Topics Related to Social Service

PRESS RELEASE — The NC Department of Health and Human Services this week completed the successful hiring of seven regional directors who will provide vital support to North Carolina’s 100 local departments of social services. These regional directors will work closely with county DSS directors and their agencies to enhance leadership, build capacity and strengthen service delivery to improve outcomes for children and families across the state.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Low Income Energy Assistance Program will begin accepting applications from older adults 60 and older or people with disabilities receiving services through the NCDHHS Division of Aging on Dec. 2, 2024.

PRESS RELEASE — Residents in 25 western counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians households who reside in the 28719 zip code impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for help buying food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) which will begin on Oct. 18, 2024, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced today. D-SNAP is open to individuals and households not currently receiving Food and Nutrition Services benefits who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. NCDHHS estimates more than 150,000 people will apply for up to $120 million in D-SNAP benefits.

August is Child Support Awareness Month, a time dedicated to honoring the vital role of the Child Support Services Program. In North Carolina, this observance underscores the program's commitment to ensuring child and family well-being, one of NCDHHS’ top priorities.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is returning control of child welfare services to the Nash County Department of Social Services, effective today. NCDHHS temporarily assumed leadership in September 2023. Since then, the state and county worked collaboratively to stabilize and improve child welfare services and ensure appropriate standards.

PRESS RELEASE — The Transylvania County Department of Social Services and Sherriff’s Office, along with staff from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, have been conducting investigations of Trails Carolina following the death of a child on Feb. 3, 2024.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services distributed funds this week to county departments of social services to help improve placements for children in DSS custody who have complex behavioral health needs. These critical funds come at a time when an average of 32 children are living in DSS offices each week because there is no place for them to go that is appropriate for their care.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion, including impacts on rural communities, who is newly eligible and ways to apply for health care coverage.

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.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to operate the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program during the 2022-23 school year.