Kody H. Kinsley, North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services, presented “Responding to and Recovering from a Global Pandemic” in the “Building Upon Excellence” Dean’s Lecture Series hosted by Duke University School of Nursing on Thursday, March 3. The event was held on Zoom in English with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. 

Kinsley discussed the impact the pandemic has had on North Carolina, particularly the disproportionate impact on communities of color, along with the state’s overall response which includes the mass distribution of vaccines, boosters and personal protective equipment like masks in order to save lives, protect hospital capacity and keep kids in the classroom.  

“We have been really intentional to keep equity at the center of our response. To achieve that data is really important,” he said. “What became quite clear to understand is that the real systemic underlying issue was a historic lack of access to our health care systems. I am proud that we did close the vaccination gap nearly for all age groups across our Black and African American communities compared to our white communities, and the Latinx community vaccination rates now are exceeding that relative to our population.” 

In addition to discussing the current state of the pandemic in North Carolina, Kinsley also spoke about the lessons learned throughout the last two years and shared the vision and goals for N.C. Department of Health and Human Services like the Health Opportunities Pilots, which would integrate evidence-based, non-medical services into the Medicaid program.

“Thank you to our direct support professionals throughout the workforce,” he said. “For health care, we have to be really thoughtful because there is no health without you. There is no health without the health care workforce, so it is so critical for us to invest in this space."  

Guilamo-Ramos reflected on how faculty, students, and staff at the school are addressing social determinants of health that affect the lives of real people, families, and communities.  

“It was an honor to host Sec. Kinsley,” said Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, PhD, MPH, LCSW, RN, ANP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, dean, Duke School of Nursing, and vice chancellor, nursing affairs, Duke University. “Our students, faculty and staff are meaningfully contributing to the health and well-being of North Carolinians, and it was inspiring to hear Secretary Kinsley’s vision and priorities for the Department of Health and Human Services.” 

Kinsley was appointed secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) by Gov. Roy Cooper and took the oath of office in January. He joined DHHS in 2018 and most recently served as the chief deputy secretary for health at DHHS and operations lead for North Carolina’s COVID-19 pandemic response. 

The 2021-22 "Building Upon Excellence" Dean's Lecture Series features speakers throughout the academic year, connecting the Duke School of Nursing community, alumni, school partners, and friends with experts and educators on topics that address the evolving role of nurses in health care, new models for nursing-driven health care delivery and future directions in nursing research and education. 

Visit the full recording on YouTube. View Sec. Kinsley’s slide deck on the school's website.