RALEIGH, N.C. (WHKY) – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has announced an updated four-year strategic plan focused on improving access to essential services and addressing the changing health and human services needs of North Carolinians.

The plan outlines four immediate priorities: maintaining access to Medicaid, SNAP, child welfare and child care services; transforming rural health; strengthening behavioral health crisis care and its coordination with the justice system; and pursuing reforms aimed at making health care more affordable and accessible.

The 2026-to-2030 strategic plan also establishes five broader goals: improving access to care, supporting whole-person well-being, transforming and modernizing health care, developing a sustainable workforce, and promoting organizational excellence.

NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai says the plan provides a clear path forward as the department works with communities and other partners to create a healthier and more resilient North Carolina.

Examples of initiatives supporting the plan include modernizing the state’s child care quality rating system, expanding diabetes prevention programs and promoting independence and community inclusion for people with disabilities.