| |
|
Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW
Director, DMH/DD/SUS
| | Hot Topics | December 4, 2025 | | DHHS Expands Access to Overdose Prevention Supplies | | To address the ongoing opioid crisis, the NC Department of Health and Human Services is utilizing State Opioid Response (SOR) grant funds to distribute naloxone and other overdose prevention tools to organizations serving those most at risk. | | | |
Eligible groups, including those working with people who use drugs, their families, and individuals reentering the community from incarceration, can request naloxone, fentanyl test strips and xylazine test strips. To receive supplies, a completed request form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Supplies will ship in January 2026, though quantities may be limited. This opportunity is not open to employers, schools, or first responders unless participating in leave-behind programs. A second request opportunity will open in the spring. Individuals seeking naloxone for themselves can learn more about where to find it at the Naloxone Saves website.
| | Spotlight on Mental Health in the Asian American Community | | |
Duke University’s Asian/Pacific Studies Institute and the Asian American & Diaspora Studies Program recently hosted a powerful screening of "Silent War: Asian American Reckonings with Mental Health." The event featured a panel discussion with Producer Lily Chen, Executive Director of UCA Waves, and Pooja Mehta, Asian American Community Outreach Lead for DMH/DD/SUS.
The film and conversation explored the complex intersection of Asian identity and mental health, sparking heartfelt stories from audience members. "Silent War" is helping break the silence in the Asian American diaspora and encouraging open, necessary conversations around mental well-being.
| | | 2026 Injury-Free NC Academy on Harm Reduction | | |
The NC Division of Public Health and the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center will host the Injury-Free NC Academy on Harm Reduction as Transformative Practice next year. The Academy is designed for community-based organizations, local health departments, coalitions, and individuals involved in overdose prevention or interested in harm reduction strategies.
Each Academy includes two in-person training days followed by two virtual sessions. The May Academy will be held in Fayetteville (in-person May 7-8, virtual May 12-13), and the July Academy will take place in Boone (in-person July 16-17, virtual July 21-22).
To help inform the planning process, submit a brief interest form by Monday December 8, 2025 indicating your interest and ability to attend. For questions, contact the Harm Reduction Academy Planning Team. If you anticipate any barriers to applying for the Academy, please contact the Overdose Prevention Team.
| | New Resource Released: Respiratory Health Toolkit | | The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is offering free respiratory health toolkit materials to local health departments, community organizations, medical providers and North Carolina schools to share with their communities. Orders include bilingual posters, tissues, rack cards and stickers. Order materials by December 10, 2025, to receive them by late December. | | | Learn More About What's Happening in Your Community | | | Mental Health Block Grant Advisory Committee Meeting | |
Join DMH/DD/SUS for an important meeting of the NC Mental Health Block Grant Advisory Committee as we discuss priorities, funding strategies, and ways to strengthen mental health services across the state. This is a great opportunity to hear updates, share your voice, and help shape the future of mental health care in North Carolina. All are welcome: consumers, families, providers, and community advocates. Your input matters. Together, we can make a difference.
Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, 10:00-3:00 p.m.
Registration: Register for the meeting
Agenda: Download the meeting agenda
| | |
Meet Tarang: A Community-Driven Movement for
Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health
| | |
Join DMH/DD/SUS on Saturday, December 6 from 11:00 to 12:30 p.m. for a webinar introducing Tarang (pronounced TUH-rung), a groundbreaking pilot initiative created by and for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Tarang, meaning ripple effect, is a culturally rooted, community-led effort designed to foster open dialogue and support around mental health, substance use, and suicide within AAPI communities.
Tarang creates safe spaces for healing, connection, and advocacy. By centering community voices and lived experiences, Tarang aims to shift the culture, elevate needs, and ensure AAPI communities are included in broader systems of care. Attend this inaugural session to hear from our first cohort of community leaders, share your story, and learn how you can be part of this transformative movement.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, 11:00-12:30 p.m.
Registration: Register for the webinar
| | State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee Meeting | | |
The State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (SCFAC) meeting brings together individuals with lived experience of mental health, developmental disabilities, substance use, and traumatic brain injury (MH/DD/SU/TBI), as well as family members and advocates, to provide input and guidance in shaping policy and identifying service gaps.
Meetings include updates from state agencies, discussions on current issues impacting MH/DD/SU/TBI services, and opportunities for public comment. All SCFAC meetings are open to the public.
Date/Time: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, 9:00-3:00 p.m.
Registration: Register for the meeting
| | Stay Connected - Get Involved | | | | |
