By Rachel Crumpler and Taylor Knopf After spending six months examining the state’s involuntary commitment process, a special North Carolina House committee released a list of recommendations on Tuesday aimed at improving the state’s intertwined mental health and criminal justice systems. The House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety formed after the passage […]

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By Will Atwater Tropical Storm Helene’s impact on western North Carolina was felt acutely in the days, weeks and months after the storm, including in the region’s hospitals and clinics. New research shows how pregnant patients and people with anxiety and other health issues turned to emergency departments for treatment when primary care practices were […]

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By Rachel Crumpler A new preliminary report from a state-funded research group identifies “key pressure points that need to be addressed” to fully implement Iryna’s Law, which passed quickly late last year. The report also outlines some initial recommendations for lawmakers to help address existing gaps in North Carolina’s mental health and criminal justice systems.  […]

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By Michelle Crouch When Dr. Jennifer Casaletto’s kids started watching The Pitt last year, her 14-year-old son had a question: Which one are you? “I’m Doctor Robby,” she told him, referencing the attending physician played by Noah Wyle who oversees the chaotic emergency room in the hit HBO TV drama. She said his jaw dropped: […]

The post 9 things The Pitt gets right, according to North Carolina ER workers appeared first on North Carolina Health News.

By Lisa M. Krieger The War Horse On a serene Saturday afternoon, thousands of miles from conflict, soldiers with the California Air National Guard are scattered among stations, hunched over a buddy. Some apply tourniquets. Others practice life-saving skills, checking for breathing, tilting chins to clear airways, searching for blood loss and hidden wounds. This […]

The post Drone warfare has dramatically changed the battlefield. Is the US medical corps ready? appeared first on North Carolina Health News.

By Claire Carlson The Daily Yonder The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a technical assistance program for water infrastructure in early March 2026 designed to help rural communities update and repair aging water utilities and get into compliance with federal regulations.  The program, called the Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) initiative, rescinds a Biden-era […]

The post EPA launches a ‘back-to-basics’ blueprint to help rural drinking water systems appeared first on North Carolina Health News.

By Rachel Crumpler Every day, people leave North Carolina prisons and return to the community — more than 18,000 people this year alone. For many, rebuilding their lives after incarceration is fraught with barriers to basic needs like housing, employment and health care. Those challenges took center stage in Raleigh April 7 at the North […]

The post Despite resource strains, NC presses forward on efforts to boost support for those leaving incarceration appeared first on North Carolina Health News.

By Ashley Fredde and Rose Hoban FirstHealth of the Carolinas provides proof that small, rural hospital systems can be excellent.  The system, based in the Sandhills, has four hospitals and nearly 100 clinics covering 13 North Carolina counties and two in South Carolina. Despite its relatively small size, FirstHealth has racked up awards for quality […]

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By Will Atwater Within months of becoming chief of Double Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue in November 2025, Jimmy Brown received sobering news: His station’s well water was contaminated with PFAS at levels that exceeded federal limits. The station in Pinnacle, northwest of Winston‑Salem near Pilot Mountain, is one of 392 rural fire departments across […]

The post North Carolina tackles toxic firefighting foam — and what it left behind appeared first on North Carolina Health News.

Andrew Jones KFF Health News Ollie Super has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care. Now 8, the second grader is dealing with it again. Her cancer came back late last year. Ollie’s parents, who adopted her in 2020, tried to sign her […]

The post State-run insurance plans for foster kids leave some of them without doctors appeared first on North Carolina Health News.