Topics Related to Children Services

PRESS RELEASE — Recognizing the role everyone plays in helping North Carolina’s children reach their full potential, Governor Roy Cooper declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This Child Abuse Prevention Month, community organizations, government agencies, businesses, faith groups and other stakeholders will come together to focus on creating partnerships to prevent child maltreatment from occurring and the importance of building hope for children and families.

PRESS RELEASE — A new program is expected to provide food for nearly a million school children in North Carolina this summer. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, today announced its intent to administer the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (S-EBT) Program known as “SUN Bucks.”

PRESS RELEASE — As part of its commitment to improve the health and well-being of North Carolina children and families, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of its Child Behavioral Health dashboard. The information shared through this publicly available tool will help the department as well as behavioral health providers, policymakers and stakeholders to identify and address gaps and disparities in behavioral health services for children.

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 — This week, Southwestern Child Development announced it will be closing seven child care centers in North Carolina’s westernmost counties effective Oct. 31, 2023. Combined, these early care and learning programs serve nearly 300 children from birth through 5 years old, the majority of whom receive child care subsidy or NC Pre-K services. Southwestern, county departments of social services and NCDHHS are working with other area child care providers, Head Start programs and local public schools to ensure as many children as possible continue to have access to quality early care and learning.

PRESS RELEASE — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Newborn Screening Program has been awarded a federal grant that supports enhancements to the state's newborn screening system. This funding is intended to improve health outcomes for newborns and children with disorders identified through newborn screening, and will improve access to treatment and follow-up care for babies born in North Carolina.

PRESS RELEASE - The Child and Adult Care Food Program helps eligible children and adults access healthy, nutritious food by reimbursing qualified child care programs, adult day programs and other non-residential care programs for meals and snacks served to enrollees. CACFP is administered federally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and at the state level by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

PRESS RELEASE - A new report showcases how North Carolina supported and invested in its child care programs so they could remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, preserving the state’s early childhood education infrastructure and setting it apart from other states.

PRESS RELEASE - As families and children enter a new school year, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching new public service announcements to showcase how communities across the state rely on early childhood teachers.

PRESS RELEASE - As children across North Carolina head back to school this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reminds families that vaccinations are an important part of back-to-school success and overall health and well-being.