AGP Executive Report

Community Health Access: San Miguel County Public Health has launched “Free Care Boxes” at the Wilkinson Public Library and Lone Cone Library, offering low-barrier, free items like Narcan and other harm-reduction supplies, diapers, menstrual products, body wipes, and oral-hygiene essentials, plus QR codes that route residents to local health and social services (including therapy scholarships through the Behavioral Health Fund). Workforce & Eye Care Education: In the Rio Grande Valley, UTRGV’s new School of Optometry is set to open in fall 2027 in McAllen, aiming to ease the region’s optometrist shortage by training about 40 students and keeping more future providers local; the school has cleared the first accreditation step and is preparing for the next review. Civic Pressure (Health Adjacent): A separate local political story in Santa Cruz centers on demands and planned protests tied to government decisions, with health access not the focus but community impacts likely to ripple through services.

Community Health Access: San Miguel County Public Health has launched “Free Care Boxes” at the Wilkinson Public Library and Lone Cone Library, offering low-barrier free supplies like Narcan and harm-reduction items, diapers and menstrual products, body wipes, and oral-hygiene basics, plus QR codes that route residents to local health and social services including therapy scholarships. Workforce & Eye Care Training: UTRGV’s new School of Optometry is set to open in fall 2027 in McAllen (in the former Monitor building), aiming to ease optometrist shortages in the Rio Grande Valley and western Texas; the school is progressing through accreditation and preparing for the next review in November. Civic Pressure (Less Health-Focused): A Santa Cruz ultimatum and planned protests were announced around government demands, but the coverage here is more political than health-specific.

Public Health & Access: UTRGV is moving ahead with a new School of Optometry in McAllen, set to open in fall 2027 with room for 40 students, aiming to ease an optometrist shortage across the Rio Grande Valley and western Texas. The school says it has cleared the first step of a three-stage accreditation process and is completing an internal self-study ahead of a remote review in November. Community Pressure & Health-Related Supply: In Santa Cruz, the Assembly of Cruceñidad has issued six demands to the national government tied to fuel availability and has warned of street protests starting October 10 if responses aren’t provided, with a possible civic assembly if the situation doesn’t improve.

Public Health Workforce: UTRGV is moving ahead with a new School of Optometry in McAllen, opening for the fall 2027 semester with room for 40 students, aiming to ease optometrist shortages across the Rio Grande Valley and western Texas. The school is housed in the former Monitor building and has cleared the first stage of a three-step accreditation process, with an auto-study now being prepared for reviewers ahead of a remote meeting in November. Community Health & Access: In Santa Cruz, local groups are escalating pressure on the national government over fuel availability and broader crisis response, with protests planned to begin October 10 if six stated demands aren’t met—an issue that can quickly affect how people reach care and services.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina is launching a new Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee, with the first public meeting set for Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-Agency Coordination: The committee is co-chaired by NCDHHS’s mental health and substance use leadership and NCDPS officials, bringing together health providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience. Crisis Reform Focus: The effort is tied to Gov. Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing work to spot gaps, improve current practices, and reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina is launching its first Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee meeting in Raleigh on Sept. 2, bringing together state agencies, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state handles behavioral health crises. Policy Coordination: The effort is tied to Gov. Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing NCDHHS to identify gaps, improve current practices, and recommend ways to interrupt repeated crises and reduce avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs. Open Meeting: The Sept. 2 session (9 a.m.–1 p.m., Albemarle Building) is open to the public.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina is launching its first Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee meeting on Sept. 2 in Raleigh, bringing together state health and public safety leaders, providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how behavioral health crises are handled. Policy Coordination: The effort is tied to Gov. Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33, which pushes better coordination between the state’s mental health and criminal justice systems, and to state legislation directing NCDHHS to identify gaps and recommend ways to interrupt repeated crises and reduce avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Safety will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh, co-chaired by NCDHHS’s mental health/substance use leader and NCDPS’s deputy secretary. System Reform: The committee is set up under Gov. Josh Stein’s executive order and a 2026 state law to close gaps between behavioral health and the criminal justice system, aiming to reduce repeat crises and avoidable recidivism. Who’s at the Table: State agencies, health providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience will help guide and coordinate the state’s crisis care changes.

Behavioral Health & Crisis Care: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, working with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-Agency Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS Assistant Secretary Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS Deputy Secretary Sherry Hunter, the committee brings together state leaders, health providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state handles behavioral health crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing work to identify gaps, improve current practices, and reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health & Crisis Care: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-System Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS Assistant Secretary Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS Deputy Secretary Sherry Hunter, the committee brings together state leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state responds to mental health and substance use crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing work to identify gaps, improve practices, and reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina is kicking off a new Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee, with its first public meeting set for Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-Agency Coordination: The committee is co-chaired by leaders from the state health and public safety departments and brings together providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience. Crisis Reform Focus: The effort is tied to Governor Josh Stein’s executive order and a state law directing work to spot gaps, improve how mental health and substance use crises are handled, and reduce repeat crises and avoidable recidivism.

Behavioral Health & Crisis Care: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, working with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-System Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS’s Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS’s Sherry Hunter, the committee brings together state agencies, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state responds to mental health and substance use crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing NCDHHS to identify gaps, improve practices, and recommend steps to interrupt repeated crises and reduce avoidable recidivism.

Behavioral Health Crisis Reform: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-System Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS’s Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS’s Sherry Hunter, the committee brings together state leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state responds to mental health and substance use crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing work to identify gaps, improve current practices, and reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism.

Behavioral Health & Crisis Care: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, working with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-System Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS’s Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS’s Sherry Hunter, the group brings together state leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how behavioral health and the criminal justice system work together during crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state law SL 2026-38, which direct reforms aimed at closing gaps, reducing repeated crises, and lowering avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health & Public Safety: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, working with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-Agency Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS Assistant Secretary Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS Deputy Secretary Sherry Hunter, the committee brings together state leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state’s behavioral health crisis system responds. Policy Push: The effort is tied to Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing NCDHHS to identify gaps and recommend strategies to interrupt repeated crises and reduce avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health & Crisis Care: North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, working with the Department of Public Safety, will hold the first public meeting of the NC Crisis System of Care Advisory Committee on Sept. 2 in Raleigh. Cross-Agency Coordination: Co-chaired by NCDHHS’s Assistant Secretary for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services and NCDPS’s Deputy Secretary, the committee brings together state leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience. Policy Push: The effort is tied to Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing the state to identify gaps and recommend ways to interrupt repeated crises and reduce avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.