Healthcare

HB 832 revises North Carolina's school safety grant program to expand eligible uses of funds for training aimed at improving student well-being and safety. It allows public school units to fund evidence-based programs including suicide prevention training (CALM), trauma-focused therapies (like cognitive behavioral therapy), violence prevention, and peer mentoring facilitation. The bill specifically permits up to $350,000 in annual funding for these expanded services, directly affecting school staff, counselors, and students in North Carolina public schools. This change modifies existing grant rules without creating new funding or altering overall program structure.

HB 696, the Health Care Practitioner Transparency Act, requires health care providers in North Carolina to clearly state their license type, certification, or registration in all advertisements and public representations. It prohibits deceptive claims about qualifications and bans unlicensed individuals from using medical titles like "doctor," "surgeon," or specialty terms (e.g., "cardiologist") to mislead patients. The law applies to licensed professionals (doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.) who advertise services, but exempts those in non-patient settings without direct care interactions. Violations could lead to disciplinary action by their licensing board, with daily noncompliance treated as separate offenses. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.