Health Archives - Page 26 of 50

‘Growing Up Healthy’ Child Safety and Resource Fair to be Hosted by Four DHHS Programs on Saturday, May 20, in Wheaton

Published May 12, 2023 at 8:58AM

Per Montgomery County: Four Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) programs are joining efforts to host the first-ever “Growing Up Healthy Child Safety and Resource Fair” from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the Wheaton Regional Park. This free event was created to connect families to community resources and services that will help their children grow up healthy. DHHS programs that will be at the fair are the African American Health Program (AAHP), the Babies Born Healthy Program (BBH), the Early Childhood Child Care Support Services and the Improved Pregnancy Outcomes Program. Wheaton Regional Park is located at 2000 Shorefield Rd. in Wheaton. Free parking is available. To attend the event, register online.

“With summer just around the corner, it is important for parents and guardians to have knowledge and resources to keep their kid’s health and safe during summer break and beyond,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The Growing Up Healthy Resource Fair will offer information about a range of health and safety topics. I encourage all residents who are caring for children to attend this event. We want this summer to be fun, joyous, and free from danger for everyone.”

Maryland Department of Health Urges Marylanders to Guard Against Tickborne Diseases

By Patrick Herron

Published May 9, 2023 at 8:56AM

Per the Maryland Department of Health: Following Governor Wes Moore’s proclamation of May as Tickborne Disease Awareness Month in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today launched a Tickborne Disease awareness campaign encouraging Marylanders to take simple precautions to prevent illness caused by infected ticks.

The best way to avoid tickborne diseases is to avoid ticks and their habitat. Ticks prefer humid environments and can be found outdoors in leaf litter, weeds, tall grasses, shrubs, and woods.

Montgomery County to Host Online Annual Spring Forum Focusing on Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment on Thursday, May 18

By Patrick Herron

Published May 8, 2023 at 12:45PM

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host its annual mental health and substance use disorder spring forum from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 18. “Overcoming Disparities and Barriers to Treatment for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder” is a free event that will focus on treatment access within underserved communities and will include a track for adults and a concurrent track for youth, planned by members of the County’s Youth Ambassador Program. The forum will be hosted online.

Youth will participate in youth-led sessions, exploring ways to help their peers or themselves access support for mental health or substance use disorders. Youth participants will then rejoin the adults in the main Zoom room so all attendees can ask questions during a live Q&A panel. The event will conclude with links to various resources for mental health and substance use prevention, intervention and treatment. Students who attend for the full two-hour event will receive SSL hours.

Governor Moore Signs Legislation that Solidifies Protections for Reproductive Rights, Protects the Rights of Transgender Marylanders, and Establishes an Adult-use Cannabis Market

By Patrick Herron

Published May 4, 2023 at 4:55PM

Per the State of Maryland (5.3.23): Governor Wes Moore today presided over the Moore-Miller Administration’s fourth bill signing, a day dedicated to protecting the rights of all Marylanders. The governor signed historic legislation that solidifies protections for reproductive rights, protects the rights of transgender Marylanders, and establishes an adult-use cannabis market.

“Today, we further strengthened our leave no one behind vision by protecting individual freedoms, solidifying reproductive rights, expanding access to healthcare, and creating an adult-use cannabis market that directly benefits those that were disproportionately affected by the war on drugs,” said Gov. Moore. “Here in Maryland we are committed to righting the wrongs of the past and protecting the rights of all Marylanders in the future. As long as I am governor, I will fight with everything I’ve got to ensure we’re creating a safe, equitable, and prosperous home for every Marylander.”

Montgomery County Produces Nation’s First Health Care Providers’ Handbook on Hindu Patients

By Patrick Herron

Published May 2, 2023 at 7:56AM

Per Montgomery County: Coinciding with the celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, The Health Care Providers’ Handbook on Hindu Patients was released today marking a major initiative by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s Office of Community Partnerships Asian Pacific American Advisory Group (APAAG.) This is the first such handbook in the nation providing detailed information specifically for Hindu and Jain patients.

“With over 2 million Hindus in the United States and over 80,000 Indians and Nepali Americans in Maryland alone, it is important that our caregivers are sensitive to the needs of an ever growing and diverse community,” said APAAG co-chair Chowdhury. “By being culturally in-tune caregivers may be better equipped to address a variety of issues that are unique to the Hindu and Jain diaspora. With over 15% of Montgomery County residents self-identifying as Asian descent, Maryland can serve as a model in helping health care providers understand and meet the distinct cultural and religious needs of its many patients.”

State of Maryland to Purchase Substantial Amount of Mifepristone to Protect Essential Health Care Access for Women

By Patrick Herron

Published April 16, 2023 at 6:40PM

“Yet again, women’s health care and reproductive rights have come under attack,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. “And once again, Maryland has stepped up to continue providing safe and effective reproductive health care.”

Since the FDA approved the drug more than two decades ago, mifepristone has been used safely in more than 60 countries, providing critical care for women. The medication is used for a variety of reproductive health care needs.

Montgomery County Ranked Healthiest County in Maryland

By Patrick Herron

Published April 11, 2023 at 12:02PM

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County ranks as the healthiest county in Maryland in the annual County Health Rankings (CHR). According to the 2023 rankings, the five healthiest counties in Maryland are Montgomery County, followed by Howard County, Frederick County, Calvert County and St. Mary’s County. The CHR, a collaboration of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, annually compares counties within each state on more than 30 factors that impact health, including social determinants such as education, jobs, housing, exercise, commuting times and more.

Several factors influence how well and how long people live. These include behavioral habits such as physical activity, nutrition, and smoking, in addition to factors from the built environment, such as access to affordable housing and well-paying jobs.

Maryland Department of Health celebrates Public Health Week

By Patrick Herron

Published April 4, 2023 at 10:06AM

“Maryland’s public health workforce is expansive, diverse, and driven to serve,” said Governor Wes Moore. “I join all Marylanders in expressing both my abiding gratitude that we have such a rich public health legacy and my shared commitment to building an even stronger, healthier future for all of Maryland’s communities.”

Throughout April, MDH and its partners will host and participate in events to raise awareness of the underlying causes of poor health and disease risk among vulnerable populations. Events include weekly community walks for state employees, a digital ad campaign to promote and celebrate the contributions of public health workers, and a networking event for state employees exhibiting culturally-diverse MDH programs and services.

Montgomery County Recognizes National Public Health Week April 3-9

By Patrick Herron

Published March 29, 2023 at 9:51PM

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County will commemorate National Public Health Week (NPHW) April 3-9 by highlighting daily themes through a series of social media posts based on this year’s theme “Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health.” Montgomery County is home to many diverse cultures, all of which have different health impacts based on unique backgrounds and circumstances. It is important to honor these cultures through meeting people where they are to positively impact their health.

“Those who work in public health demonstrate their resilience, compassion, and talent for their craft day after day, and month after month,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “It took a pandemic for many to realize their heroism and dedication to keep us safe, healthy and alive. But since time immemorial, our public health workers have cared for us at our weakest, helped us fight against cancer, overcome mental health challenges and addictions, and protect the welfare of the most vulnerable amongst us. This week, we thank all of them for their tireless efforts. Specifically, I want to acknowledge our County government public health employees as well as the public health volunteers in the County’s Medical Reserve Corps and send my sincere gratitude for their hard work.”

FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter, Non-Prescription Narcan Nasal Spray

By Patrick Herron

Published March 29, 2023 at 11:25AM

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that the first Narcan product has been approved for use without a prescription. Narcan is used to treat opioid overdoses in emergency situations. The FDA granted the over-the-counter approval of Narcan to Gaithersburg based Emergent BioSolutions. Per the FDA: Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription, use – the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose. Today’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online.

The timeline for availability and price of this OTC product is determined by the manufacturer. The FDA will work with all stakeholders to help facilitate the continued availability of naloxone nasal spray products during the time needed to implement the Narcan switch from prescription to OTC status, which may take months. Other formulations and dosages of naloxone will remain available by prescription only.

Maryland Department of Health Announces Request for Applications to Expand Abortion Provider Capacity

By Patrick Herron

Published March 29, 2023 at 9:28AM

Per the Maryland Department of Health (3.28.23): The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced a Request for Applications to administer the Abortion Clinical Training Program. The program will help expand the number of healthcare professionals with abortion care training, increase the racial and ethnic diversity among healthcare professionals with abortion care education, and support the identification of clinical sites in need of training.

“On my first full day in office, we announced the release of $3.5 million in previously-withheld funding to support Maryland’s Abortion Clinical Training program,” said Governor Wes Moore. “The program will help ensure that Maryland remains a safe haven for abortion and is critical to providing safe and supportive reproductive health care access.”