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NCDHHS announces expansion of NCServes hours, launches AskMeNC initiative

By Staff Report, posted Nov 12, 2025 on BizFayetteville.com

Logo courtesy of NCServes

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced extended hours for NCServes and the launch of AskMeNC, two initiatives that expand access to care for North Carolina’s Veterans and their families. These efforts strengthen the state’s coordinated network of support and underscore NCDHHS’s commitment to ensuring the more than 600,000 Veterans who live in North Carolina have timely access to mental health care, housing, employment and peer support services. 

“Veterans deserve care and wellness that are coordinated and streamlined – anything else would be unfair,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai in a press release. “By better aligning mental health, primary care, housing, employment and peer supports, we are building a stronger, more compassionate network of care for those who served and those who continue to serve.”  

Since its launch in 2014 as the nation’s first statewide coordinated care network, NCServes has delivered more than 150,000 services to nearly 70,000 Veteran households across North Carolina. The program integrates with NCCARE360 to ensure every Veteran and their family has access to comprehensive, whole-person care. With its expanded hours, the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s (ABCCM) Veterans Services of the Carolinas program, which manages NCServes, anticipates serving an additional 2,000 Veterans in the first year. 

“This marks another milestone in the evolution of NCServes and how North Carolina continues to raise the standard in serving our Veterans and their families,” said Brandon Wilson, COO of ABCCM in a press release. “This expansion reflects what’s possible when more than 5,000 community-based organizations work together with support from our state with purpose. This is intentional community in action and a powerful example of how coordination and compassion can directly transform lives across our state.” 

As of Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day, the NCServes call line and coordination center, managed by ABCCM and in partnership with Vaya Health, are offering extended hours to meet Veterans where they are and reduce barriers to care. These expanded hours, including evenings and weekends, make it easier for Veterans and their families to connect to care when they need it most. 

NCServes is the first statewide coordinated care system in the country for Veterans and their families. Veterans, service members and their families in need of housing, transportation, physical and mental health care, employment services and other resources are encouraged to call 855-962-8387 or visit www.ncserves.org to connect with the care coordination teams. The NCServes Fayetteville office is located at 707 Murchison Rd. Ste 6, Fayetteville, NC 28301.

The AskMeNC initiative and website provide a single point of entry for services including health care, housing, benefits navigation, employment, education services and family support that may be available to Veterans and their families. The initiative utilizes the existing NCServes coordination system to connect users with trusted, community-based providers across the state. 

These new initiatives come at a pivotal time, as the 2023 VA Community Care Network Review and HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) shows Veterans often face hardship because of disconnected systems. Nearly one in three Veterans experiencing homelessness reported being unable to access services due to long wait times or lack of coordination. The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans (2024) reported that Veterans engaged in coordinated systems are 40% more likely to secure stable housing and 50% more likely to sustain employment within 12 months compared to those navigating services independently. 

Complementing these efforts, NCDHHS recently launched the Connections app in partnership with CHESS Health, a free, digital resource designed to support Veterans’ mental health and recovery through access to trained peers, moderated online communities, daily check-ins and proven coping tools. 

NCDHHS is also sponsoring the North Carolina Institute of Medicine's Task Force on Veterans’ Health, which focuses on supporting the provision and navigation of care, developing the health workforce and addressing the behavioral health care needs of Veterans.  

For those in a mental health crisis, NCDHHS provides somewhere to go, someone to talk with and someone to respond. The 988 Lifeline Chat and Text - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential and available to everyone 24/7 by call, text or chat. Targeted resources are available for Veterans.

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