The Pender County Housing Authroity announced the waiting list is closed. No new applications will be accepted for the waiting list at this time. For more information call the department at (910) 259-1208.
DSS News
The Pender County Housing Authroity announced the waiting list is closed. No new applications will be accepted for the waiting list at this time. For more information call the department at (910) 259-1208.
The Pender County Health Department just received information regarding the baby formula shortage from the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Scroll down and read the helpful tips.
Formula Brand Info sheet_v32022.05.18 Formula Fact Sheet
2022.05.18_Formula Fact Sheet_Spanish
Sixty percent of North Carolinians over 18 have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. shared updated public health guidance for K-12 schools to follow in the upcoming school year.
“The most important work our state will do next month is getting all our school children back into the classrooms safely for in-person learning,” said Governor Cooper. “That’s the best way for them to learn, and we want their school days to be as close to normal as possible, especially after a year of disruption.”
The updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit is aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance, which urges that everything possible is done to keep students in schools and emphasizes continued masking. The Toolkit says schools with students in kindergarten through eighth grade should require all children and staff to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Schools with students in 9th through 12th grades should ensure that anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated, including students, wear a mask indoors.
This guidance is effective July 30th and local school leaders are responsible for requiring and implementing protocols in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit in consultation with their local health departments.
The Toolkit also updates additional measures for schools related to quarantining after COVID exposure, physical distancing, testing, transportation, cleaning, and other considerations.
State health officials continue to urge unvaccinated people to follow CDC and NCDHHS guidance and wear a mask indoors. When Executive Order 220 expires at the end of July, North Carolina businesses and other entities where masks are required will make their own decisions about requiring masks, with strong guidance provided by NCDHHS. Everyone, regardless of vaccine status, should still wear a mask in certain places such as public transportation and healthcare facilities.
“Get vaccinated right now if you haven’t. We are seeing the impact of the very contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 and it’s hitting those who are unvaccinated hard,” said Secretary Cohen. “Schools need to use the additional safety protocols outlined in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit to continue to protect students and staff as we enter the new school year.”
To date, North Carolina has administered more than 9.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 56 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. Sixty percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of people 65 and over.
Learn more about the state’s vaccine distribution at myspot.nc.gov (English) or Vacunate.nc.gov (Spanish). Details on the Your Shot at $1 Million Summer Cash Drawing can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/summervaxcash. Use NCDHHS’ online tool Find a Vaccine Location to find a nearby vaccine site. Call the state’s COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 888-675-4567.
Read the updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit.
RALEIGH — Attorney General Josh Stein and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners today unveiled a historic agreement to fight the opioid epidemic. The agreement governs how North Carolina would use the proceeds of any future national settlement or bankruptcy resolution with drug distributors Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen and opioid manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Purdue Pharma. These potential settlements and resolutions could bring as much as $850 million to North Carolina over an 18-year period to support state and local efforts to address the epidemic.
“The opioid epidemic, in recent years, has taken the lives of more than 16,000 North Carolinians, torn families apart, and ravaged communities from the mountains to the coast,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “These companies helped to create and fuel this epidemic with irresponsible marketing and a lack of oversight – and they must be held accountable to help clean up this mess. I am working hard, along with fellow attorneys general across the country, to do just that. Should we prevail, today’s agreement between the counties and the state is an important step toward getting much-needed resources to communities across North Carolina as they work to address the epidemic and its aftermath.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on all 100 counties. We all know someone personally affected by this heartbreaking crisis, and local governments remain on the front lines of this epidemic, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This historic agreement will ensure potential opioid settlement funds coming into North Carolina get to people in need quickly and effectively. I, along with our NCACC Board of Directors, urge all counties and our municipal partners to sign this groundbreaking agreement as soon as possible,” said NCACC President Ronnie Smith, Chair, Martin County Board of Commissioners. The agreement is endorsed by the NCACC Board of Directors, which adopted a resolution in support of the agreement urging all 100 counties and municipal partners to sign on to it without delay.
“The increase in opioid overdoses we saw during the COVID pandemic is a stark reminder that we need strategic, long-term investments to fight the disease of addiction,” said Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “This agreement provides needed funding for local partners to implement strategies in North Carolina’s Opioid Action Plan that prevent overdoses and save lives.”
To maximize funds flowing to North Carolina communities on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, the agreement would direct settlement funds as follows:
In addition, the agreement offers a high level of transparency into how local governments will use the funds, including special revenue funds subject to audit, annual financial and impact reports, and a public dashboard showing how they are using settlement funds to address the epidemic.
The state of North Carolina, 76 counties, and eight municipalities are engaged in litigation with or investigations of opioid manufacturers and distributors. All 100 counties – along with large- and medium-size municipalities – will now have the opportunity to review and sign on to the agreement.
Click here to access a one-pager on this topic.
Click here to access an FAQ on this topic.
Click here to access the memorandum of agreement.
These are stressful times. Do you need to talk?
Hope4NC (English and Spanish)_WebThe Grandparents Support Network (GSN) is a peer support group for grandparents or relative caregivers who are providing full-time care for their grandchildren.
GSN meetings the third Thursday of each month, starting at 5:30 p.m. Due to the pandemic, all meetings are virtual. All meetings are free.
Sign-ups are available at https://bit.ly/3m72Qc
Program highlights include:
Learn more about GSN www.ywca-lowercapefear.org/gsn
Partner with Prevent Child Abuse America and use Circle of Parents Self-
Help Support Model
Services available at no cost to participants.
Learn more about Integrated Family Services, to help family members in a crisis. This service is available to all Pender County residents in the Trillium Health Resource Area. Call them. Chat about relationships, self image, bullying, thoughts of suicide, family problems, and other issues causing stress, particularly now, during COVID-19 and job loss. Call 1-866-437-1821 today.
Pender County is a member of National Association of Counties, known as NACo. Through this national organization, Pender County Health and Human Social Services offers a program called Live Healthy.
The Live Healthy Discount Program is provided to you in a joint effort by participating county, parish and borough governments, and the National Association of Counties (NACo). It offers savings on prescriptions and services to support individuals and families. Learn more about the benefits of the program below.
No-cost Prescription Discounts
Use your prescription discount card for discounts at over 66,000 pharmacies at home and across the country.
Simple present your discount card at a participating retain pharmacy along with your prescription(s), and save an average of 24 percent of you prescription drugs.
Print a Live Healthy Discount card here or you can pick one up at a variety of local government and community locations.
Low-cost Health Discounts
Health discounts are available for a wide range of services and supplies for one low monthly or annual cost.
Discounts available on vision, hearing, diabetic supplies, lab services and diagnostic imaging, plus telemedicine consults at no additional cost.
Some state specific restrictions may apply to some benefits.
Low-cost Dental Discounts
You can receive dental discounts on a wide range of procedures and services for a low monthly or annual fee. Discounts on check-ups, x-rays, cleanings, dentures, root canals, extractions and more.
MinuteClinic® Discounts
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants are available to administer many services to you including vaccinations, physicals, blood pressure screenings and more.
Wesley Stewart, director of the department of social services, said Pender County’s health and human services won a 2010 NACo national award for offering this cost-saving program.
For more details, click here.
BURGAW – Burgaw Fire Department responded to a small fire at the Pender County Department of Social Services (DSS) at 12:46 a.m. today.
According to Burgaw Fire Chief Jim Taylor, firefighters investigated and found that a bathroom exhaust fan had malfunctioned and caused a small fire above the ceiling. The incident was under control by 1:15 a.m. There were 10 firefighters from the three departments on scene. The scene was turned over to the Pender County Facilities Maintenance.
“The fire caused minor damage around an exhaust fan in a restroom.” said Chad McEwen, Pender County manager.
Pender County maintenance and contractors are on site to repair the slight damage.
DSS staff continue to work Monday and provide services to Pender County residents.
The Count On Me NC program is focused on providing the necessary knowledge and information needed to manage COVID-19 within businesses as restrictions are relaxed. These free courses provide a consistent approach based on state and national guidelines. The voluntary program is designed to incorporate the best available science in social and physical distancing, employee health and cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection and is presented in an easy format in both English and Spanish. Each of these short training sessions are under 30 minutes and delivered online in an engaging and interactive format. Participating businesses will be recognized on the website CountOnMeNC.org
