U.S. Surgeon General releases Advisory on protecting youth mental health
On Tuesday December 7th the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisoryon protecting youth mental health. Youth mental health has always been an issues even more so in the wake of the pandemic. NC families united is very apprecitve of this resource and the acknowldegement of this serious issue taking place among our youth.
This Advisory provides actionable recommendations for young people and their families, schools and health care systems, technology and media companies, employers, community organizations, and governments alike.
Click on the blue hyperlink on the word advisory to read/download the advisory.
Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 (NEW)
Cloth Face Coverings: Questions and Answers
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 (NEW)
Resources for Community- and Faith-Based Leaders
SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020 (NEW)
Strategies for Optimizing Supply of N95 Respirators
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 (UPDATED)
CDC Launches New Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 (UPDATED)
Communities, Schools, and Businesses
People at Higher Risk for Severe Illness
How to Calm a Child with Autism
Create a Sensory Safe Yard for Children with Special Needs
Sensory Processing Treatments
Estate Planning for Parents of Kids with Autism
Classroom Accommodations for Kids with Sensory Issues
Moving with Special Needs Kids
Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research
The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research promotes the full participation in socially valued roles of transition-age youth and young adults (ages 14-30) with serious mental health conditions. The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research (Transitions ACR) is located within the Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) and houses The Learning & Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research & Training Center (The Learning & Working RRTC), among other projects.
The manual describes IPS supported employment and education services for adolescents and young adults with mental health conditions and helps them access jobs, education and careers. Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Manual for Transition Age Youth
The IPS Fidelity Scale for Young Adults is recommended for use with IPS programs serving the age group from roughly 15 to 26 years of age. This adaptation of the IPS 25 item fidelity scale is designed to meet the needs of youth and young adults allowing organizations to make sure they are delivering to fidelity.
View and download the newly updated IPS Fidelity Scale for Young Adults HERE.
View and download the accompanying score sheet HERE.
NC DHHS is providing a staggered implementation of telehealth waivers to reimbursement rules in order to get the most needed waivers and flexibilities in place. On a recent webinar with providers, Medicaid CMO Dr. Shannon Dowler stated that they will begin with telemedicine and telepsychiatry codes and later will provide waivers and flexibilities to specialized services such as occupational and physical therapies and finally work to provide needed temporary changes for LEAs and CDSAs. Retroactive to March 10, 2020, telehealth billing waivers and flexibilities include: Details on Telehealth

The latest updates on North Carolina’s COVID-19 response.
- NCDHHS Updates Guidance on Who Should be Tested for COVID-19 Press Release Guidance
- North Carolina Working with Local Manufacturers to Make Critical Supplies Press Release
- New PSA on the Ws Public Service Announcement
- North Carolina’s Key COVID-19 Indicators Remain Stable Press Release Data Presentation
- Make Sure Water Systems are Safe before Reopening CDC’s Guidance for Building Water Systems
- Guidance for Overnight Camps Now Available Interim Guidance for Overnight Camp Settings
- Governor Signs Executive Order to Provide Regulatory Flexibility for Health Care System During Response to COVID-19 Press Release Executive Order
For up-to-date information, please feel free to follow NCDHHS on Twitter.
3-30-2020 Updated Information
Additional information is available on our website, ncdhhs.gov/
- Governor Cooper Issues Stay at Home Order
- NC DHHS Updates Guidance for Providers
- COVID-19 Dashboard Includes More Data
- Texting Tool Available to Access Food for Children
- New Patient Fact Sheet Available – What to do if you feel sick
Press Release Executive Order 121 FAQ Stay Home Save Lives Social Media Tools
COVID-19 Dashboard Includes More Data
We have updated the COVID-19 dashboard, and it now includes the following information for North Carolina:
- Number of Cases Statewide and by County
- Number of Deaths Statewide and by County
- Number of Tests Completed
- Number of People Currently Hospitalized
- Percent of Cases by Age Range
- Percent of Deaths by Age Range
- Percent of Cases by Gender
- Percent of Deaths by Gender
- Number of Intensive Care Unit Beds – Total and Empty
- Number of Inpatient Hospital Beds – Total and Empty
NC DHHS will continue to add new data as it validates reporting methods.
As we continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), our thoughts are with the health, safety and well-being of our partners that are relied upon like never before. We are proud and thankful for each of the partners in this network and know that together we are prepared to respond to this challenge.
Recent updates from NCDHHS include:
- Executive Order 120 closes K-12 public school statewide through May 15, bans mass gatherings over 50 people, closes some businesses
- NCDHHS asks for health care volunteers to assist with COVID-19
- All COVID-19 Executive Orders
Situations like the one we are currently facing affect everyone in our community. However, they tend to have a greater impact on those already struggling to find childcare services, secure housing, wholesome food, and other resources to keep themselves and their families safe.
- Holding virtual influencer and strategy sessions
- Working with hospitals while being flexible to accommodate their response to the COVID-19 outbreak
- Maintaining and increasing our engagement/reengagement
- Continuing to craft and disseminate guidance for different stakeholders to utilize the platform
There are several resources to help you navigate these challenging times.
- NC 2-1-1 by United Way of North Carolina is now available for people to call for assistance related to the COVID-19 coronavirus
- COVID-19 text information and updates are available. To sign up, text COVIDNC to 898211
NCDHHS website, ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus publishes regular updates, including new guidance that is developed, information about Executive Orders and other important information.
Thank you in advance for the support you are providing to your community as we work together to get through this current health crisis.
Your NCCARE360 Team
Interested in becoming a network partner? Subscribe to the NCCARE360 newsletter for network updates, news, and more-https://nccare360.org/join/


We created a new Facebook page where we are sharing activities, educational resources, crafts, virtual experiences and more that parents can use while their children are at home. We encourage you to follow this new page and to share it on your social media channels, with your staff members and with the families you serve. We will continue to add materials there that can help parents with planning their day and building a routine that will support their children’s mental health while schools are closed.
Important Tip: In addition to following and liking the page, we encourage you to scroll through the recent posts. We have added a lot of resources in the last three days.
Visit our Pinterest Boards



- Distance Learning
- Family Activities
- Family Life
- All About Me
- Technology and App Recommendations
- Family Conversation Starters
- Children’s Mental Health Activities
- Coronavirus Resources
- Mindfulness
NFFCMH | (240) 403-1901 | ffcmh@ffcmh.org | www.ffcmh.org
StartYourRecovery.org is a free, confidential tool that helps individuals take steps toward a healthy relationship with drugs and alcohol. It was developed with the input of leading clinicians, experts from leading organizations like SAMHSA, and people in recovery themselves. Here, individuals can hear stories from people with similar life experiences, discover the answers they need for recognizing and dealing with substance use issues, and locate support. Family and friends can learn about addiction and how to encourage treatment and support sober living on the website.
Providing Addiction Information
and Treatment Center Reviews.
Addiction Center is your comprehensive addiction information hub. We are the definitive guide to the dangers of abusing alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs and more. We review top treatment centers to help you find the one that gives you or your loved one the best chance at a successful recovery. https://www.addictioncenter.com/
Survey on Statewide Family Network Activity
A mental health resource guide for college students. http://www.onlinecolleges.net/for-students/mental-health-resources/
www.AffordableSchoolsOnline.com/Cheap-Online-Colleges — is a comprehensive and informative resource that allows you to search for colleges by their respective annual cost. I believe this type of information is valuable to today’s students who are not only dealing with a more competitive higher education environment but also with the rising costs associated with them.
On behalf of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Child, Adolescent and Family Branch (CAFB), there are three important updates about Technical Assistance (TA) resources, grantee contract requirements and the new TA Center awardee, the TA Network.
TA Resources
As part of the final contract deliverables for the TA Partnership, AIR is pleased to announce several new resources that are now posted on the Summer of Learning (SoL) website. Next week you will receive another notice on availability of other documents and materials. The new SoL postings are:
NEW Archived One Minute Wonders
Ask A Social Marketer: Getting Started
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Washington, DC 20007-3835 | 202.403.5000 | TTY 877.334.3499 | www.air.org
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