NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley travels with Governor Roy Cooper to survey damage and meet with people impacted by Hurricane Helene in Transylvania and[...]

READOUT - NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley traveled with Governor Roy Cooper Friday to Transylvania and Henderson Counties. He first stopped at Pisgah Fish Camp in Pisgah Forest, a family-owned restaurant and landmark in Transylvania County badly damaged by Hurricane Helene. Secretary Kinsley spoke to the owner Mike Hawkins and visited with elected officials including Jaime Laughter, the Transylvania County Manager and Lisa Fletcher, the Superintendent of Schools. Transylvania Schools and Blue Ridge Community College will resume classes and reopen on Monday, Oct. 14. Secretary Kinsley concluded his visit in Transylvania County with a stop at pharmaceutical company Pisgah Labs, a major employer in the area. In Henderson County, the Secretary first stopped at the NC National Guard Warehouse and Operations Center and then toured the damage in Henderson County with Fletcher Mayor, Preston Blakely.

RALEIGH

Oct 11, 2024

NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley traveled with Governor Roy Cooper Friday to Transylvania and Henderson Counties. He first stopped at Pisgah Fish Camp in Pisgah Forest, a family-owned restaurant and landmark in Transylvania County badly damaged by Hurricane Helene. Secretary Kinsley spoke to the owner Mike Hawkins and visited with elected officials including Jaime Laughter, the Transylvania County Manager and Lisa Fletcher, the Superintendent of Schools. Transylvania Schools and Blue Ridge Community College will resume classes and reopen on Monday, Oct. 14. Secretary Kinsley concluded his visit in Transylvania County with a stop at pharmaceutical company Pisgah Labs, a major employer in the area. In Henderson County, the Secretary first stopped at the NC National Guard Warehouse and Operations Center and then toured the damage in Henderson County with Fletcher Mayor, Preston Blakely.

While speaking with the media, Secretary Kinsley highlighted some of the work underway at NCDHHS to help reach our friends, neighbors, families and communities in every corner in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene.

State and local public health staff are helping restaurants and businesses reopen so they can support and serve their communities.

• Restaurants who lack their usual sources of power, drinking water and wastewater treatment can safely reopen through a Emergency Operations Plan developed with their local health department.
• More than 70 restaurants' Emergency Operations Plans have been approved as of Oct. 9, 2024, in addition to those approved at the local level.

NCDHHS is working closely with federal partners to increase access to food for people impacted by Hurricane Helene.

• EBT cards can be used to purchase hot prepared foods from retailers that accept EBT in all 100 counties in North Carolina, impacting nearly 700,000 households enrolled in the program.
• People in 23 Western counties that use EBT cards received 70% of the previous months benefits automatically reloaded onto their EBT card, due to losing food from sustained power outages. This totals more than $24 million in benefits for approximately 200,000 people.
• Out of the 1,645 retailers that accept EBT cards in 25 counties in the west, at least 1,393 (85%) were able to run EBT transactions as of Wednesday Oct. 9th.

The health and well-being of people impacted by Hurricane Helene continue to be a top priority for NCDHHS as it works to ensure communities have access to medical care, life-saving medication and infant formula.

• Working with the NC Medical Board to track all open community medical practices, including 10 in Transylvania County and 19 in Henderson County.
• Each of the 25 counties, and the EBCI Tribal Area, have at least one pharmacy open and filling prescriptions, including six in Transylvania County and 16 in Henderson County.
• Visit the NCDHHS website to see all open pharmacies and medical practices.
• Following concerns about oxygen supplies, we worked to stand up two refill stations, including one in Mocksville and one in Brevard.
• Over 10,000 cases of baby formula delivered to impacted counties:
  • Henderson County has received 2,805 cases of infant formula along with bottles, nipples, and water to support community need.
  • Transylvania County has received 801 cases of infant formula along with bottles, nipples, and water to support community need.

We understand the emotional and mental toll that a crisis like this can take and want to make sure people have access to mental health supports.

• NCDHHS has ramped up staffing at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Folks in immediate crisis or contemplating self harm should not hesitate to call.
• The Disability Disaster Hotline, 800-626-4959 provides information, referrals and guidance to people with disabilities and their families during disasters.
• The Disaster Distress Helpline specializes in post-disaster trauma and provides counseling services 24/7. If you would like to speak with someone, please call or text 1-800-985-5990.
• People can walk into a clinic for mental health or substance use care the same way urgent care clinics help people with immediate physical health needs. Blue Ridge Health in Brevard, NC is open and accepting patients.
• Mobile Crisis teams can send trained clinicians to a home, community, or shelter to respond to an urgent need. To get connected with a mobile crisis team, you can call Vaya Health at 1-800-849-6127.

Related Topics:

• Mental Health
• Public Health
• Secretary's Office

  Secretary's Office