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Two cases of mpox were reported to NCDHHS over the past six weeks, the first cases in North Carolina residents since April 2023.
In addition to the two cases, the mpox virus was recently detected in one out of 12 wastewater sites where monitoring is being conducted. These cases and wastewater detections were all in different counties, suggesting an increased spread of mpox in North Carolina.
Numbers and cases have been low due to vaccinations and community engagement, but now is the time to get vaccinated if you are at higher risk for mpox and have not yet received the vaccine. Eligibility criteria have expanded to include:
- Anyone who has or may have multiple or anonymous sex partners;
- Anyone whose sex partners are eligible per the criteria above;
- People who know or suspect they have been exposed to mpox in the last 14 days;
- Anyone else who considers themselves to be at risk for mpox through sex or other intimate contact.
Take steps to lower your risk during sex or at social gatherings, like using a condom correctly every time you have sex. Avoid close contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox, avoid contact with objects and materials a person with mpox has used and wash your hands often.
Read more about how the disease is spread, symptoms of mpox, and what NCDHHS is doing to enhance communication efforts with local health departments and community partners, in a news release. |
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NCDHHS Awards $4 Million to Support Inclusion Works
NCDHHS is awarding $4 million to support choice and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the workforce. This award will help expand and enhance services that support individuals to work in their communities, which aligns with a top NCDHHS priority to build a strong and inclusive workforce. The award was given to Work Together NC and will support the Inclusion Works initiative, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities achieve competitive integrated employment. NCDHHS is providing $4 million over a three-year period to Work Together NC using funds received from the state budget. Work Together NC will conduct a thorough assessment of the current availability of competitive integrated employment opportunities in our state, update career planning and assessment tools used by providers, implement a communications plan to help people learn about supported employment opportunities, and support service providers who may want to transform their current models of employment supports. Sign up to receive updates about the Inclusion Works initiative. |
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33 NCDHHS HBCU/MSI Spring Internships Available
The application period is now open for NCDHHS’ Historically Black College/University and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) and Change Champion Internship program's 2024 Spring cohort. The application period closes on Oct. 31. The program is recruiting students from HBCUs and MSIs in North Carolina to allow more equitable opportunities for internship access within NCDHHS, which supports building a strong and inclusive workforce, one of the three NCDHHS strategic priorities. Twenty internship positions are available for the HBCI/MSI program. Students who are public health and human services majors are encouraged to apply. Thirteen internship positions are available for the Change Champion program. For this program, NCDHHS is recruiting students from previous NCDHHS HBCUs/MSIs Internship programs to collaborate with campus health centers and NCDHHS staff to organize, lead, and facilitate outreach and engagement activities that promote public health best practices on the campus of HBCUs/MSIs in North Carolina. Read a newsletter article to find out more about each program and how to apply. |
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NCDHHS Leads Annual NC Crunch Event
This week, NCDHHS leaders joined the annual NC Crunch event at A Safe Place Child Enrichment Center in Raleigh in celebration of NC Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month. NC Crunch recognizes the importance of healthy eating habits in supporting child and family well-being, while promoting North Carolina agriculture, by crunching into locally grown fruits and vegetables. According to the CDC, one in two North Carolina children ages 1-5 do not eat a daily vegetable and one in three do not eat a daily fruit. Farm-to-early care education is shown to increase children’s consumption of fruits and vegetables to one daily serving. The NC Crunch initiative is a fun and healthy way for children, teens and adults to sample locally-grown produce while thanking the professionals who contribute to growing and nourishing communities. Susan Osborne, NCDHHS' Deputy Secretary of Opportunity and Well-Being, and Dr. Kim Mcdonald, Section Chief for the Chronic Disease and Injury Section in NCDHHS' Division of Public Health, participated in the event. Go to the NCDHHS website to see pictures from the event. |
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Disability Inclusion Leads to Success for Goldsboro Manufacturing Company
It can be a challenge to obtain competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At the same time, many employers are struggling to fill vacant positions. A Goldsboro company specializing in automotive manufacturing of exhaust and emissions products has found a way to close the gap between job seekers and their hiring needs. For more than a decade, Yusef Ewais, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for AP Emissions Technologies in Goldsboro, has partnered with NCDHHS' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) to provide a path to employment for more than 100 of the division’s clients. Ewais and his HR team drive the company’s performance in recruitment and employee relations, which emphasizes the importance of finding the right people for the right job. Ewais's story is a prime example of creating a strong and inclusive workforce, one of NCDHHS' top priorities. To find out how your company can benefit from hiring DVRS clients and to see how Inclusion Works, go the the NCDHHS website. |
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Early Education Study Outlines Ways to Improve Community Engagement
NCDHHS’ Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recently partnered with School Readiness Consulting to conduct a study with early education stakeholders to find out how the division can improve its engagement efforts. A report was developed based on the study, outlining six major findings after surveying early education stakeholders. Some of the findings include offering different options for stakeholders to share feedback, sharing “lived experiences” about how policies impact practice and people, and seeing action from the feedback stakeholders share. Moving forward, DCDEE will use these findings to develop a framework that will guide community engagement. Listening to and learning directly from community members will pave the way for more inclusive and responsive child care programs and services. As DCDEE works to fulfill its mission, community members’ ideas, insights, and guidance will be invaluable in ensuring that the state’s youngest children have what they need to reach their full potential.
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Side-by-Side Webinar with Division of MH/DD/SUS
Join staff from NCDHHS' Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services (MH/DD/SUS) on Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. to learn more about policies and programs that affect the Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Substance Use Services, and Traumatic Brain Injury community. The goal of these monthly webinars is to bring everyone together in one (virtual) place to share ideas for public policy that will improve the lives of North Carolinians. This group includes consumers, families, advisory groups, LME/MCOs, community members and partner organizations. Register for the meeting and see a flyer (Spanish) for more information. |
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