In ‘Sweeping Plan,’ Maryland Officials Name Children’s Health as State’s Top Health Priority
Maryland health officials yesterday released a "sweeping" plan that "outline[s]" the state's biggest health problems and offered strategies to fix them, ranking children's health as priority "number one," the Baltimore Sun reports. The 327-page Maryland Health Improvement Plan also listed substance abuse, cancer and access to health care among the "top 10." In addition, the plan called for improving public health workers' access to the state's secure computer network and "integrat[ing] and updat[ing]" data systems. The undertaking -- developed by public health officials, policy makers and others -- is Maryland's response to the federal Healthy People project, which sets forth the nation's "key health goals" each decade.
Strategies
As part of its children's health strategy, the plan calls for programs addressing asthma, lead poisoning, and nutrition through provider education, health screenings and "collaborati[on]" with schools and community-based programs throughout the state. In addition to the state-wide plan, each county and Baltimore City developed individual plans addressing their "specific needs," including the following:
- Howard County will focus on colon cancer, asthma and diabetes.
- Anne Arundel County will expand a program of low-cost care for the uninsured.
- Baltimore City will attempt to bolster dental services and increase the number of school-based health centers.
- Baltimore County is working on a program to ensure that residents have transportation to medical appointments.
- Carroll County, where statistics show "skyrocketing" levels of substance abuse, hopes to increase the number of residents receiving drug treatment by 20%.
