PoliticsJune 8, 2026

NCDHHS Announces $10 Million for EMS Workforce Through NC Rural Health Transformation Program

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North Carolina Governor

Jun 8

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced that it will provide $10 million to 39 local EMS agencies through theNC Rural Health Transformation Program.

The funds awarded by the NCDHHS Office of Emergency Medical Services for Mobile Integrated Health will strengthen the EMS workforce and expand rural communities’ access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment and services.

“Every North Carolinian deserves access to safe, affordable, quality health care, no matter where they live,”said Governor Josh Stein.“Investing in our EMS workforce and expanding behavioral health services in the rural parts of the state will help North Carolinians get the care they need closer to home.”

“Improving access to care starts with investing in our health care providers, including our frontline EMS workforce,”said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai.“By strengthening EMS-led Mobile Integrated Health programs, we can provide timely treatment, support life-saving recovery, and ultimately reduce preventable overdoses.”

This NCRHTP funding gives EMS providers across North Carolina the tools, training, and resources needed to support residents with substance use disorders beyond the initial 911 call.

In 2021, rural North Carolinians experienced higher rates of both fatal drug overdoses and overdose-related emergency department visits compared to those rates for urban North Carolinians.

The awarded funds enable EMS agencies to address these trends by providing medication for opioid use disorder, supporting rapid follow-up care after overdose events, and connecting individuals to treatment and recovery services.

These locally led initiatives developed by EMS providers allow rural residents to receive direct care in their communities when they need it most.

“EMS professionals are uniquely positioned at the intersection of emergency response and health care delivery, serving as a critical link in the continuum of care for rural communities,”said Tom Mitchell, Chief of the NCDHHS Office of Emergency Medical Services.

The NCRHTP investment recognizes EMS as an essential component of North Carolina’s health care workforce and a vital partner in expanding access to behavioral health care and substance use disorder treatment.

This initiative represents an important step toward ensuring that rural residents have greater access to the services and support they need to achieve long-term health and recovery.

The Mobile Integrated Health grant recipients include:

Alamance County EMS

Alleghany County EMS

Anson County EMS

Avery County EMS

Brunswick County EMS

Buncombe County EMS

Burke County EMS

Cabarrus County EMS

Cape Fear Valley Mobile Integrated Health

Camden County EMS

Caswell County EMS

Catawba County EMS

Cherokee County EMS

Clay County

Columbus County EMS

Davie County EMS

Edgecombe County EMS

Franklin County EMS

Gaston County EMS

Graham County EMS

Henderson County EMS

Lenoir County EMS

McDowell County EMS

Mitchell County EMS

Nash County EMS

Onslow County EMS

Orange County EMS

Pasquotank County EMS

Perquimans County EMS

Person County EMS

Rowan County EMS

Stanly County EMS

Stokes County EMS

Surry County EMS

Washington County EMS

Watauga County EMS

Wilkes County EMS

Yadkin County EMS

Yancey County EMS

For more information on the North Carolina Rural Health Transformation Program, including ways to get involved, visit theNCDHHS NCRHTP webpage.

Stevens Amendment Disclosure:This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $213,008,356.47 with 100% funded by CMS/HHS.

The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.