In a focused effort to underscore the significance of mental health support and social services after a natural disaster, NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai visited Western North Carolina this week. The tour shone a light on the critical role of the Hope4NC program in offering mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) assistance in the wake of Hurricane Helene, as reported by NCDHHS. In addition, the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program, focused on non-medical interventions for Medicaid enrollees, highlighted during Sangvai's visits, is facing funding uncertainties beyond June 30.
Secretary Sangvai, whose visit included a stop at the Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness in Henderson County, stated, "There is no right or wrong way to feel during and after a catastrophic disaster like Hurricane Helene." Starting from September 2024, the Hope4NC program delivered over 11,300 individual or group counseling services as well as answered more than 7,300 calls to their helpline up until May. This, according to Lexie Wilkins, the Executive Director of Love and Respect, impacted significantly by the hurricane, has been a lifeline for many residents, especially those engaging with such resources for the first time, as per NCDHHS.
The non-profit, run by peer support specialists, provides various levels of support free of charge. Reflecting on the program's impact, "Our community was in shock and had experienced a traumatic event," Wilkins told NCDHHS, adding that the partnership with Hope4NC had "given our community a sense of hope."
Another focus of the secretary's tour was the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program, providing evidence-based, non-medical interventions. As of April 30, over 43,000 individuals had participated in HOP, receiving over one million services. While visiting Caja Solidaria, serving Henderson and Transylvania Counties with fresh foods through HOP, "The Healthy Opportunities Pilot program proves the best way to lower health care costs and create healthier communities is to reduce the need for medical care in the first place," said Secretary Sangvai. With no new services in the current budgets, the lack of continued funding for HOP highlights the uncertainty facing thousands of North Carolinians, which could potentially leave them without this cornerstone support after June 30, as per NCDHHS.
