April 26, 2024
Three people holding up a heart and a gear in front of a brain.
This week, NCDHHS announced it will invest $22 million in the state's behavioral health crisis response system to expand community crisis centers and peer respite care across North Carolina. 

This investment will increase North Carolina’s capacity for community-based crisis treatment by 20 percent, helping to ensure people experiencing a behavioral health crisis have alternative options to emergency departments or community and state psychiatric hospitals when seeking care.

NCDHHS’ investment will support five new community crisis centers for adults in Alamance, Forsyth, New Hanover, Pitt and Vance counties and three new community crisis centers for children in Gaston, Pitt and Vance counties. The new centers will join a network of 24 facility-based crisis centers in 22 other North Carolina counties.

Part of the $22 million investment will support a new peer respite center in Wake County, in partnership with Alliance Health and Promise Resource Network. This will be the third peer respite program in North Carolina.

NCDHHS will continue to invest in community-based resources across the state that strengthen the behavioral health system and ensure access to services whenever and wherever children and families need help.
 
NCDHHS held a tele-town hall this week to discuss HPV prevention, detection and treatment; the impact of HPV cancers; the importance of HPV vaccines and recommended screenings; and how to access health care providers, services and resources. 
 
Secretary Kinsley speaking.
New Name for Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
NCDHHS' former Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services is now called the Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities. The announcement follows years of collaboration with clients, staff and partners across the state to develop the new name and ensure it accurately captures and explains the division’s mission and spirit. The Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD) helps people with disabilities achieve their goals for competitive employment and more independent living. EIPD also engages with thousands of businesses annually, supporting recruitment and onboarding, training, consultation and other services that help employers develop a diverse, disability-inclusive workforce. EIPD’s career training centers in Morganton and Goldsboro will host events to introduce the new name to their communities and local media in the next few weeks. Additional open houses will be held throughout the summer at the more than 70 local EIPD offices across North Carolina.  
 
Three winners of the paramedic competition from one of the past events.
NC's Top Paramedic Teams to Compete April 28
The 32nd annual North Carolina Paramedic Competition will be held on April 28 at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Pender EMS will be defending its title against five regional champion teams: Cape Fear Valley LifeLINK Air, Harnett County EMS, Mecklenburg EMS (two teams) and Surry County Emergency Services. These teams each won their respective regional competitions held in March in Brunswick, Catawba, Cumberland, Johnston and Surry counties. The scenario each team will face is designed by NCDHHS' Office of Emergency Medical Services staff, in collaboration with the competition’s medical director Dr. Brian Kitch. The goal is to present a true-to-life situation, often with an unexpected twist, that may resemble what they could encounter in a routine response. A panel of judges decides the winning team and will be announced on April 30 at the Emergency Medical Services Expo awards banquet. 
 
 
I/DD Statewide Town Hall with a microphone.
Town Hall on Key Priorities for People with I/DD
Leaders from NCDHHS and state legislators will join the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities on May 2 at 6:30 for a town hall to discuss key priorities for North Carolinians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including choice and access to community-based services. The in-person and virtual town hall will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel-Charlotte Airport, 2600 Yorkmont Road in Charlotte. The in-person slots have reached capacity, but you can still sign up to attend virtually. Participants will hear from individuals and families about their experiences navigating and accessing I/DD support services in North Carolina, particularly related to the workforce shortage and the 17,500-person waiting list for developmental disability services. NCDHHS is committed to enhancing community-based support in North Carolina to ensure every person can live a fulfilled and integrated life within their chosen community. You can learn more in a news release. 
 
 
A person watching a webinar.
Side-by-Side Webinar with NCDHHS' Mental Health Division
Join staff from NCDHHS' Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services on May 6 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 webinar on May 6 via Zoom and see a flyer for more information. 
 
            
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Roy Cooper, Governor  |  Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary


Our mailing address is: NCDHHS, 2001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699