A Frederick County approach to bringing health and social services directly into the community has earned one of the nation’s highest recognitions for local public health innovation.

The Frederick County Health Department’s Golden Mile Office has received a 2026 Model Practice Award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), recognizing its innovative, community-centered approach to improving access to health and social services.

The Golden Mile neighborhood spans approximately two square miles on the west side of Frederick City and is one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the community. With approximately 15,000 residents, the area also experiences higher rates of poverty and significant barriers to accessing services, including transportation, language, and navigating multiple agencies.

The Golden Mile Office was created to address those challenges by bringing services together in one trusted, accessible location. Rather than requiring residents to visit multiple agencies or locations, the office serves as a place-based public health hub, connecting residents with services such as Medicaid and Medicare enrollment assistance, SNAP benefits, school-based health services, HIV/AIDS testing, senior support programs, and other resources.

The model also emphasizes culturally and linguistically responsive services. In FY25, 406 clients received Spanish interpretation services, while 432 clients identified as Hispanic or Latino. Since its inception, the office has reached an estimated half of the neighborhood’s population through bilingual services, walk-in availability, community health workers, outreach, and referrals.

The collaborative model has also strengthened coordination among service providers. By housing multiple programs in one location, staff can connect directly with colleagues serving the same residents, creating opportunities to resolve issues more quickly and improve referral pathways.

NACCHO’s Model Practice Award represents the highest level of recognition in its Model Practices Program. While Promising Practice recognition highlights programs that are still developing but showing results, Model Practice recognizes practices that have progressed further and demonstrated their effectiveness, sustainability, and potential to be replicated by other health departments.

The practice also demonstrates how local health departments can serve as community partners beyond traditional public health functions; drawing on principles of Public Health 3.0, community-based participatory research, and the MAPP 2.0 framework, the Golden Mile Office positions the health department as a connector and “chief health strategist” working across sectors to address the broader factors that influence community health.

Read more about award winners here.

Learn more about Frederick County Health Department services at the Golden Mile Office.