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NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meetings
What Is It?
The NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meeting brings partners together from across the state to share updates, reflect on progress, and set priorities for the year ahead. It strengthens coordination, shared learning, and collective action.
2026 Annual Meeting
2026 NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meeting-
2025 Annual Meeting
2025 NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meeting- Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Microsoft Teams
- Healthy North Carolina 2030 (HNC 2030) and North Carolina State Health Improvement Plan (NC SHIP) landing page
- 2024-2025 NC SHIP Community Council Scorecard
Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Dr. Kelly Kimple, Director of the Division of Public Health and State Health Officer, welcomed attendees and acknowledged wide cross-sector representation.
- She emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in light of evolving policy and funding environments.
- Erin Fry Sosne, Director of Strategy, reviewed the meeting purpose- to reflect on progress, recognize challenges, and renew action- and previewed the agenda.
Year in Review: Onward for Action
- Panelists discussed recent policy and program changes that have affected community health initiatives.
- Kelsey Yokovich Cervone (Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation) emphasized the importance of uplifting rural and community voices and responding to changes in Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
- Marianne Weant (NC Alliance for Health) highlighted federal policy shifts impacting school meals and public assistance programs and called for stronger unified advocacy efforts.
- Resource shared: Podcast episode on Medicaid cuts and rural health
Work Group and Collaborative Spotlights
- Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Advisory Council (CSPAC)
- Anne Geissinger, NC Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator & Team Lead, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)
- Led faith-based mental health training, reaching over 100 rural faith leaders.
- Participants reported increased knowledge and reduced stigma around suicide prevention.
- The program builds local leadership capacity to address suicide risk.
- Resource shared: NC Suicide Prevention Action Plan- 2026-2030
- Short-Term Suspensions Work Group
- Rev. Paul Robeson Ford, Consultant for Policy Coordination & Communication, Action4Equity
- Shared local success in reducing suspensions for grades Pre-K through 3.
- Working toward statewide adoption of policies limiting early grade suspensions.
- Planning a communications campaign aligned with 'Too Young to Suspend' messaging.
- Resource shared: Education Justice Alliance- Community Report: Too Young To Suspend
- Perinatal Health Equity Collective (PHEC)- Policy Workgroup
- Belinda Pettiford, Section Chief, Women, Infant, and Community Wellness Section, NCDHHS
- Advanced policy priorities around paid leave and access to childcare.
- Supported Medicaid education, doula reimbursement, and safe sleep promotion.
- Engaged with cross-sector partners to strengthen perinatal health systems.
- Resource shared: 2022-2026 Perinatal Health Strategic Plan
- Poverty and Unemployment Work Group
- Scottie Jackson, Program Manager, Office of Workforce Engagement and Equal Employment Opportunity, NCDHHS
- Outlined five urgent priorities including childcare and community health workers.
- Promoted the NCWorks system and digital access to workforce services.
- Emphasized sustainable funding and policy alignment across sectors.
- Resource shared: NC Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program
- Adverse Childhood Experiences Work Group
- Dr. Wanda Boone, Founder and Executive Director, Together for Resilient Youth (TRY)
- Focused on improving access to local trauma and childhood adversity data.
- Promoted culturally rooted, community-based support programs.
- Encouraged qualitative input and collaboration with existing initiatives.
- Third Grade Reading Proficiency Work Group
- Dr. Gerri Mattson, Early Intervention Medical Director, NCDHHS
- Identified fragmentation in literacy-related professional development.
- Collected input from surveys and interviews to guide the next steps.
- Developing a fact sheet to support early educators and family service professionals.
- Resource shared: Book about early childhood for children- Some Crayons are Missing
- Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Work Group
- Jayne McBurney, Steps to Health Program Coordinator, North Carolina State University
- Led a statewide campaign promoting water over sugary beverages.
- Used digital media and local TV to deliver messages through SNAP-Ed.
- Shared performance metrics showing broad community engagement.
- SHIP Tobacco Committee
- Dr. Kim McDonald, Section Chief and Medical Consultant, NCDHHS
- Continued youth prevention and cessation programs despite reduced federal funding.
- Maintained Quitline services and education through Juul settlement resources.
- Stressed importance of long-term, stable funding for tobacco control.
- Resources shared:
- Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse Advisory Committee (OPDAAC)
- Mary Beth Cox, Substance Use Epidemiologist, NCDHHS
- Shared updates from the state’s overdose prevention action plan.
- Highlighted enhancements to the state’s overdose data dashboards.
- Reported early signs of a decline in opioid-related overdose deaths.
- Resources shared:
- North Carolina State Excessive Alcohol Advisory Committee (NCSEAAC)
- Fisher Charlton, Alcohol Epidemiologist, NCDHHS
- Shared alcohol-related data resources and surveillance strategies.
- Used emergency department data to monitor alcohol-related harms.
- Noted delays in the action plan due to federal staffing reductions.
- Resources shared:
- Uninsured Work Group
- Alice Pollard, Vice President of Operations and Strategy, North Carolina Community Health Center Association
- Discussed Medicaid expansion rollout and future implementation needs.
- Identified the importance of monitoring upcoming federal policy changes.
- Emphasized the role of community health workers and uninsured clinics.
- Life Expectancy Work Group
- Heather Carter, Dementia Services Coordinator, NCDHHS and Vicki Mercer, Professor, Division of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Highlighted falls prevention and brain health as priority strategies.
- Developed outreach and training materials linking falls and chronic disease risk.
- Promoted coordination between clinical and community settings.
- Resources shared:
- Severe Housing Problems Work Group
- Josh Walker, Olmstead Housing Director, NCDHHS
- Introduced the department’s 5-year Strategic Housing Plan (2024–2029).
- Outlined goals for housing development, access, services, and partnerships.
- Addressed the need for housing navigation, rent assistance, and eviction prevention.
- Resource shared: NC Strategic Housing Plan
Post-Meeting Work Group Highlights
The following work groups did not share updates during the live meeting. Select highlights from their 2024-2025 priorities are included below. Refer to the 2024-2025 NC SHIP Community Council Scorecard for action plans and/or additional information.
- Access to Exercise Opportunities Work Group
- Exploring opportunities to align with statewide efforts that share similar goals related to physical activity access and infrastructure.
- Prioritizing collaboration and information exchange with existing partners.
- HIV Diagnosis Work Group
- Did not convene during 2024-2025; is assessing opportunities to join or support existing collaborative groups.
- Aims to avoid duplication and contribute to collective statewide HIV response efforts.
- Incarceration Work Group
- Considering re-engagement by connecting with other groups in the state working on incarceration-related health issues.
- Limited Access to Healthy Foods Work Group
- Focused on maintaining a resource-sharing and networking space for partners during the 2024-2025 cycle.
- Remained open to convening for time-sensitive or emergency-driven discussions as needed.
- Primary Care Clinicians Work Group
- Prioritized increasing Medicaid reimbursement and simplifying administrative processes to support primary care access, especially in rural areas.
- Recommended improving and coordinating loan repayment and scholarship programs to recruit and retain clinicians in high-need communities.
- Emphasized expanding rural training pathways, including support for community-based preceptors and rural residency programs.
Looking Ahead: Inspiration and Action
- Michelle Ries (North Carolina Institute of Medicine) stressed the need for reliable, disaggregated data to guide long-term public health planning.
- Tish Singletary (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) encouraged strategic, coordinated action in the face of uncertainty, using the metaphor of playing chess rather than whack-a-mole.
- Alice Ammerman (UNC Chapel Hill) called for data to demonstrate the consequences of funding losses and emphasized collaboration and shared infrastructure as key to success.
- See slides 73-87 in the slide deck for additional insights from Michelle Ries on Healthy North Carolina 2030: Current NCIOM Initiatives and Midpoint Reflections.
Closing Reflections and Next Steps
- Dr. Kelly Kimple closed the meeting by thanking all attendees and presenters for their time, insights, and ongoing commitment.
- She encouraged continued collaboration and invited attendees to carry forward the momentum generated during the meeting into the year ahead.
- The meeting concluded with an emphasis on supporting local and state-level action aligned with the priorities of Healthy North Carolina 2030.
2024 Annual Meeting
2024 NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meeting- Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Microsoft Teams
Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Dr. Betsy Tilson welcomed attendees and emphasized the critical role each partner plays in advancing equitable opportunities for health, education, and economic stability.
- Framed the purpose of the meeting:
- Celebrate achievements from the Year of Action
- Highlight work group accomplishments and progress
- Reinforce the focus on health equity
- Launch the call to action for 2024–2025
- Introduced Acting Division Director Dr. Kelly Kimple and recognized her leadership in HNC 2030 implementation and NC SHIP.
Healthy North Carolina 2030 to NC SHIP
- Brieanne Lyda-McDonald (NCIOM) reviewed the development of the HNC 2030 indicators and described the collaborative statewide process that informed both the indicators and NC SHIP.
- Explained how listening sessions and cross-sector engagement shaped the NC SHIP framework and action pathways.
- Reinforced the connection between HNC 2030 goals and the implementation structure of the NC SHIP Community Council.
Recognizing the Year of Action
- Shared video messages from Governor Roy Cooper and Secretary Kody Kinsley acknowledging progress made by the Community Council and reinforcing statewide commitment to the work. Recognized the dedication of co-leaders and partners across agencies, organizations, and communities.
- Resources shared:
Community Council Highlights
- Work groups shared updates on accomplishments from the Year of Action, including:
- Poverty & Unemployment Work Group: Shared policy and workforce priorities; highlighted digital access and CHW strategies.
- Short-Term Suspensions Work Group: Highlighted advocacy to reduce early grade suspensions and alignment with “Too Young to Suspend.”
- Adverse Childhood Experiences Work Group: Shared local trauma data efforts and culturally rooted supports.
- Access to Exercise Opportunities Work Group: Presented community-based and school-based movement initiatives.
- Limited Access to Healthy Foods Work Group: Shared regional food systems improvements.
- Severe Housing Problems Work Group: Provided updates on the 5-year NC Strategic Housing Plan.
- Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Work Group: Highlighted statewide hydration messaging through SNAP-Ed.
- Uninsured Work Group: Shared updates on Medicaid expansion rollout and clinic supports.
- Life Expectancy Work Group: Highlighted falls prevention and brain health strategies.
Advisory & Collaborative Highlights
- Leaders from statewide committees shared aligned activities:
- Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse Advisory Committee (OPDAAC): Updates on overdose data and prevention efforts.
- North Carolina State Excessive Alcohol Advisory Committee (NCSEAAC) Shared alcohol surveillance and harm trends.
- Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Advisory Council (CSPAC): Presented efforts strengthening suicide prevention capacity.
- Perinatal Health Equity Collective (PHEC) Policy Workgroup: Highlighted policy and system-level work across maternal and infant health.
Community and Partner Engagement
- Portia Pope and Debra Farrington Discussed DHHS’s continued commitment to health equity and community engagement.
- Highlighted alignment between equity frameworks and NC SHIP priorities.
- Reaffirmed the role of lived experience and community-rooted partnerships.
- Resource shared: NCDHHS Community and Partner Engagement
2024–2025: Onward for Action
- Erin Fry Sosne reviewed progress from the Year of Action and emphasized the need to build on work group momentum.
- Introduced reflections from three co-leaders on advancing progress in the coming year.
- Dr. Wanda Boone (Adverse Childhood Experiences Work Group) emphasized the importance of grounding statewide action in local context, trust-building, and culturally rooted supports. She highlighted how listening to families and communities ensures that priorities align with lived experience and community-defined needs.
- Delton Russell (SHIP Tobacco Committee) reflected on the value of consistent communication, shared planning, and cross-sector collaboration in advancing tobacco prevention and cessation efforts. He underscored the need for ongoing investment in youth-focused strategies and long-term, stable funding to sustain progress.
- Martha Zimmerman (Life Expectancy Work Group) highlighted the importance of addressing upstream and age-friendly strategies such as falls prevention, brain health, and coordinated clinical–community supports. She stressed that cross-sector partnerships strengthen outreach, training, and alignment across systems serving older adults.
- Co-leaders collectively pointed to the need for sharper priorities, stronger partnerships, deeper community voice, and continued alignment across work groups to sustain momentum into 2024-2025.
- Announced the call to action for 2024-2025: remain engaged and collaborate across sectors.
- Ashley Rink shared next steps, including follow-up communications, interest forms for new members, and reminders for current work group members to submit interest surveys.
Closing
- Dr. Tilson thanked partners for their dedication and encouraged continued collaboration.
- Highlighted the graphic recording from the meeting and invited participants to review it post-event.
2023 Annual Meeting
2023 NC SHIP Community Council Annual Meeting- Wednesday, July 12, 2023, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Microsoft Teams
Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Dr. Kansagra welcomed attendees, noting both new and longstanding partners committed to advancing statewide progress on the NC State Health Improvement Plan.
- Shared the importance of cross-sector collaboration in achieving the result that “all people in North Carolina have equitable opportunities for health, education, and economic stability through the lifespan.”
- Reviewed the meeting agenda, highlighting sessions on the journey from HNC 2030 to NC SHIP, co-leader reflections, and the announcement of the Year of Action.
- Debra Farrington provided remarks on the centrality of health equity, community voice, and lived experience to the work of HNC 2030 and NC SHIP.
- Emphasized DHHS’s role as a convener, not the sole driver, in this statewide initiative.
Our Journey: Healthy North Carolina 2030 to NC SHIP
- Dr. Tilson described how Healthy North Carolina 2030 was developed to identify the state’s most complex health challenges and emphasized the need to shift from measurement to action through NC SHIP. She noted that the HNC 2030 indicators represent “wicked problems” requiring cross-sector collaboration, transparency, and shared accountability.
- Chris Collins highlighted the philanthropic partnership behind HNC 2030 and the importance of long-term investment in statewide, system-level change. She affirmed that NC SHIP serves as a national model for aligning public, private, and community partners around shared goals.
- Brieanne Lyda-McDonald reviewed the inclusive process used to develop the HNC 2030 indicators and emphasized that NC SHIP structures the implementation of those priorities in partnership with communities.
Panel Discussion: Year in Review
- Tish Singletary introduced the panel, Ronny Bell, Jayne McBurney, Letha Muhammad, by recognizing that 18 work groups met throughout the year with varying structures shaped by co-leads and supported by NC DPH staff.
- Panelists shared reflections on progress and lessons learned, including:
- Strengthened cross-sector relationships that supported more effective collaboration.
- Greater clarity on root causes and community needs through data, listening, and shared lived experience.
- Increased confidence among co-leaders in facilitating statewide networks.
- Panelists described concrete accomplishments within their groups and how engagement with the Community Council has changed and expanded their organizational approaches.
- Additional co-leads were invited to share reflections on the year’s work and emerging opportunities.
Special Recognition
- Kathy Dail recognized the contributions of all co-leaders and work group members who supported NC SHIP efforts throughout the year.
- Adam Luecking delivered remarks on the Social Sector Hero recognition, acknowledging the NC SHIP Community Council’s leadership in coordinated statewide action.
- Resource shared: Social Sector Hero Spotlight: North Carolina State Health Improvement Plan (NC SHIP) Community Council (2022-2023)
Launch of the Year of Action
- Ashley Rink summarized findings from co-leader listening sessions, reflecting needs related to priorities, partners, and resources for advancing work in the coming year.
- Erin Fry Sosne emphasized NCDHHS/DPH’s role as convener and connector, supporting partners while taking action within the Department’s authority.
- Outlined the next year’s focus on sharpening priorities, identifying new partners, strengthening resource alignment, and matching needs to expertise.
- Invited all attendees to remain engaged in the Year of Action and encouraged new participants to join work groups.
- Shared that additional information and a survey would be sent in follow-up communications.
Closing
- Dr. Tilson and Dr. Kansagra expressed appreciation for the continued commitment of partners statewide.
- Reiterated the importance of collaboration in advancing the HNC 2030 indicators and improving population wellbeing.
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