AGP Executive Report

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.

Behavioral Health & Safety: 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. Mental Health Crisis Reform: Co-chaired by NCDHHS Assistant Secretary Kelly Crosbie and NCDPS Deputy Secretary Sherry Hunter, the committee will bring together state agencies, health care providers, law enforcement, LME/MCOs, and people with lived experience to strengthen how the state responds to behavioral health crises. Cross-System Coordination: The effort is tied to 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-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 handles behavioral health crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Gov. Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing work to spot gaps, improve practices, and reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Behavioral Health Crisis Reform: 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-Sector 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 behavioral health and criminal justice systems respond during crises. Policy Push: The effort follows Gov. Josh Stein’s Executive Order 33 and state legislation directing NCDHHS to identify gaps, review current practices, and recommend strategies to reduce repeated crises and avoidable recidivism for people with mental health and substance use needs.

Climate & Health: Urban heat islands are emerging as a major health threat, and tropical cities are especially at risk as hot, humid conditions collide with global warming, fast urban growth, poverty, and limited cooling infrastructure. El Niño Watch: A strong 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures higher for longer, leaving millions of vulnerable residents exposed to dangerous heat. Why It Happens: Roads and rooftops trap heat by day and release it at night, while stalled heat domes can keep temperatures elevated for weeks. Local Solutions: Researchers point to “city metabolism” factors—like concrete and asphalt dominance and lack of vegetation—and say neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data could help officials issue timely alerts and deploy cooling support.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling to afford solutions to worsening urban heat islands, as hot, humid weather combines with global warming, poverty, rapid urban growth, and limited cooling infrastructure. Heat islands form when roads and rooftops trap daytime heat and release it slowly at night, and stalled heat domes can push temperatures into extreme ranges for weeks. With a potential 2026–2027 El Niño raising risk for vulnerable urban residents, researchers say city “metabolism” matters—more concrete and asphalt and less vegetation can intensify heat. Early Warning Focus: The report points to neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data so officials can alert communities sooner and target cooling support where it’s most needed.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling to afford cooling solutions as urban heat islands intensify health risks, especially with global warming, poverty, and fast urban growth stacking the odds against vulnerable residents. El Niño Watch: A potential 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures higher for longer, raising the stakes for people living in highly built-up areas where heat is trapped by roads and rooftops and released slowly at night. What’s Needed Locally: Researchers point to “city metabolism” factors—like concrete and asphalt dominance and low vegetation—as key drivers, and argue that neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data could help authorities issue timely alerts and target cooling support when it matters most.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are facing a fast-growing health risk from urban heat islands, where concrete and asphalt trap daytime heat and release it slowly at night—leaving neighborhoods hotter for longer. With global warming, poverty, rapid urban growth, and limited cooling infrastructure already straining communities, a strong 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures even higher and raise the odds of heat-related illness for millions of vulnerable residents. Researchers point to “city metabolism” factors—like vegetation cover, building materials, and how solar energy is handled—as key drivers of how severe heat becomes. Cooling Access & Early Alerts: The report highlights neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data, so officials can issue timely heat alerts and target cooling support where it’s most needed.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling with rising urban heat island risks as hot, humid weather, poverty, fast urban growth, and limited cooling infrastructure collide with climate change. Heat islands form when roads and rooftops trap daytime heat and release it at night, and stalled heat domes can keep temperatures extreme for weeks—especially with a potential 2026–2027 El Niño raising the stakes for vulnerable residents. Local Cooling Capacity: Researchers say the “metabolism” of each city—how solar energy is split between heating surfaces, warming air, evaporating water, and storing heat in buildings and ground—drives how severe heat becomes, with concrete and asphalt and fewer trees making it worse. Practical Response: The piece highlights neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data so officials can issue timely alerts and target cooling support where it’s needed most.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling to cool down as urban heat islands intensify, trapping daytime heat in roads and rooftops and releasing it slowly at night—especially dangerous when climate-driven heat domes linger for weeks. Climate Risk for Vulnerable Residents: Researchers warn that a potential 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures even higher, putting millions of people in hot, humid, fast-growing, under-resourced neighborhoods at greater health risk. What Cities Can Do: The piece highlights that the severity of heat burdens depends on planning choices and funding—like adding vegetation and improving cooling infrastructure—while neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data could help authorities issue timely alerts and target support where it’s needed most.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling to cool down as urban heat islands intensify health risks, with heat trapped by roads and rooftops and worsened by climate change, poverty, and fast urban growth. El Niño Watch: A strong 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures higher for longer, putting millions of vulnerable urban residents at risk. What Cities Can Do: Researchers point to “city metabolism” factors—more concrete and asphalt, less vegetation, and limited cooling infrastructure—as key drivers. Early Action: Neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data could help officials issue timely alerts and target cooling support where it’s needed most.

Urban Heat & Public Health: A new report warns that urban heat islands are becoming a major health threat in tropical cities, where hot, humid weather is already stretched by poverty, fast urban growth, and limited cooling infrastructure. It highlights how concrete and asphalt trap daytime heat and release it slowly at night, keeping neighborhoods dangerously warm for weeks—especially if a strong 2026–2027 El Niño intensifies heat domes. Local Action & Affordability: The piece notes that the worst impacts often come down to city planning choices and whether officials can afford cooling measures. Early Alerts: It points to neighborhood-scale early warning systems using detailed thermal and health data so authorities can issue timely heat alerts and target cooling support where it’s most needed.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling with rising urban heat island risks as heat domes can linger for weeks, pushing temperatures into dangerous ranges—especially for people facing poverty and limited cooling infrastructure. Climate Pressure in 2026–2027: A strong 2026–2027 El Niño could raise the stakes for millions of vulnerable urban residents, with heat trapped by concrete and asphalt and worsened by rapid urban growth. What Cities Can Do: Researchers point to “city metabolism” factors—like vegetation, water evaporation, and how solar energy is stored in buildings—as key drivers of severity. Early Alerts & Targeted Cooling: The report highlights neighborhood-scale early warning systems using thermal and health data to help officials issue timely heat alerts and deploy cooling support where it’s needed most.

Urban Heat & Public Health: Tropical cities are struggling to afford cooling upgrades as urban heat islands intensify health risks, with heat domes potentially lasting weeks and a looming 2026–2027 El Niño raising the stakes for vulnerable residents. The story points to how concrete and asphalt trap daytime heat and release it at night, while limited vegetation and cooling infrastructure leave neighborhoods with fewer ways to recover between hot spells. Local Capacity & Early Alerts: Researchers say neighborhood-scale early warning systems, using high-resolution thermal and health data, could help officials issue faster alerts and target cooling support where it’s most needed—if cities can find the funding and planning muscle to act.

Urban Heat & Public Health: A new report warns that urban heat islands are becoming a bigger health threat in tropical cities, where hot, humid weather is already hard on residents. Heat-trapping concrete and asphalt can keep neighborhoods dangerously warm for days, and a strengthening 2026–2027 El Niño could push temperatures even higher—raising risks for people who are poor, elderly, young, disabled, or forced to work outdoors. The piece highlights practical cooling options like more shade, green roofs and walls, lighter roof colors, and better street airflow, but stresses that many cities can’t afford full rollout. Vaccine & Health Industry Watch: Valneva reported €64.0M in first-half product sales and reaffirmed 2026 guidance (€135–150M), with a strong cash position and plans tied to regulatory decisions for a Lyme disease vaccine candidate expected within the next year.

Public Health & Climate Risk: Urban heat islands are becoming a bigger health threat in tropical cities, where hot, humid weather is already hard on residents. With more intense heat domes and a strengthening 2026–2027 El Niño expected to push record temperatures, officials warn that millions—especially people living in poverty, children, older adults, people with disabilities, and outdoor workers—could face dangerous heat exposure. The problem is driven by concrete and asphalt that trap heat by day and release it slowly at night, leaving neighborhoods with little chance to cool. City Solutions & Equity: Cities can reduce heat using shade trees, cooler roof and wall designs, green roofs, lighter-colored surfaces, and better street airflow—but funding gaps make it harder for less wealthy cities to keep up. Vaccines & Health Industry: Valneva reported half-year 2026 results, reaffirmed full-year guidance, and said regulatory decisions for its Lyme disease vaccine candidate are expected within the next 12 months.