system in North Carolina has been stretched and under-resourced for decades. The most important step to take to increase behavioral health access is to expand Medicaid and until we close the coverage gap, needed care will remain out of reach for too many.

We have an opportunity to make lasting change by investing in coordinated systems of care that make behavioral health services easier to access when and where they are needed and reduce stigma. Please join us.

Below you will find recordings of previous mental health town halls. Come back to this site to find out when and where the next town hall will be scheduled. 

County representatives who are interested in hosting a Mental Health Town hall can contact Annelyse Iglesias: annelyse.iglesias@dhhs.nc.gov.

September 14, 2023

Elizabeth City State University Mental Health Town Hall

August 24, 2023

Harnett County Mental Health Town Hall - Focusing on College Students

June 22, 2023

Eastern Band of the Cherokee Mental Health Town Hall

May 18, 2023

Transylvania County Mental Health Town Hall

March 16, 2023

Forsyth County Youth-Focused Mental Health Town Hall

March 2, 2023

Tri County (Pamlico, Craven, Jones) Mental Health Town Hall

February 9, 2023

Pitt County Mental Health Town Hall

January 19, 2023

Burke County Mental Health Town Hall

November 29, 2022

Cabarrus County Mental Health Town Hall

November 3, 2022

Duplin County Mental Health Town Hall

October 27, 2022

Nash County Mental Health Town Hall