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After a joint investigation by NCDHHS, local health departments, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FDA released an advisory on Oct. 28 for consumers not to buy or feed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to toddlers and young children because the product may contain elevated levels of lead.
NCDHHS identified WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches as a potential shared source of exposure following several cases of elevated blood lead levels in children in the western part of the state. The FDA has reviewed and supported NCDHHS’ findings and issued a voluntary recall of all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches regardless of lot code or expiration.
Consumers who are concerned about this report should dispose of the products immediately and discuss blood testing with their health care provider. Consumers should also choose foods with detailed product labels that allow the products to be traced in the event of a recall or other evidence of contamination. Sign up for FDA recall alerts and Consumer Product Safety Commission alerts for heavy metals to be notified of future recalls. |
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This week, NCDHHS announced the first two reported flu-related deaths of the 2023-24 flu season. Two adults in the western part of the state died due to complications of influenza during the third and fourth weeks of October. One person had tested positive for both influenza and COVID-19.
Flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all circulating now and are expected to increase over the coming months. Vaccinations are the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from these infections.
Vaccinations are especially important for those at higher risk of severe viral respiratory disease, including people 65 years and older, children younger than 5, pregnant women, those with a weakened immune system and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
To find flu or COVID-19 vaccines near you, visit vaccines.gov. Read more information about how you can protect yourself and others during the fall and winter seasons in a news release.
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$750K in Funding to Expand Hospital Violence Prevention Programs
On Nov. 1, the NC Governor’s Crime Commission announced $750,000 in funding to expand hospital-based violence prevention and intervention programs in North Carolina. NCDHHS held a roundtable discussion with the NC Department of Public Safety and the NC Governor's Crime Commission this week at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center to learn about its Wilmington Hospital Violence Prevention Program and discuss state and community strategies that are working to reduce violence. Some efforts include expected federal funding to support more community-based violence prevention and interruption programs, the launch of NC S.A.F.E. and distribution of gun locks and safes to community organizations and local health departments, and the creation of the Governor’s Office of Violence Prevention through an Executive Order signed in early 2023. This work follows the NCDHHS white paper released in Nov. 2022 that provides a framework to address violence and its causes as public health issues, and the July North Carolina Medical Journal, which was devoted to the issue. |
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New Report Recommends 30 Strategies to Support Aging
A new report, A Place to Thrive: Creating Opportunities to Age Well in North Carolina, from the NC Institute of Medicine’s Task Force on Healthy Aging recommends 30 actionable strategies for improving social connections, falls prevention, food and nutrition security, and mobility to support healthy aging for all North Carolinians. The report includes data and analysis to provide context for the healthy aging challenges and opportunities facing our state, as well as detailed recommendations and strategies for decision-makers in sectors including health care, public health, academia, the legislature, housing development and more. By 2028, one in five residents will be over age 65, and by 2038 most North Carolina counties will have more residents aged 60 or older than those under age 18, signifying major changes in the health care needs of our state. The report is the final product of the Task Force on Healthy Aging, composed of more than 60 members from health care, local and state government, faith communities, aging, academia and other sectors. The task force was supported, in part, by NCDHHS. |
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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 on Nov. 20 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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Photo Credit: East Carolina University
Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for New Behavioral Health Hospital in Greenville
This week, ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on its previously announced state-of-the-art, 144-bed behavioral health hospital in Greenville, aligning with one of NCDHHS' priorities to improve behavioral health and resilience. Slated to open in Spring 2025, the hospital will be a center of excellence situated less than a mile from ECU Health Medical Center. It will offer comprehensive inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for adults, seniors, children and adolescents who struggle with acute symptoms of mental health such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as treatment for co-occurring disorders. Prior to the pandemic, nearly one in five North Carolinians were experiencing a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder, according to a report from the NC Institute of Medicine’s Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use. In the past three years, national data indicates a growing trend of depression and anxiety symptoms. Read more in a news release from ECU. |
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New Bern Vocational Rehabilitation Office Adopts Accessible Icon
NCDHHS' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) office in New Bern will update its parking lot with new accessible icons on parking spots today, enhancing access to its buildings for people with disabilities. The office will be the first to replace the old “handicapped” parking symbol with the new accessible icon with the help of the Accessible Icon Project. Accessible Icon Project leaders and DVRS staff will repaint and refresh the office’s existing handicap-accessible parking places with the updated graphic icon. The event, starting at 10 a.m. today, will include a formal presentation to celebrate the office’s adoption of the new icon and NCDHHS’ commitment to advancing access for all. The original International Symbol of Access was designed in the 1960s by Susanne Koefoed. The new icon displays an active, in-motion version of life with a physical disability, updated from the depiction of a static person in a wheelchair. The Accessible Icon Project is about social design that changes outlooks and emphasizes autonomy. |
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Inclusion Works Lunch and Learn
Don't miss a Lunch and Learn about supporting people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Traumatic Brain Injury to gain Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) on Nov. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. This month’s agenda topic is Pre-Employment Transition Services. You can register here. Learn more about Inclusion Works on the NCDHHS website. |
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