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.

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 (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 […]

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. 

NEW CASTLE (March 26, 2019) – As a new support for individuals and families impacted by the effects of mental health and substance use disorders, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) and its partners have opened the Bridge Clinic near New Castle to provide screening and referrals to treatment, as well as […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is engaging dental providers in the launch of a statewide campaign directed at increasing awareness about the addictive nature of opioid medications used after dental procedures.

Although it is late in the 2018-2019 flu season, and total weekly influenza cases have begun to decrease, flu activity in Delaware and across the U.S. remains elevated with an increase in the number of influenza A (H3N2) viruses circulating over the last month.

Recommendations focus on systemic changes and expanding treatment options   New Castle, Del. – On Thursday, Lt. Governor Hall-Long joined members of Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium, community advocates, and elected officials to accept recommendations from The Pew Charitable Trusts aimed at reforming Delaware’s addiction treatment system. Pew Charitable Trusts has been working in partnership with […]

Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long and the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) are hosting an event on Tuesday, April 30, in Dover to show what Dementia Friendly Delaware can offer for Delawareans living with dementia and their families. Dementia Friendly Delaware (DFD) is […]

NEW CASTLE (May 8, 2019) – Highlighting the difference that young volunteers make in their communities, Governor John Carney will present the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards to 25 individuals and three groups during a May 14 ceremony in recognition of their service to Delaware. “Giving back to our communities is one of the most […]

DOVER (May 9, 2019) – On May 8, 2019, the medical license and controlled substance registrations of Nihar B. Gala, MD, were permanently revoked by the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline. The revocation was a result of allegations of unprofessional conduct related to the prescription of opioids to a patient at high risk […]

NEW CASTLE (May 15, 2019) – During Supervised Visitation Awareness Month, the Department of Health and Social Services’ Office of Community Services is conducting a toy drive to provide new toys, books and games for use at Delaware’s six Family Visitation Centers (FVCs). Through June 10, drop-off bins will be located at all State Service […]

DOVER  – Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States with approximately 20,000 new cases reported each year. Delaware is among the top 10 states in the United States with the highest incidence rates. In 2018, the Division of Public Health (DPH) reported 520 confirmed and probable cases in the state. […]

NEW CASTLE (June 12, 2019) – The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) will host two sessions later this month for families interested in applying for the Lifespan Waiver, which is designed to enable individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder or Prader-Willi Syndrome who have left school to live safely in the community. The […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is reminding Delawareans to avoid consuming raw dairy products as it announces a confirmed case of brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis in a 46-year-old Sussex County woman.

DOVER – Cancer screening and early detection efforts continue to drive down Delaware’s cancer death rates, say state public health officials. In particular, officials are seeing dramatic improvements in the all-site mortality rate among non-Hispanic African-American men, which decreased by 30 percent between the five-year periods of 2001-2005 and 2011-2015, according to the latest cancer […]

NEW CASTLE (July 11, 2019) – As a new support for individuals and families impacted by the effects of mental health and substance use issues, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) officially will open the Sussex County Bridge Clinic on July 15 at the Promise Access Center in Georgetown, providing screening and […]

The US Air Force and Dover Air Force Base have notified Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Division of Public Health, that four wells near the base sampled by the federal government for perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have returned elevated levels of PFOS and PFOA above the US Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory for these substances of 70 parts per trillion (ppt).

DNREC's Environmental Finance Office and the Delaware Division of Public Health will host a State Revolving Loan Fund public workshop Thursday, July 25

DOVER (Aug. 1, 2019) – On July 30, 2019, the medical license and controlled substance registration of Damon Cary, MD, were suspended temporarily by the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline. The suspension was the result of a request made by the Delaware Attorney General’s Office following investigations into the prescribing and treatment practices […]

DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker says, “In the midst of the opioid crisis we are facing in Delaware and across the country, (these facilities) are another resource we can use to better serve our Medicaid clients in need of treatment for substance use disorder.” NEW CASTLE (Aug. 5, 2019) – The Department of Health […]

With back-to-school shopping already well under way for Delaware families, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) asks you to considering helping students in need get off to a good start this school year by participating in the annual Adopt-A-Student program.

WILMINGTON  – For the first time, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) through the integration of 12 multi-agency datasets, has developed a demographic picture of the Delawareans who died from drug overdoses in 2017. DPH released the Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report, Delaware, 2017, in Wilmington on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. In addition to […]

The Division of Public Health (DPH) is looking for volunteers to participate in an emergency preparedness exercise on Saturday, September 28, 2019, at two Delaware Technical Community College (Delaware Tech) campuses. The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate the state’s ability to set up Points of Dispensing and simulate the dispersal of life-saving medication in an emergency situation.

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 3, 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 to acquire the overdose-reversing medication naloxone in the wake of six suspected overdose deaths, including four in Sussex County, during the holiday weekend. The six […]

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 3, 2019) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Walker announced the appointment of Yrene Waldron, former Executive Director of the Delaware Health Care Facilities Association, to lead the Division of Health Care Quality. She will begin her duties Sept. 16. “I am thrilled that Yrene is joining […]

n response to six suspected overdose deaths, including four in Sussex County, that occurred over the holiday weekend, the Division of Public Health (DPH) will hold a Community Naloxone Training and Distribution event in Millsboro on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. DPH will distribute free naloxone kits to members of the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Millsboro Fire Company, 109 East State St., Millsboro, DE 19966.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delaware residents that it is participating in a multi-state investigation into an outbreak of severe pulmonary disease reported across the country. As of today, 33 states, including Delaware, have reported possible cases of lung illnesses associated with use of e-cigarette products (e.g., devices, liquids, refill pods, and cartridges). While there are no confirmed cases in Delaware at this time, DPH is currently investigating three possible cases among Delaware residents.

2019 Recovery MonthEvent includes recovery walk, treatment information, live performances and recovery stories WILMINGTON (Sept. 19, 2019) –The Treatment Access Center (TASC), the primary liaison between the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) and the criminal justice system, will host its first event celebrating Recovery Month. Celebrating […]

To encourage Delawareans to support fall prevention strategies, Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed the week of September 22-28, 2019 as Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) designates the first day of the fall season as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, which is September 23 this year.

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 23, 2019) – Delaware Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) offices in all three counties will be closed Friday, Sept. 27, due to an in-service staff meeting. Child support customers who have in-person business are encouraged to come earlier in the week. Account information can be accessed 24/7 by calling the Automated […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) continues to participate in a multi-state investigation into an outbreak of severe pulmonary disease reported across the country. As of today, 38 states, including Delaware, have reported cases of lung injury associated with use of e-cigarette products (e.g., devices, liquids, refill pods, and cartridges).

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 26, 2019) – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently awarded the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services a $3.58 million planning grant to increase the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers to deliver substance use disorder treatment and recovery services to Delawareans in need. Delaware was one of 15 […]

The 2019-2020 flu season has officially arrived, and to kick off the state’s influenza prevention efforts, the Division of Public Health (DPH) will hold two free flu vaccination clinics for the public.

Currently in Delaware, there are 11 cases of vaping-related lung injury that meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) case definition as either probable or confirmed. Additionally, DPH announced today that one of the cases associated with this outbreak involves an individual who died.

DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing the state’s first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza for the 2019-2020 flu season. The case, which also marks Delaware’s first pediatric case of the season, involves an 8-year-old from New Castle County. “The flu is here,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Now that we […]

NEW CASTLE (October 9, 2019) – The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is seeking applications from Delaware health care providers for one-time, health information exchange (HIE) support mini-grants to adopt the full range of health information exchange tools offered by the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN). DHIN is Delaware’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is reporting the state’s first laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in Kent and Sussex counties, for the 2019-2020 flu season. The Kent County case involves a 26-year-old female, while the Sussex County case involves a 7-year-old male. This brings the total number of flu cases this season to three. The first confirmed flu case for New Castle County was announced last week.

The Division of Public Health (DPH), along with state and community partners, hosted its annual stakeholder meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2019, to discuss the Delaware State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) and present the 2019 annual SHIP report.

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 23, 2019) – “Remembering Farnhurst: Stories from the Delaware State Hospital, 1894-1920,” a new book by local anthropologist Katherine A. Dettwyler, details the early history of the Delaware State Hospital, now known as the Delaware Psychiatric Center. Dettwyler spent four years transcribing seven State Hospital ledgers that detailed the admission and clinical […]

As a significant step toward environmental remediation of hazardous substances found within the Town of Blades in Sussex County, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed the Blades Groundwater Site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin announced today.

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 13, 2019) – In early 2020, the Delaware Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) will be teaming up with U.S. Bank to issue a new prepaid debit card, the U.S. Bank ReliaCard®, for child support recipients to receive their payments electronically. The ReliaCard will replace the current First State Family Card. In […]

The Department of Health and Social Services’ Adopt-A-Family Holiday program is seeking donors to help make this holiday season a happier one for thousands of children, adults, people with disabilities and seniors in need across Delaware.

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 3, 2019) – After months of inventory analysis, stakeholder and employee online surveys and internal and external focus group interviews, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is seeking public input on draft goals and objectives as part of its ongoing strategic planning initiative. The Department has posted the foundation of […]