North Carolina
Opinion: NC’s HOP program has led to healthier residents, lower medical costs. It needs funding
The best way to lower health care costs is to reduce the need for expensive medical services by preventing illness in the first place. Thanks to the foresight of North Carolina lawmakers, our state tested a pilot program that does just that. In only two years, people are healthier and health care costs are lower. But despite its success, the future of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot is unclear.
As the two most recent secretaries of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, we launched HOP by working with the Republican-led General Assembly and with the first Trump administration, which approved the pilot. North Carolina’s innovation has since become a model for other states and earned national attention for its impact.
HOP is based on a simple idea — it costs less to keep people healthy than to treat them after they get sick. We spend most of our money in this country treating diseases, rather than preventing them. Evidence from HOP has shown that investing in things that impact your health such as food and housing not only prevents disease but also saves money.
Recent studies show HOP reduces health care costs by $1,020 per participant each year. The savings come from people needing fewer trips to the emergency room and fewer hospital admissions. People are staying healthy because local farmers, nonprofits, and small businesses deliver meals so people have healthy food, make home repairs that get rid of mold and help avoid asthma attacks, and help patients get preventive care and medicine when they need it, not after it becomes an emergency.
In Western North Carolina, families displaced by Tropical Storm Helene faced similar challenges. One mother, whose child suffered from asthma, received support from HOP to make their new home safer by removing mold and other triggers through the Breathe Right program. The result? Fewer ER visits and a healthier future. In the Cape Fear region, a young single mother was struggling with unsafe housing, food insecurity, and her children’s health problems. With support from HOP — including help with housing, food access, and parenting resources — she found stability. She secured full-time work, moved her family into a safe home, and saw their health improve dramatically.
And yet, despite these successes, North Carolina lawmakers have not included specific funding for HOP in either the House or Senate budget proposals. Without funding, millions in federal dollars will be pulled out of our rural communities, emergency department and hospital visits will likely rise again, health care costs will increase, and people’s health will be at risk.
Cutting programs like HOP does not save money. It just shifts costs to emergency rooms, schools, and long-term care facilities — and drives up costs for all of us. It’s why lawmakers funded Healthy Opportunities in the first place. And now that it’s delivered on the promise of saving costs, it’s time to double down on what works. In December of last year, noting the proven success of HOP, the federal government approved expanding the pilots statewide, which could unlock amazing opportunities across all of North Carolina. As North Carolina faces tough budget choices, sustaining and growing programs like HOP is the fiscally responsible decision. It supports healthier families, stronger communities, and a more sustainable health care system.
With uncertainty at the federal level and no funding included for HOP in either the North Carolina House or Senate budgets, the program’s future hangs in the balance. If it ends, the consequences will be real — lives, jobs, and hurricane recovery efforts will all be at risk. In a time when so much feels uncertain, this is a solution we can agree on. The evidence is clear, the need is urgent, and the stakes are high. Our state must continue to lead the way with common-sense improvements to our health system.
The question is not how we can afford to do this; it is how we cannot?
Dr. Mandy Cohen and Kody Kinsley are former Secretaries, NC Department of Health and Human Services.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management is providing up to $18 million in grants to help clean up additional debris from Hurricane Helene in the western region, state officials said Friday.
According to NCDEQ, applications are being accepted for the Debris Recovery & Disposal grant program, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the American Relief Act of 2025.
The program provides up to $18 million in grants to local governments, councils of government, and nongovernment organizations, according to NCDEQ.
State officials said applications are being accepted through Sept. 14. The maximum award is $3 million. The grants may be used for up to three years.
Counties, municipalities, councils of government, and nongovernmental organizations in FEMA-declared disaster areas due to Helene are eligible for the grants, according to NCDEQ.
According to NCDEQ, eligible projects include collecting and disposing of non-hazardous debris from private or public properties, clearing and managing debris at streambanks, floodplains, farmland, and local park lands, and removing debris to improve solid waste and recycling infrastructure.
Applications may be emailed to Chris Hollinger with the Division of Waste Management at chris.hollinger@deq.nc.gov.
State officials advise applicants to email or call Hollinger at 919-707-8284 or contact Jason Watkins at jason.watkins@deq.nc.gov or 336-776-9674 to discuss the eligibility of their project before applying.
More information about applying can be found on the NCDEQ website.
North Carolina
‘Infuriating, heartbreaking’: Raccoon recovering after getting caught in leg trap at Mecklenburg County park
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A raccoon is fighting for its life after it got caught in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park this week.
North Carolina Wildlife Rehab said a group of children found the raccoon stuck in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park on Thursday, June 18, but did not specify which park.
“This is absurd, infuriating, and heartbreaking,” a spokesperson said. “Just think about how many animals may have already been harmed—and how many babies may have been orphaned because of this.”
Raccoon had heat stroke, front legs trapped
Wildlife Rehab said it’s unclear how long the raccoon was trapped, but both of his front legs were caught.
Thankfully, his legs were not broken; however, he suffered heat stroke and had a body temperature of 105.4 degrees.
“Please keep this sweet boy in your thoughts and prayers as he fights to recover,” a spokesperson said.
Multiple traps found on property
The children reportedly found the trap attached to a fence on an adjoining property, and investigators said officers found several more during their search.
“Thankfully, the kids did not attempt to free the raccoon themselves, though that easily could have happened,” a spokesperson said. “Instead, they immediately got their parents, who then contacted Animal Control.”
Officials said the raccoon was the second animal caught in a leg trap, and both incidents occurred at parks in Mecklenburg County.
Wildlife Rehab said the traps are illegal and cited animal cruelty. In North Carolina, however, foothold traps aren’t entirely illegal, but they’re strictly regulated by state law. They can be used in Mecklenburg County if they comply with state guidelines for trap size, jaw type, and proper tagging.
–> Also read: Trio stole donated blankets, beds from Cabarrus County animal shelter, director says
As of this writing, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed.
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
CHARLOTTE, NC (WCNC) – North Carolina is becoming a leader in artificial intelligence adoption among businesses – ranking ninth in the nation, according to a new LendingTree report. Over 22% of businesses in the state already utilize AI, with many more planning to incorporate it in the near future.
“I’m not surprised at all that North Carolina ranks high on the list in part because it’s a tech-forward state,” said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst with LendingTree. “There is a lot of financial institutions in that state and no one should be surprised that NC is on the cutting edge with using AI in businesses.”
The report also sheds light on the implications of AI for the workforce. Generative AI usage makes up around 85% of overall AI business usage. Most companies are using the technology for repetitive tasks such as summarizing information, analyzing data, drafting content, or assisting with customer service.
Large companies are leading the way in AI usage. Businesses with over 250 employees use AI at a rate of 37.3% while companies with fewer than five employees use AI at a rate of 19%.
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