Maryland Community Health 
Resources Commission
June 28, 2018 | Issue 39
Larry Hogan, Governor 

Boyd K. Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor

Robert R. Neall, Health Secretary
CHRC Commissioners
Allan Anderson, MD, Chair
Elizabeth Chung, Vice-Chair
Scott T. Gibson
J. Wayne Howard
Celeste James
Surina Jordan, PhD
Barry Ronan
Erica I. Shelton, MD
Ivy Simmons,PhD
Julie Wagner
Anthony C. Wisniewski
Mark Luckner, Executive Director
Tools and Resources
Webinar: Heart Disease: Prevention and Access to Treatment for Minorities

DATE: July 18, 2018
TIME: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m


This webinar-hosted by the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) and the Office of Minority Health's National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA)-will provide an overview of heart disease and its impact on the Hispanic community and will share findings from NHMA's Cardiovascular Disease and Hispanics Summit Series. The webinar also will describe the need for racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials of interventions for heart disease to ensure that communities of color have treatments that work for them. 

For more information, click here. 

NHSC Substance Use Disorder/Opioid Expansion Site Opt-in Instructions

As part of the FY 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act, HRSA's National Health Service Corps (NHSC) received $105 million to expand and improve access to quality opioid and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in rural and underserved areas nationwide. For this initiative, new categories of outpatient services and sites will be eligible for NHSC. SUD/Opioid funding:

 * General Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment * Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program * Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) 

You are eligible to "opt-in" if your site provides any of these services.The Opt-in Cycle is from June 5 - July 17, 2018.

For more information on how to opt-in, click here.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Health Equity Council Webinar: Baltimore's Innovation in Faith and Community Collaborations.

July 12, 2018; 1:00 - 2:00 PM

This webinar will focus on Baltimore's efforts to galvanize the faith-based community to help prevent violence and address trauma. Webinar participants will be able to identify how violence leads to trauma and the complex challenges to address trauma in minority communities. Presenters will discuss faith-based or community models that faith and spiritual leaders and providers can utilize to address trauma. They will also outline how to systematically integrate faith-based leadership into violence prevention and other public health programming. For more information and to register, click here.

Family Services, Inc. Receives $1.1 Million for UpCounty Nonprofit HUB


On June 11, Family Services, Inc. announced the establishment of an UpCounty Nonprofit Service HUB in Montgomery County, which is supported by a $1 million state bond bill that was approved during the 2018 legislative session. The bond bill will support a nonprofit shared space that will be located in an UpCounty site in Germantown. The facility will promote the delivery of cost-effective and accessible health and wellness, food and nutrition, social, educational, and employment services to northern Montgomery County residents. In addition, the Montgomery County government also provided $100,000 in matching funds for fiscal year 2019 to be used for site design. The concept for the new facility was developed as part of the Thriving Germantown (TG) HUB, operated by FSI, serving students and families at Captain James E. Daly Elementary School.

Supported by an initial planning grant of $77,196 from the HealthCare Initiative Foundation in FY 2017 and another $250,000 grant from the CHRC, the Thriving Germantown Initiative has leveraged $2,014,832 in additional state, private, and local funding (including an additional $400,000 in implementation funding from the Healthcare Initiative Foundation). Supporting programs that expand access to affordable, high-quality health services for low-income individuals and leverage additional funding are priorities of the CHRC. Since its inception, the initial funding provided by the CHRC ($64.1 million) has enabled its grantees to leverage $22.9 million in additional funding.  Click here to read more about how grantees have leveraged CHRC funds to expand health care access for Marylanders.
Atlantic General Hospital's innovative chronic management program is launched to reduce reliance on opioids

On June 22, Atlantic General Hospital celebrated the launch of its new interdisciplinary chronic pain management program to provide access to comprehensive services to help patients relieve chronic pain without the use of opioid medications  The event was attended a number of state and local officials. Click on the links for the press release and news coverage of the events.

The Maryland Community Health Services Commission presents a check for $175,000 to Atlantic General Hospital for the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation and Treatment Program. From left: Delegate Mary Beth Carozza; Senator Addie Eckardt; Dr. Allan Anderson, chairman of the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission; Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital; Dr. Wadid Zaky, pain specialist; and Senator Jim Mathias.
AGH's program, which is supported by a two-year grant for $175,000 from the CHRC, will add to Maryland's response to the opioid crisis and is designed to be sustainable and replicable in other areas of the state.  During the 10-day program, patients will have access to medically-driven pain management; vocational support; integrative health therapies like meditation, massage, and guided imagery therapy; physical and occupational therapy; and behavioral health care to achieve their individualized goals in returning to an active and fulfilling life. 

The CHRC has prioritized funding for projects that help address the heroin and opioid crisis, awarding 54 grants totaling $14.1 million that increase access to behavioral health services. These programs have collectively served more than 76,000 individuals in rural, urban, and suburban areas of the state. For more information on these programs, click here.
La Clinica publishes "Health Equity Report" from Convening in Prince George's County

On June 8, La Clínica del Pueblo released its report, "Partnering for Health Equity," which includes a set of recommendations to put Prince George's County on the map as a Healthy County for All. The report includes the results of an April meeting, which brought together elected officials, partner organizations, health experts, and community stakeholders at the City of Hyattsville Town Hall to discuss strategies for creating greater health equity in Prince George's County. To view a copy of the press release, click here.

In the last several years, La Clinca del Pueblo has received two grants from the CHRC. A three-year grant  awarded in 2016 supports the opening of a new Federally Qualified Health Center in Hyattsville, Prince George's County, which provides access to medical, behavioral health, and other social support services.  The clinic has provided services to more than 1,000 individuals since its opening. La Clinica received a second grant earlier this year to implement a school and community-focused project to increase knowledge about healthy lifestyles, increase access to healthy foods, and encourage engagement in physical activity.

Wicomico County Health Department celebrates CHRC support of the SWIFT Program

On May 30, The Wicomico County Health Department, Salisbury Fire Department, and Peninsula Regional Medical Center celebrated the expansion of the Salisbury Wicomico Integrated First Team (SWIFT) program, a mobile integrated health program that has been assisting residents of the lower shore since October 2017. The team provides health services for individuals who frequent the EMS service for non-emergency aid. The program is supported by a $90,000 award from the CHRC and $95,000 from CareFirst. The event was attended by a number of state and local leaders. 

From left to right: Julie Wagner, Care First; Del Mary Beth Carozza; Dr Allan Anderson, CHRC; Mayor of Salisbury Jake Day; Lori Brewster, Wicomico County Health Department; Del Sheree Sample-Hughes; Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver; Ellen Waters, Care First Board member.
The CHRC's grant to Wicomico County is one of three grants awarded by the CHRC to support the expansion of mobile integrated health programs in Maryland.  The CHRC has also awarded grants to support the expansion of MIH programs in Prince George's and Charles Counties. For more information about these programs, click  here.