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 — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is announcing a one-day extension for people in Alexander, Buncombe, Haywood, Macon and McDowell counties to apply for benefits through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to help them buy food for their families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the extension following feedback from the counties that requested the one-day extension for in-person applications. As of Wednesday, more than 105,000 individuals had been approved to receive D-SNAP benefits.

MEDIA ADVISORY — North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will join state and federal leaders to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the North Carolina Disability Determination Services Program on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 4 p.m. at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh. The group will highlight the 70 years of teamwork in supporting North Carolinians who are applying for disability benefits. The North Carolina Disability Determination Services (NC DDS) is the seventh largest DDS in the nation and since 2002 NC DDS staff have assisted with more than 3.3 million disability applications for people in North Carolina.

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.

PRESS RELEASE — More than $554,000 in food benefit dollars have been stolen from North Carolina’s Food and Nutrition Services participants since Aug. 18. No further fraudulent activity has been reported since Sept. 6, 2024, when NCDHHS implemented a block on online transactions originating from Connecticut, Florida, and New York that appeared to be tied to fraudulent activity.

PRESS RELEASE – This year, North Carolina is celebrating 50 years of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC.

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.