Have you heard of a peer cafe? Well, one just opened in downtown Raleigh. A rare bit of good news in mental health: peer-run support programs are expanding across North Carolina, with new state and local backing. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/01/08/n...

So the news outlet I write for gets an extra bonus match during our end of year fundraiser if we reach a certain number of 1st time donors. Right now, we’re 3 people away from meeting that. If you’ve never given to NC Health News, this is the time! And any amount counts — even $5!

A man convicted of armed bank robbery was hired to take care of teen girls with mental health issues. New lawsuit alleges that he sexually abused a teen and was transferred to a different youth facility. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/12/18/l...

Come for the small town drama 👀 Stay to learn how NC’s opioid settlement dollars must be spent — and who’s making sure they’re spent right. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/12/02/t...

The opioid settlement $ are flowing. Local leaders must decide how to best use them. NC gets $1.4B but it's doled out over 18 yrs. Some counties only get a couple million. So these are tough choices. I looked at group operating at the heart of the opioid crisis in Richmond Co that has been left out.

A for-profit psychiatric hospital in Raleigh is expanding its services to military members and partnering with local police after a yearslong record of state and federal sanctions. At the same time, its parent company reports record profits. Full story ➡️ buff.ly/FCyxV4H

Today we published part 2 of our investigative story on Holly Hill. The for-profit psychiatric facility is expanding to serve more patients, including veterans, despite years of safety violations. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/08/21/d...

During a violent patient uprising, patients ripped down ceiling tiles, destroyed equipment & wielded syringes as weapons. New report describes the chaos inside Holly Hill Hospital in Raleigh and why regulators once again sanctioned the psych facility. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/08/18/h...

These grants were created after the Uvalde school shooting where 19 children were killed had huge bipartisan support. Trump admin says they’re not in the best interest of the government.

NEW REPORT: Disability Rights NC found that a legal tool used to hold psych patients against their will is frequently misused — violating patients’ rights & causing harm It includes 30+ recommendations to fix NC’s broken involuntary commitment process www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/05/27/s...

RFK Jr. ordered the NIH’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick to stop all research on serious infectious diseases yesterday at 5:00 PM. They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone. www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...

Honored to be recognized alongside the NYT for this award. These stories are the product of years of digging into NC's involuntary commitment practices, which often land mental health patients in facilities like Brynn Marr Hospital, where many say they are harmed instead of helped.

North Carolina has been opening mental health crisis centers and services around the state, diverting people who would have otherwise gone to the ER or jail. But will they be sustainable in the long-term? There are many unknowns right now. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/21/a...

North Carolina state senators propose cuts to mental health funds because they say communities are getting money from the national opioid settlements and don't need as much. The settlement funds were never supposed to replace existing funding. #ncpol www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/18/n...

free naloxone kiosks in Wilson County, North Carolina to prevent opioid overdoses www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/14/w...

After last week’s HHS cuts, N.C. advocates for the aging, domestic violence victims, substance users & more are struggling w/ uncertainty over the slashing of staff, blockages to funding streams and the delivery of care to the state’s most vulnerable. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/09/r...

Are you a federal worker, contractor or recipient of federal funds in North Carolina who has been affected by recent cuts to the federal department of health and human services? @nchealthnews.bsky.social wants to hear from you: www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/01/a...

inbox: BILL CASSIDY and BERNIE SANDERS are jointly asking RFK Jr to testify on today’s health department cuts

Heard from a source at SAMHSA that they’re dismantling the department and Reduction in Force notices went out today. Source says no supervisors were notified and there’s extra security in the building. They say all leaders at Center for Mental Health are gone except one.

Hearing from all corners of HHS this morning about a total bloodletting — firings of scientists, analysts and many more as delayed RIFs take effect. Many folks didn’t see early AM email and showed up, only to be turned away when badges didn’t work. Was sent this photo of long lines at one HHS site.

#Breaking: HHS starts layoffs of thousands of workers across its agencies www.statnews.com/2025/04/01/h...

Breaking: RFK Jr. has forced out PETER MARKS, the nation’s top vaccine regulator. In his resignation letter, obtained by the Post, Marks said he was willing to work with RFK Jr on his vaccine concerns — but said Kennedy wishes “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

The high cost of clean creeks: Who should pay for the mounting litter problem?

Health legislative roundup this week at the #NCGA #ncpol

Vaccination eliminated measles from the U.S. 25 years ago. But it can still spread in pockets where vaccination rates are low, like the west Texas county with a current outbreak. Here's how fast.

This not only eliminates much transparency for HHS, this democratic process was one small check against inappropriate use of executive powers that is now gone

Mental health crisis services are expanding in North Carolina. Here’s what they do and how to find them. Taylor Knopf reports⤵️ www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/25/a...

Some accused of crimes need mental health treatment to go to trial; new treatment programs in jails and the community seek to reduce wait times and take a load off the state’s three psychiatric hospitals. Rachel Crumpler reports ⤵️ buff.ly/3D67XQX

Massive encroachment by Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section - makes clear dissenting views will not be published I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know

Spreadsheet with data used in @nchealthnews.bsky.social analysis of federal program impact in North Carolina. Story also available for news outlets to republish; provides factual base for local reporting www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/wp-content/u... #HeadsUpNC #journalism #NCPol (2/3)

Mental health crisis services are expanding in North Carolina. Here’s what they do and how to find them. And they are free. #mentalhealth www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/25/a...

How we did it: Texas Won’t Study How Its Abortion Ban Impacts Women, So We Did

As fluoride skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. starts his first full week as Health and Human Services Secretary, debate over community water fluoridation simmers. Anne Blythe reports ⤵️ www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/20/l...

NEW: Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%. https://propub.li/43487Tj

GOP efforts to slash Medicaid would greatly impact rural counties that went for Trump. Meanwhile @nchealthnews.bsky.social found that some of NC's red counties have more residents enrolled in Medicaid than residents who voted last election. #ncpol www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/17/m...

State lawmakers & advocates bring attention to addiction treatment programs that scam patients for kickbacks. Patient brokering is now illegal in NC and folks are getting organized to catch offenders and promote ethical evidence-based treatment. #ncpol www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/18/p...

North Carolina is launching a $20M pilot program to take law enforcement out of the process of transporting mental health patients being involuntarily committed — aiming to end the traumatic practice of having officers handcuff and transport patients. www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/02/03/n...

Context for the CDC eliminating data from its website today. This was in Project 2025.

The respite house opening in Raleigh signals North Carolina’s evolving approach to mental health with the state increasing investment in peer-run programs, recognizing their ability to deliver a more compassionate care. A positive story this holiday: www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2024/12/23/h...

Humans ingest a credit card-size amount of microplastics weekly, which could be causing several health issues. Studies find microplastics in the air and water. There are ways to curb our dependance on single-use plastics. Check out today's story: www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2024/12/11/n...

Trump says that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will investigate the discredited link between autism and vaccines. He's talked about this before. So it's time for a thread that explains how Trump got red-pilled on autism and vaccines. Buckle up. 1/ www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

This was the first year we drove to WNC to get our Christmas tree. We went to Red Barn Tree Farm in Avery County (which is conveniently located next to Linville Falls Winery). Luckily it was safe to drive up there — even in our sedan — and support local businesses.

Why is it so hard to find a therapist who takes insurance? We heard from more than 500 mental health care providers who left their networks because of red tape, low reimbursement rates, delayed payments and more. 📽️ @carissaqmb.bsky.social

#drugsky #harmreduction #overdose #opioidcrisis

Trump makes it official: JAY BHATTACHARYA, a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, is his pick to lead the National Institutes of Health. A remarkable turn after Bhattacharya became a public health pariah four years ago, dismissed by the then-NIH director for his "fringe" views.

Deadline is coming up soon

State teams treated over 1,000 patients and navigated washed-out roads, providing life-saving care in areas cut off by catastrophic flooding. Here's what you need to know: Jaymie Baxley reports ⤵️ www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2024/11/25/h...

Mobile wastewater units bridge the gap as the town brings its damaged sewage treatment plant back online. Will Atwater reports ⤵️ buff.ly/3Oo3Fq9

In Nov 2018, I went on a reporting trip to learn about the tools the Swiss and French used to curb overdose deaths and support people using drugs. Six years later, I want to share some photos and still applicable lessons. Full series here: www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/lessons-from...