Rutherford County

The Appalachian Mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina may benefit from the ARC's recovery ecosystem model. The area has a quickly growing outbreak of COVID-19

COVID-19 in western NC: Just the tip of the iceberg

April 13, 2020 by Melba Newsome

COVID-19 in western NC: Just the tip of the iceberg - North Carolina Health News

The number of COVID-19 cases in WNC is relatively low compared to the more populous areas in the state. But people on the front lines see a worrying trend that indicates it’s only a matter of time.

By Melba Newsome If you ask Bryan Hodge about the number of diagnosed coronavirus cases in western North Carolina, he can rattle off the exact number in each of 16 counties. He readily admits that, in addition to being obsessed with tracking the information, he also gets regular updates from his wife. Hodge is director […]

Gov. Cooper walks past Mandy Cohen at a coronavirus briefing

Coronavirus Today – April 9 – Grocery store executive order, lawmakers start to write relief bills, speeding up unemployment relief

April 9, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – April 9 – Grocery store executive order, lawmakers start to write relief bills, speeding up unemployment relief - North Carolina Health News

Gov. Cooper’s latest executive order attempts to help bring relief to the hundreds of thousands of claims for unemployment benefits that have come in during March and April.

By North Carolina Health News staff Gov. Roy Cooper issued his much-heralded executive order that will limit how many people will be allowed in grocery and retail stores beginning Monday and add more stringent contagion controls for nursing homes, as news arose of a COVID-19 outbreak in Rutherford County and other areas in the state. […]

shows an inmate in a orange jail jumpsuit and handcuffs behind a bottle labeled methadone, an opioid use disorder drug that can help reduce cravings.

For some opioid users in NC, jail doesn’t mean detox

February 25, 2020 by Taylor Knopf

For some opioid users in NC, jail doesn’t mean detox - North Carolina Health News

To prevent overdose deaths, some counties are allowing inmates to continue medication-assisted treatment.

Taylor Knopf For most people using substances, time in jail means forced detox. This is also true for those trying to improve their lives with opioid addiction programs, such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT). More and more North Carolinians are entering these MAT programs, where they receive daily doses of drugs, such as methadone or buprenorphine […]

shows white fireworks against a dark sky. 2019, 2020

NC health trends and policies to watch for in 2020

January 3, 2020 by Editor

NC health trends and policies to watch for in 2020 - North Carolina Health News

We asked our reporters to predict the biggest developments in health in the state this coming year. Today, we look ahead on Medicaid transformation, environmental policy, mental health and more.

By North Carolina Health News staff Our reporters explored some of the biggest topics in North Carolina’s health arena from Medicaid managed care to mental health in prisons, to the state’s opioid crisis. Here is a sampling of the topics they’ll be monitoring in the coming year: Medicaid battles continue with a January mini session […]

New dollars target opioid misuse, workforce revitalization in WNC

September 11, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

New dollars target opioid misuse, workforce revitalization in WNC - North Carolina Health News

Twenty-nine western North Carolina counties could benefit from a new Appalachian Regional Commission initiative that will invest in workforce training and treatment options for people with addiction.

By Liora Engel-Smith Targeting some of the epicenters of the national opioid epidemic, the Appalachian Regional Commission announced a plan to revitalize the workforce in communities ravaged by addiction. The agency, whose mandate is to promote economic prosperity in 420 counties in 13 states, including North Carolina, outlined a plan to bolster and link programs […]

long distance landscape photo of mountains receding into the distance.

Mission Hospital purchase drives change for multiple local health foundations in WNC

August 21, 2019 by Carolina Public Press

Mission Hospital purchase drives change for multiple local health foundations in WNC - North Carolina Health News

A group of western hospital foundations, faced with a changed financial and legal landscape, double down on addressing social determinants of health problems in their communities.

By Neil Cotiaux Carolina Public Press When HCA Healthcare purchased nonprofit Mission Health, the rules of charitable giving in communities across Western North Carolina changed. With a for-profit owner running medical facilities, the foundations that raised funds from donors to support the local hospitals that had become part of Mission Health over time could no […]

shows a coal plant with steam puffing from one of the smokestacks

Judge sides with DEQ on Duke Energy coal ash removal

August 2, 2019 by Greg Barnes

Judge sides with DEQ on Duke Energy coal ash removal - North Carolina Health News

The judge finds that the Department of Environmental Quality had authority to order Duke Energy to excavate all of its coal ash pits.

By Greg Barnes A North Carolina administrative law judge ruled Friday that the state Department of Environmental Quality had the proper legal authority to order Duke Energy to excavate each of its coal ash pits across the state. The decision by Judge Selina Malherbe to grant DEQ’s partial motion to dismiss will limit the scope […]

A county by county map of US colored to show opioid death risk, including access to medication-assisted treatment

Forty-one N.C. counties classified as “high risk” in new opioid study

July 23, 2019 by Yen Duong

Forty-one N.C. counties classified as “high risk” in new opioid study - North Carolina Health News

In a national study, researchers classified 41 North Carolina counties as “opioid high-risk” with few providers of medication-assisted treatment and many opioid-related deaths.

By Yen Duong While conversations about the national opioid epidemic often focus on hardest-hit states such as Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, few people have analyzed county-by-county trends, where those state’s policies can make a difference. But a new study, published last month in an open-access version of the Journal of the American Medical Association, […]

close up shot of an african american woman who looks very compassionate, looking at someone who is off camera

Seeking Conviction: Questions of consent can make NC sexual assault cases tough to prosecute

March 21, 2019 by Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration

Seeking Conviction: Questions of consent can make NC sexual assault cases tough to prosecute - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina is the only state where withdrawing consent doesn’t make continued sex after someone changes their mind into a crime.

By the Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration Even if a rape case makes it to trial, it can still be tough to convince juries — especially if the perpetrator says it wasn’t a crime at all, but a consensual act. In fact, Cumberland District Attorney Billy West said he believes that “getting a conviction in a […]

shows a woman with her hand over her face in sadness and frustration. much of her face is in shadow.

Seeking Conviction: Justice elusive for NC sexual assault survivors

March 18, 2019 by Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration

Seeking Conviction: Justice elusive for NC sexual assault survivors - North Carolina Health News

Analysis: NC convicts fewer than 1 in 4 sexual assault defendants. Trials for sexual assault rare, with juries wanting a TV show production to convince, prosecutors say.

By the Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration Fewer than one in four defendants charged with sexual assault in North Carolina can expect to be convicted of that charge or a related reduced charge, and some parts of the state generate few if any sexual assault convictions, according to Carolina Public Press’ analysis of state court data. […]

Additional Thanks

Categories