New Hanover County has received two awards for its programs, according to a news release.

The county received the Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) Excellence in Innovation Awards from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), officials said.

The awards recognize two county programs: New Hanover County Fire Rescue’s pilot program to reduce emergency incident travel times and the Sheriff’s Office Community1 Program that helps former offenders transition back into the community, officials said in the release.

“These NCACC awards recognize the county’s focus on continuous improvement, innovation, and our desire to provide the right service at the right time to our residents,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet, in the release. “With valuable insights from Fire Rescue’s pilot program, we can improve emergency services; and through the Sheriff’s Office Community1 program, we are connecting people with the services they need like housing, employment, and social services assistance.”

The LGFCU Excellence in Innovation Awards recognize North Carolina county governments that "develop successful programs that help counties improve services to residents,” officials said in the release.

The programs also won National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards this year.