February will mark the end of a five-month process in which the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC) will distribute $13 million in funding for health equity-based initiatives. Forty organizations across the state submitted applications to MCHRC’s Pathways to Health Equity Call for Proposals in December—including local health departments, hospitals, and non-profit organizations. To secure … Read more
Vaccine mandates, issues with vendors, and more put Maryland Secretary of Health Dennis R. Schrader under scrutiny as he updated Senate President Bill Ferguson (D – Baltimore City) and other members of the Senate Vaccine Oversight Workgroup on the state’s response to the Omicron variant late last week. COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached an … Read more
Applications for a grant under the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC) closed last month, drawing in requests from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, local health departments, and a number of nonprofit organizations. Forty organizations submitted applications, totaling $42 million in requests. The grant program, called the Pathways to Health Equity Call for … Read more
For two years, the term “vaccine hesitancy” permeated public health dialogue around the country. In Prince George’s County, where 62% of residents are Black and 20% are Latino/Latinx, the term was often linked to the community as the state determined its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans, according to Stephen Thomas, Ph.D, director of the Maryland Center … Read more
The Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland met Thursday to share updates from several workgroups, including the Medicaid, elderly population, and migrant community groups. Each group worked under the task force’s previously established framework to identify barriers to dental care for their respective populations. The first workgroup focused on Medicaid beneficiaries and … Read more
Medicaid reimbursement rates, behavioral health, COVID relief funds, and more are tee’d up in Maryland’s fiscal year 2023 budget plan. The Department of Legislative Services’ Office of Policy Analysis released its Spending Affordability Briefing this month, and outlined appropriations ahead of the upcoming legislative session. Due to an influx of federal aid, such … Read more
Maryland’s top dental and oral health leaders are leading discussions to increase affordability and access to care, particularly by increasing reimbursement rates and identifying underserved communities. Nearly two dozen practitioners and other staff convened at the Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland’s monthly meeting, which is co-chaired by Alexander Shekdar from the Maryland Department … Read more
Today, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that 98% of Maryland seniors are now vaccinated against COVID-19, bringing the total adult population to over 85% vaccinated. He said the state is now encouraging all eligible Marylanders to get a booster dose. Moderna and Johnson and Johnson booster doses were approved for certain populations by the Food and … Read more
In an effort to reduce health disparities in the state, the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC) issued a request for proposals (RFP) on Oct. 12 to determine the awardees of its $13 million Pathways to Health Equity grant program. The Commission is launching public outreach meetings this month and next to spread awareness of … Read more