NEW CASTLE (Oct. 10, 2018) – Twenty-three individuals and groups will be honored with the 2018 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award on Oct. 24 at Dover Downs Hotel. The recipients will be recognized for significant contributions, engagement and impact in diverse activities, including mentoring children, supporting people with disabilities, protecting the environment, and assisting seniors, people […]

Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Kent County residents who live in the area of Still Road between Pony Track and Mahan Corner roads near Sandtown of a positive case of rabies in a fox that came into contact with a human recently. The fox attacked a chicken on the victim’s property and then bit the individual’s leg. The individual has begun treatment for rabies exposure.

The Division of Public Health (DPH) invites parents with children from birth to 5 years old to participate in its first Books, Balls and Blocks event, which will take place from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, October 13, at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center in New Castle, Delaware.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is reporting the state's first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza in a child for the 2018-2019 flu season. The case involves a 5-year-old from Sussex County. This brings the total number of flu cases this season to six, as of Oct. 5, 2018.

Increasing access to the overdose-reversing medication naloxone has been a key priority for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) as state and local partners work together to develop solutions to address the opioid epidemic. In support of that, the Department’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing sustained funding for naloxone for first responder agencies statewide.

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 15, 2018) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a board-certified family physician, has been elected as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine (NAM), Academy President Victor Dzau announced today during the organization’s annual meeting in Washington. Secretary Walker is one of 75 […]

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 16, 2018) – More than 90 students with disabilities are expected to participate in career-building experiences during Delaware’s Disability Mentoring Day on Oct. 17 at locations in Newark and Talleyville. Disability Mentoring Day is held each October during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Several New Castle County school districts have again joined […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections linked to deli ham. Several companies have recalled ham products that could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria and could make people sick.

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 23, 2018) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a board-certified family physician, is reassuring Delawareans that a proposed change to the public charge rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not affect current eligibility for health care and social services in Delaware, and […]

  DOVER, Del. (Oct. 25, 2018) — In her latest efforts to help build a stronger and healthier Delaware, Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long kicked off the annual Lt. Governor’s Challenge on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at DE TURF in Frederica, Delaware. The Lt. Governor’s Challenge is an ongoing opportunity for Delawareans to embrace […]

With shortened enrollment period and fewer assisters, Delawareans urged to sign up early on HealthCare.gov to see if they’re eligible for financial help NEW CASTLE (Oct. 30, 2018) – With the open enrollment period for Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace only six weeks long and fewer assisters on the ground this year to help with enrollments, […]

NEW CASTLE (23 de octubre de 2018) – La Secretaria del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales (DHSS, por sus siglas en inglés) Dra. Kara Odom Walker, especialista acreditada en medicina de la familia, asegura a los residentes de Delaware que la propuesta de cambio a la regulación de carga pública realizada por el Departamento […]

People with diabetes are encouraged to attend the free Diabetes Wellness Expo on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at the Dover Downs Conference Center, located at 1131 N. DuPont Highway in Dover.

The Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Reading infections linked to raw turkey products. According to the CDC, 164 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading have been reported in 35 states, including one person in Delaware. Of the cases reported nationally, 63 people have been hospitalized. No Delawareans have been hospitalized.

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 15, 2018) – As part of the State Innovation Model (SIM) initiative, the Delaware Health Care Commission has awarded the first value-based payment reform mini-grant to Christiana Care Health System to test a new reimbursement model that will also improve the coordination of patient care. Christiana Care Health System’s CareLink Behavioral Health […]

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 20, 2018) – The Department of Health and Social Services’ Adopt-A-Family Holiday program is seeking sponsors to help make the holiday season a happier one for thousands of children, adults, people with disabilities and seniors in need in Delaware. The Adopt-A-Family Holiday program anonymously matches sponsors to seniors, individuals with disabilities or […]

Order will create subcommittee focused on bettering health care spending, quality across the state WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor Carney on Tuesday signed Executive Order #25 establishing health care spending and quality benchmarks. This Executive Order will form a subcommittee of the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council to focus on reducing the cost of health […]

DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) continues to advise Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Reading infections linked to raw turkey products. As originally stated Nov. 9, 2018, 164 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading have been reported in 35 states, including one person in Delaware. Of the […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce. The lettuce could be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and could make people sick. To date, there have been no confirmed cases reported in Delaware, but DPH urges consumers to take precautions to prevent illness.

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 29, 2018) – The annual holiday sale of poinsettias grown at the greenhouse on the Department of Health and Social Services’ Herman Holloway Campus near New Castle will begin Dec. 3 and run through Dec. 20. The greenhouse is operated by Bright Spot Urban Farm and proceeds from the sale of the […]

DOVER (Nov. 29, 2018) — December 1, 2018, marks the 30th annual World AIDS Day. For three decades, this day has united people around the world in the fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS. World AIDS Day encourages support for those living with HIV and remembrance for those who have died of AIDS-related […]

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 4, 2018) – As part of the State Innovation Model (SIM) initiative, the Delaware Health Care Commission has awarded eight additional value-based payment reform mini-grants to Delaware health care providers in order to facilitate data integration, improve the coordination of patient care or increase readiness to integrate into an Accountable Care Organization […]

Executive Order creates commission focused on reentry reform, and new office at DOC to oversee implementation WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday signed Executive Order #27, which focuses on improving reentry procedures for incarcerated individuals in Delaware. The Executive Order creates a commission focused on reentry reform, policies, and procedures, with a goal […]

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 13, 2018) – Delawareans have just days left to sign up for or to change their health coverage for 2019 through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Open enrollment ends on Dec. 15, with coverage for those who enroll by that date and who pay their first premium beginning Jan. 1, 2019. State residents […]

Delaware’s Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) began accepting payments by credit and debit cards through iPayOnline on Dec. 1, 2018. The iPayOnline service allows employers and individuals to schedule and make child support payments securely over the internet using their bank account, credit card or debit card. Users will be able to schedule one-time […]

A public meeting will be held at p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 at McCullough Middle School, 20 Chase Avenue, New Castle, DE 19720 to discuss Croda’s Nov. 25 accidental ethylene oxide release, with the meeting organized by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and facilitated by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA)

  Opportunity for Delawareans to drive change and elevate the well-being, productivity, and prosperity of their communities DOVER, Del. (Dec. 19, 2018) — The Lt. Governor’s Challenge is now accepting nominations for its Spring 2019 awards, through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2019. The Challenge, which kicked off in October, is an ongoing opportunity […]

Benchmark initiative will limit spending growth, improve quality of care NEW CASTLE, Del. – The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) on Wednesday issued a recommended Benchmark Index that set the state’s health care spending growth target at 3.8 percent for 2019 – the initial year of Delaware’s newly created Health Care Spending Benchmark. […]

The Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) and its community partners, are pleased to report that the Heart 2 Heart Hugs campaign has now begun. Heart 2 Heart Hugs is focused on providing warmth, comfort, hugs and smiles for kids and young adults in Delaware who are homeless or in foster care. Donations of […]

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 2, 2019) – The number of full-time equivalent primary care physicians providing direct patient care in Delaware in 2018 declined about 6 percent from 2013, a trend that resulted in a slightly lower percentage of physicians statewide who are accepting new patients, according to a new University of Delaware study of the […]

The Division of Public Health (DPH) is reporting the first flu-related deaths of the 2018-2019 flu season. A 65-year-old man who was infected with Influenza A passed away last week, making him the first person to die due to flu complications this season. In addition, a 73-year-old man and a 77-year-old woman, both also infected with Influenza A, passed away within the last week. All three individuals were Sussex County residents and all had underlying health conditions.

DNREC announced the creation of a new permit program that establishes regulatory conditions for the sandblasting of outdoor water tanks to remove lead-based paint. Contractors often use sandblasting to remove paint from water tanks in preparation for repainting them. Effective immediately, all water tank sandblasting projects involving removal of lead paint are required to have an air quality permit from DNREC that will ensure sufficient containment measures are taken to prevent the release of lead paint chips into the environment.

NEW CASTLE (January 10, 2019) – More than 500 people are expected to attend the 2019 LIFE Conference, the largest annual cross-disability conference in support of people with disabilities and their families, on Thursday, January 31, at Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center. The conference brings together people with disabilities, their families and professionals for […]

The 10th Annual Heart 2 Heart Hugs Campaign for Delaware’s Homeless Children Need Coats, Hats, Sleeping Bags, Gloves and other warm new or hand made items. It’s been a decade since the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) has orchestrated the Heart 2 Heart Hugs campaign which provides warm winter clothes to school districts […]

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 14, 2019) – Because of the partial federal government shutdown, Delaware will join other states in issuing food benefits early for February, loading them onto clients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on or before Jan. 20. The more than 136,000 Delawareans who are clients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will […]

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 30, 2019) With Delaware facing the coldest temperatures of the winter from Wednesday night through Thursday, Code Purple is being declared across the state by the nonprofit and volunteer organizations that operate the shelters to keep people who are homeless safe during dangerous winter weather. When severe snowstorms or sub-zero temperatures are […]

Newark, Del. (January 30, 2019) – While the federal government has reopened, the country’s longest government shutdown continues to impact Delawareans, including the 136,000 individuals who utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to purchase food. Because February SNAP benefits were issued early, this could result in some households having as much as a two-month gap […]

DOVER  — The number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases continues to increase in Delaware, and the Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing three recent flu-related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths for the 2018-2019 season thus far to eight. The most recent victim is an 83-year-old man from New Castle County, with underlying health […]

NEW CASTLE (Feb. 12, 2019) – To reduce hardships on families and individuals, Delaware will issue March food benefits to all SNAP households on March 4, rather than staggering them across a three-week period. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be loaded onto clients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on March 4, ensuring a […]

NEW CASTLE (Feb. 13, 2019) – In an effort to reduce the number of individuals overdosing, and dying from drug overdoses in Delaware, the Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing the Community Naloxone Distribution Initiative. DPH will distribute free naloxone kits to members of the general public, at events in each county in March. […]

DOVER (March 1, 2019) — Although the overall number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases in Delaware this flu season remains lower than the total number of cases reported at the same time last year, the number of flu-related deaths has continued to increase during the 2018-2019 flu season. As of February 16, 2019, the most recent […]

GEORGETOWN (March 1, 2019) – In an effort to reduce the number of individuals dying from drug overdoses in Delaware, the Division of Public Health (DPH) will hold Community Naloxone Distribution events in each county throughout the month of March. DPH will distribute free naloxone kits to members of the general public from 10 a.m. […]

Senate Bill 25 would raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 DOVER, Del. – Surrounded by members of the General Assembly, advocates, students, and health care professionals, Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced his support for Senate Bill 25 – legislation that would raise the legal age for sales of […]

Protecting the Health of our Young People, and our State’s Future, by Raising the Minimum Sales Age of Tobacco Products from 18 to 21 Op-ed by Karyl T. Rattay, MD, MS, Director, Division of Public Health, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services It’s a fact that most smokers start using tobacco as youth: Eighty-nine […]

NEW CASTLE (March 7, 2019) – The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is urging working individuals and families in Delaware to meet with volunteer tax preparers at locations across the state to determine if they are eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and to file a federal tax return by […]

NEW CASTLE (7 de marzo de 2019) – El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales (DHSS, por sus siglas en inglés) insta a las personas y a las familias trabajadoras de Delaware a reunirse con preparadores voluntarios de impuestos en diferentes lugares en todo el estado para determinar si cumplen con los requisitos para el […]

NEW CASTLE (March 13, 2019) – To reduce hardships on families and individuals in Delaware and to help households budget their monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the Department of Health and Social Services is announcing that it will issue all April food benefits on April 13 rather than staggering them across a three-week […]

The Division of Public Health launched a new smartphone app that provides lifesaving step-by-step instructions on how to use naloxone during an opioid overdose.

NEW CASTLE (March 13, 2019) – Health and public safety officials are urging people in active use of heroin or other opioids and their families to seek immediate treatment and acquire the overdose-reversing medication naloxone on hand in the wake of three suspected heroin overdose deaths in five days in Sussex County involving the same […]

The Division of Public Health will distribute free naloxone kits to members of the general public from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus, 100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19904. The distribution event will be held in the Corporate Training Center, Rooms 408 and 412. Individuals are encouraged to stop by at any time during the event. Training takes approximately 15 minutes.