Read more about the article Maryland Among States Working to Curb Soaring Rx Drug Prices
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Winter Conference
Maryland Among States Working to Curb Soaring Rx Drug Prices

As federal action on prescription drug costs remains limited, states across the country are stepping in with new laws to make medications more affordable for residents. According to an article from Stateline, in 2025 alone, at least 31 states have enacted nearly 70 laws targeting various parts of the complex drug pricing system, from Pharmacy Benefit Managers to drug manufacturers. Prescription drug prices continue to rise, and local governments are increasingly footing the bill. Counties…

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November 10, 2025
Read more about the article PFAS in Local Spaces: Hidden Chemicals, Real Challenges
County News / Environment / Health and Human Services / Parks and Recreation / Winter Conference
PFAS in Local Spaces: Hidden Chemicals, Real Challenges

As concern over PFAS grows nationwide, counties are taking a closer look at where these long-lasting chemicals are hiding, sometimes in the very parks and public spaces meant to promote community health and well-being. PFAS contamination has evolved from a distant environmental issue to an operational challenge for Maryland governments. Once prized for their durability and resistance to water and heat, PFAS now pose growing regulatory, financial, and public trust hurdles for counties tasked with…

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November 10, 2025
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast Hot Takes: Shutdowns, SNAP, and the State of Countyland
County Budgets / County News / Energy / Environment / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast Hot Takes: Shutdowns, SNAP, and the State of Countyland

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Karrington Anderson debut a new recurring segment – Conduit Street Podcast Hot Takes, where our hosts break down what’s “news” and what’s just… “noise” in Maryland policy and politics.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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November 7, 2025
Read more about the article MD Food Banks Strain To Meet Growing Demand as SNAP Benefits Falter
Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
MD Food Banks Strain To Meet Growing Demand as SNAP Benefits Falter

As federal food assistance remains uncertain, Maryland food banks are facing a surge in demand from families struggling to put food on the table. According to an article from The Baltimore Sun, despite the State's pledge of $62 million to sustain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for Marylanders, food banks across the state report more people seeking help since federal SNAP funds ran short last week. The federal government, ordered by the courts to…

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November 6, 2025
Read more about the article MD Office of Overdose Response Demystifies Opioid Restitution Fund
County News / Courts / Health and Human Services / News You Can Use
MD Office of Overdose Response Demystifies Opioid Restitution Fund

Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response has released a new Opioid Restitution Fund Primer to help explain how opioid settlement funds are used statewide. The Maryland Office of Overdose Response's (MOOR) Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) Primer helps counties, partners, and the public better understand how settlement dollars from opioid litigation are being managed and distributed across the state. The Primer offers a comprehensive, plain-language overview of the state’s opioid restitution structure, tracing the origins of settlements…

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November 5, 2025
Read more about the article Governor Moore Deploys $62M to Prevent Food Assistance Shortfall
County News / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Governor Moore Deploys $62M to Prevent Food Assistance Shortfall

Maryland will cover the federal shortfall and fund full November SNAP benefits, with Governor Moore authorizing $62 million after the federal government committed only partial support. Maryland will step in once again to protect food assistance for residents caught in the federal shutdown fallout. After two federal courts ruled on Friday that the Trump Administration must unlock contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Administration responded today, stating that it will only cover…

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November 3, 2025
Read more about the article Public Health Experts Warn That Federal Policies Could Widen Racial Health Disparities
Health and Human Services / Winter Conference
Public Health Experts Warn That Federal Policies Could Widen Racial Health Disparities

According to Stateline, the editorial arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, public health agencies that work with the most vulnerable communities nationwide are sounding the alarm on service gaps and adverse outcomes in the wake of federal policy shifts.  A recent Stateline article highlighted concerns among public-health experts that racial health disparities in the United States may widen as the federal government has begun dismantling programs designed to address inequities. Many grants and offices aimed at…

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November 3, 2025
Read more about the article Maryland Braces for Fed SNAP Lapse, Jeopardizing Food Assistance
County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Maryland Braces for Fed SNAP Lapse, Jeopardizing Food Assistance

The federal government’s decision to halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding threatens to deepen food insecurity across Maryland. As the federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, continues to drag on, more than 680,000 Marylanders are expected to lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of November 1. As previously covered by MACo, Maryland shares SNAP administrative costs equally with the federal government, but the federal government covers 100 percent…

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October 30, 2025
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Subsidized School Meals Safe From Shutdown… for Now
Education / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Subsidized School Meals Safe From Shutdown… for Now

Amidst the federal government's shutdown of "non-essential" services, its central food assistance program is slated to cease support on November 1. Guidance suggests that in-school free and reduced-price meals will not be an immediate casualty of the federal freeze -- but this comfort is not certain if the shutdown continues for multiple weeks. The US Government, in the absence of either an annual budget or a comprehensive "continuing resolution," has ceased its functions deemed non-essential.…

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October 30, 2025
Read more about the article Counties Encouraged to Apply for Buprenorphine Training Grant by November 7
Health and Human Services / News You Can Use / Public Safety and Corrections
Counties Encouraged to Apply for Buprenorphine Training Grant by November 7

Counties have an opportunity to strengthen their emergency response to the opioid crisis. The Maryland Office of Overdose Response has extended the deadline for its Buprenorphine Training Grant Program, which supports local efforts to train paramedics in administering this critical medication. Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response (MOOR) has extended its deadline to November 7 for the Office's new Buprenorphine Training Grant Program. The Program helps counties expand emergency response capacity in the fight against opioid…

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October 29, 2025
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