by Ivana Muszkiewicz, MPH
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, leaving extensive damage to communities and essential infrastructure across the state. The storm’s impact disrupted services that are critical to the health, welfare, and development of children. In response, North Carolina implemented a range of policy changes and regulatory flexibilities to address child health needs, support child care facilities, and aid families in the storm-ravaged regions of Western North Carolina.
In response to the storm, the state legislature passed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 on October 9, 2024. This legislative act allocated $273 million in funds for hurricane relief, with specific provisions directed toward educational and child welfare needs. It included measures to provide school calendar flexibility, which was crucial for schools that needed to close temporarily. Additionally, the act ensured compensation for public school employees affected by the hurricane, thereby helping maintain staffing stability.
Over 200 child care facilities reported impacts from the storm, with at least 55 sustaining substantial damage that temporarily halted their operations. In affected areas, schools, health care facilities, and public service centers struggled to maintain services, putting a strain on resources for children and families. On October 9, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 319 which in part granted the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services the ability to support child care needs. The flexibilities in the executive order allowed child care facilities and family care homes to reopen or remain operational during Hurricane Helene's response and recovery phases. They also allowed NCDHHS to temporarily waive or modify mandatory licensing standard for child care facilities in areas affected by the storm.
Additionally, NCDHHS is collaborating with the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to ensure that children receive nutritious meals through qualifying child care facilities. Disaster flexibilities in the CACFP program will allow the benefits to be more accessible to families affected by the hurricane and help to prevent a lapse in food security for children who are currently part of the program. On Oct 25, 2024, Governor Cooper signed the second hurricane relief bill into law. This relief bill awarded $10 million toward disaster relief for child care centers and family care homes.
In addition to addressing child care, the state implemented critical policy adjustments within the Medicaid program to accommodate beneficiaries and providers affected by the disaster. NC Medicaid introduced flexibilities such as expedited provider enrollment and waivers for certain service requirements, ensuring families could access essential health care services despite the challenges posed by storm damage and disruptions.
The increased funding enabled schools to expand counseling services, incorporate trauma-informed approaches, and train staff on best practices for supporting children through post-disaster recovery.
North Carolina also allowed flexibilities in child and adolescent day treatment as well as facility-based crisis services for children and adolescents, waiving requirements such as prior approval requests. This allows services to be provided when school is not in operation and by telehealth, and waives staff training requirements if unable to be obtained during the state of emergency.
Other policy additions included Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requests to continue pay to affected school employees through closed school days, granting school calendar flexibility to affected counties by making up days or considering up to 20 days completed. This adjustment also allowed for more days of remote instruction, past the current maximum of 15 days. To help ease the burden on teachers affected by the hurricane, the relief bill temporarily removed barriers to allow retirees of the teachers’ retirement system return to work on a part-time, temporary basis if they are returning to assist with hurricane recovery efforts.
Hurricane Helene's impact extended to North Carolina’s child welfare services, which faced significant challenges in maintaining support for vulnerable children and families during the crisis. Disruptions to transportation, communication networks, and service access impeded the ability of child protective services to conduct home visits, investigate reports of abuse or neglect, and provide essential resources to families in need. In response, the state implemented temporary measures to ensure continuity of care, such as allowing virtual check-ins for case workers when in-person visits were not feasible and extending deadlines for court-mandated services.
Foster care placements were also prioritized, with emergency funding allocated to ensure children in state custody could be safely housed and supported despite damage to existing facilities. These efforts highlighted the need for a resilient child welfare system that can adapt quickly during natural disasters, ensuring the safety and well-being of children even amid widespread disruption.
The flexibilities and policy changes enacted after Hurricane Helene reflect North Carolina’s commitment to supporting child health and well-being in times of crisis. The state’s efforts, including funding allocations, regulatory flexibilities, and policy adjustments, aimed to address immediate needs such as child care, education, and health care while ensuring continuity of critical support systems. These measures provided a temporary framework for recovery, but the storm highlighted ongoing vulnerabilities within child-focused services.