Read more about the article Healthy Communities With the American Heart Association
Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations
Healthy Communities With the American Heart Association

Public Health is about more than hospitals and healthcare; it's also about the policies that help people live healthier lives every day. This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Karrington Anderson are joined by Laura Hale, State Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association, to discuss how counties can help improve community health through smart public policy. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe…

Comments Off on Healthy Communities With the American Heart Association
July 24, 2026
Read more about the article Baltimore County Launches Paid Healthcare Workforce Training Program
County News / Education / Health and Human Services
Baltimore County Launches Paid Healthcare Workforce Training Program

Baltimore County has launched a new workforce partnership to address healthcare staffing shortages and create paid career pathways for residents interested in becoming certified nursing assistants (CNAs). The initiative brings together the Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development (DEWD), MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) to provide eligible county residents with paid CNA training at no cost. Funded through Baltimore County's Strategic Workforce Innovation Fund (SWIF), the…

Comments Off on Baltimore County Launches Paid Healthcare Workforce Training Program
July 23, 2026
Read more about the article St. Mary’s Health Dept Earns National Recognition for Innovative Health Programs
County News / Health and Human Services
St. Mary’s Health Dept Earns National Recognition for Innovative Health Programs

Innovation at the local level is earning national recognition, with St. Mary's County Local Health Department receiving two awards for programs that improve community health and workplace safety. The St. Mary's County Health Department has received two 2026 Promising Practice Awards from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), recognizing innovative local programs that improve public health and can serve as models for communities nationwide. The awards highlight two initiatives: Implementation of…

Comments Off on St. Mary’s Health Dept Earns National Recognition for Innovative Health Programs
July 23, 2026
Read more about the article Talbot County Expands EMS Coverage With New Station 95
County News / Emergency Management / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections / Risk Management
Talbot County Expands EMS Coverage With New Station 95

Talbot County has opened a new emergency medical services station in Cordova that will improve emergency response times for residents in the county's northern region while expanding the county's long-term emergency medical services capacity. Station 95 was designed to support the county's growing EMS system and will soon become home to Paramedic 95, a two-person advanced life support crew staffed around the clock. The facility features four apparatus bays, dedicated storage space, living quarters for…

Comments Off on Talbot County Expands EMS Coverage With New Station 95
July 23, 2026
Read more about the article Does Maryland’s Public Health Funding Still Fit?
County News / Health and Human Services / Policy Deep Dive
Does Maryland’s Public Health Funding Still Fit?

Maryland's public health funding formula was built for a different era, raising questions about whether it still meets the needs of today's local health departments. The funding pattern in recent years argues for more clarity and predictability. Introduction: Local health department funding is a shared responsibility between the state and county governments. A critical component of local health department funding support is core funding, established through a statutory formula, provided by the State and matched…

Comments Off on Does Maryland’s Public Health Funding Still Fit?
July 22, 2026
Read more about the article “Eric’s ID Law” Sees Strong Uptake Across Maryland
Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
“Eric’s ID Law” Sees Strong Uptake Across Maryland

Maryland's "Eric's ID Law" is gaining traction, with thousands of residents opting into the state's voluntary hidden disability identification program, and other states beginning to follow its lead. According to a Maryland Matters article, less than a year after Maryland launched its voluntary butterfly logo program for driver's licenses and identification cards, more than 22,000 Marylanders have requested the symbol, highlighting significant demand for tools that help identify individuals with nonapparent disabilities during interactions with…

Comments Off on “Eric’s ID Law” Sees Strong Uptake Across Maryland
July 21, 2026
Read more about the article Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults at #MACoCon
County News / Health and Human Services / Information Technology / Summer Conference
Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults at #MACoCon

As artificial intelligence becomes part of everyday life, helping older adults safely navigate its opportunities and risks is an increasingly important role. Artificial intelligence is changing how people access information. From virtual assistants and online banking to healthcare portals and customer service chatbots, AI-powered tools are becoming commonplace, and increasingly unavoidable. At the same time, scammers are leveraging these same technologies to create increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes, making it more difficult than ever to distinguish…

Comments Off on Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults at #MACoCon
July 20, 2026
Read more about the article MD Supreme Court Upholds Sanctions Against Maryland Department of Health
Courts / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
MD Supreme Court Upholds Sanctions Against Maryland Department of Health

In a 4-3 decision, the Supreme Court of Maryland, upheld sanctions against the Maryland Department of Health, requiring payments to some local detention centers that incur the costs of the agencies non-compliance.  As previously covered on Conduit Street, the Supreme Court of Maryland accepted a petition to consider whether the Appellate Court of Maryland acted within its authority when it imposed sanctions against the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) for not complying with Maryland law. Yesterday,…

Comments Off on MD Supreme Court Upholds Sanctions Against Maryland Department of Health
July 16, 2026
Read more about the article Foodborne Illness Cases Rise Across the US
County News / Health and Human Services
Foodborne Illness Cases Rise Across the US

State and federal public health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. According to a Johns Hopkins Medicine article, since May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received 843 confirmed cases nationwide and is reviewing more than 1,500 additional suspected cases, with illnesses reported in more than 30 states. People become infected by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite,…

Comments Off on Foodborne Illness Cases Rise Across the US
July 16, 2026
Read more about the article Optimizing Pharmacy Benefits for Counties
Health and Human Services / Summer Conference
Optimizing Pharmacy Benefits for Counties

MACo’s 2026 Summer Conference Solutions Showcase features thought leaders and industry experts presenting resources and best practices to assist local governments. Check out this session hosted by MedImpact!  About MedImpact:  MedImpact was founded more than three decades ago by a pharmacist and independent drug store owner who saw firsthand how families struggled with the high cost of prescriptions, and how it impacted their lives, financial security, and health. So he started MedImpact to make prescription benefits understandable and accessible. While we have grown to be one of the leading PBMs in America,…

Comments Off on Optimizing Pharmacy Benefits for Counties
July 16, 2026
Older Posts