Press Releases

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina is strengthening its fight against the opioid epidemic by expanding the number of pharmacies participating in the Controlled Substance Reporting System. North Carolina is also activating a digital gateway to provide pharmacists and prescribers one-click access to patient information and data to identify those at risk for prescription drug addiction, overdose and death.

Low-income households with a person 60 or older or someone receiving disability benefits and services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services that need help covering the cost of heating their home this winter can apply for assistance starting Dec. 3.

More than 720,000 North Carolinians in 304,000 households affected by Hurricane Florence received assistance buying food over the past seven weeks, Governor Roy Cooper announced today.

The North Carolina Office of Rural Health, the oldest in the United States, today celebrates 45 years of service improving access to health care for the people of North Carolina. In honor of the milestone, Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed November 15 Rural Health Day in the state.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released an analysis of four categories of birth defects in Bladen, Brunswick, Cumberland, New Hanover and Pender counties from 2003-2014 using data from the North Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program. The analysis was done to address concerns raised during the state’s ongoing investigation into GenX and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also referred to as PFAS. 

North Carolina’s infant mortality rate decreased to 7.1 deaths per 1,000 births, compared with a 2016 rate of 7.2 and a 2015 rate of 7.3, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' 2017 infant mortality rates. While the racial disparity between birth outcomes for white infants and African-American infants remains unacceptably high, there was a reduction in the gap in birth outcomes.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the first death related to an ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A affecting parts of North Carolina. The death occurred in October. To protect the privacy of the family, additional details about the case are not being released.

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health today announced the first reported flu-related death of the 2018-19 flu season, which occurred last week and involved an adult in the central part of the state. To protect the privacy of the family, the person's hometown, county, age and gender will not be released.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released a draft of the state’s Early Childhood Action Plan, following Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order in August directing DHHS to spearhead the development of a statewide early childhood plan. The public is encouraged to review and comment on the draft plan by Nov. 30. 

Twenty-two local health departments in North Carolina will receive a share of $1.8 million to implement high-impact, community-level strategies to address the opioid crisis based on the NC Opioid Action Plan.