Health department

Office promotes good health and safety

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Under the direction of the county's health officer, Dr. William B. Icenhower, the health department enforces federal, state and county laws and regulations and provides mandated, delegated and locally initiated public health services. The agency is located on Peabody Street in Leonardtown. Three major divisions deliver the health department's services — community health services, environmental health services and administration.

Community health

The Community Health Services Division responds to the unique needs of county residents by providing health services in homes, at the health department and through activities and programs across the community:

The health department protects the well-being of county residents by monitoring, investigating and reporting on outbreaks of communicable diseases such as meningitis, tuberculosis, food borne illness, rabies, scabies and sexually transmitted diseases. The health department also provides adult immunizations and holds flu shot clinics in the fall.

The health department is prepared to respond to emergencies, such as bioterrorism and natural disasters, in coordination with the St. Mary's County Office of Emergency Management, the state, local sheriff's office, hospitals and schools to ensure the community's safety.

The Child Health Program determines eligibility for the Maryland Child Health Insurance program. This free program is designed for parents who are employed but have no health insurance for their children, and is open to pregnant women of any age. The health department also runs a dental program for MCHP recipients.

This program is for children younger than 19 years old and for pregnant women of any age who have dental problems.

The Women, Infants, Children Program, a nutrition program for qualified recipients, is located at the agency.

The Reproductive Health Program provides contraceptive care as well as diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Confidential counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS is offered.

Adult Evaluation and Review Services evaluates the circumstances of adults at risk for long-term placement in a psychiatric facility or nursing home. The program focuses on preventing unnecessary admissions to any long-term facility and providing recommendations for alternative community care and support systems.

The Resource Coordination Program provides case management, referral, and advocacy services to developmentally disabled individuals.

The Medical Assistance Personal Care Program is available for qualified individuals who require unskilled personal care services at home. Participants must be receiving Medicaid.

The wellness and health promotion program informs, educates and empowers the residents of St. Mary's County about health issues. Staff is available by request to provide health education for a group. The program provides activities that are aimed at stopping disease before it occurs, including tobacco use prevention, nutrition education, cardiovascular disease prevention and sun safety programs.

In addition, the program provides activities that are aimed at detecting disease early and treating it promptly. Colorectal cancer screening, breast and cervical cancer screening, blood pressure screening, heart attack and stroke information and oral cancer information are available.

Community health services and programs provided by the health department have no charge or have fees which are based on the client's ability to pay.

A sliding scale is used to assess payment. Medicare, Medicaid or private insurers are also used. No one will be denied services because of an inability to pay.

Environmental health

The environmental health services division strives to maintain a safe and healthy community by protecting county residents from environmental hazards.

The Food Safety Program inspects restaurants and other food service facilities to monitor the sanitary and physical conditions of each establishment and reviews plans to open new food service facilities. The program issues food service licenses and permits and conducts safe food handling classes and investigates complaints.

The Safe Drinking Water Program reviews and approves properties for the installation of private wells, monitors commercial and civic facilities water systems providing water to 25 or more people and monitors public water supplies in the county by sampling select locations twice annually.

The On-site Septic/Building Permit Program reviews and approves properties for the installation of private septic systems. Services include conducting perc tests, determining septic system design requirements, issuing construction permits for private septic systems, inspecting private septic systems, investigating illegal installations of private septic systems, and reviewing and approving commercial development and subdivisions.

Community health is protected in accordance with state and county laws; the environmental health services division maintains a safe and healthy environment for county residents through regulation, inspection, investigation and education.

These activities relate to a variety of community activities — bathing beach monitoring, campground inspection, day care environmental inspection, mobile home park inspection, public swimming pools inspection, outdoor air quality and open burning, animal bites and rabies prevention, mosquito control, sewage sludge land application, public health complaints and complaints relating to state waters in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

A fee schedule for services of the Environmental Health Services division is available by calling 301-475-4321.

Administration division

The administration division manages the daily operation, business, and support of a $7 million budget and a staff of more than 100 employees. The health department frequently looks for qualified people to do public health work in our community. Human resource information and position vacancies are posted on a public bulletin board and on the department's Web site at www.smchd.org. The administration division provides the following direct services to county residents:.

The Medical Assistance Transportation Program is a safety-net medical transportation program for Medicaid-eligible individuals who have no way to get to medical appointments.

This program partners with other transportation providers to serve the medical appointment transportation needs of non-medical assistance riders.

Vital records — certified copies of birth and death certificates are available for a fee and on a walk-in basis. People born in Maryland after 1940 can obtain a copy of their birth certificate from the office. Certified death certificates are also available.

Genealogy information and instructions on how and where to obtain certified copies of vital records data from other states is available on request.

For more information about the public health or the programs and services of the St. Mary's County Health Department, call 301-475-4330, Maryland Relay 7. Information and assistance with special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act may be obtained by calling 301-475-4328.

The department's hotline number is 301-475-4329, providing information about health department operational hours, closures and emergency preparedness. E-mail the health department at healthdept@smhd.com or go to www.smchd.org.