Upper Marlboro, MD (July 17, 2024) – Dr. Boris Lushniak, Commission Co-chair and Dean of the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health, presided at the July 11 meeting of the Commission on Public Health, where the Commission heard from Mr. Mark Luckner, Executive Director of the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC), and Mr. Jonathan Dayton, Executive Director of the Maryland Rural Health Association. The Commission also received updates from staff and members on activities since the June meeting.
Executive Director Luckner highlighted the CHRC’s grant programs to complement and support public health initiatives, such as school-based care centers and social drivers of health like housing. He noted several areas for collaboration with the Commission on Public Health’s work to make recommendations. These include building strong relationships within communities, enhancing data sharing and outcomes tracking, and banding together to address systemic workforce shortages.
Commissioners asked about ways to deepen coordination with local health improvement coalitions, improve outcomes sharing from CHRC’s grantees, and keep health equity at the forefront of the programs. Executive Director Luckner agreed that opportunities existed and felt that partnerships and local connections would be essential to achieving those goals, especially as these competitive grant applications exceed the agency’s annual budgets and must be prioritized based on several factors. The Commission’s statutory requirement to hold listening sessions across the state and solicit public input are among the many ways community members are being engaged.
Maryland Rural Health Association Executive Director Dayton’s presentation noted that 18 out of 24 of Maryland’s jurisdictions are considered rural, but only 25% of Marylanders live in rural areas. The Association partners with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Office of Rural Health to deliver education and advocacy programming on the unique issues impacting rural communities, which often include transportation challenges, lack of access to broadband, and workforce shortages. Access to specialist and emergency care is particularly alarming and often requires rural patients to travel significant distances to get needed care. Executive Director Dayton also noted that trust in institutions is low in rural communities and is further complicated by varying levels of health literacy.
Noting the significant challenges of transportation and access, Commissioners and workgroup members asked follow-up questions about potential innovations from other states and the progress of rolling out broadband service coverage. Executive Director Dayton acknowledged the significant efforts to expand access at the state and federal levels. However, he provided examples where there was still not enough demand to support the infrastructure in some communities despite the interest and availability of technology. He committed to staying engaged with the Commission’s work and sharing additional findings from his national and regional counterparts.
Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services at the Maryland Department of Health, briefed Commissioners that public health budgets were recently modified to reflect revised revenue figures. Agenda materials from the Maryland Board of Public Works’ July 17 meeting show multiple agencies’ budgets decreased to achieve an overall reduction of nearly $150 million. Of that $150 million in budget reductions, $26.07 million will come from MDH programs and line items. This includes a $12 million reduction (10% from base appropriation) in funding for the core public health services line item that supports local health department operations. Commissioners remarked that they understood the need to ensure fiscally sound budgets but expressed concern about the message this sent to local health departments during the Commission’s work to study the public health system.
The Commission on Public Health’s next meeting is on August 1 and will be held at the Prince George’s County Government Building in Upper Marlboro, MD. Dr. Meena Brewster will be the presiding co-chair. The meeting will be accessible online and recorded. For more information about the monthly meetings or other opportunities to provide input to the Commission about public health topics, please visit the Commission’s website at smchd.org/coph.
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The Maryland Commission on Public Health was established in 2023 to study and make recommendations to improve Maryland’s public health system. The 16-member body is comprised of local health officers, academic partners, thought leaders, and legislators. The Maryland Department of Health is represented by the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, the Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health, and the Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. Many additional leaders and professionals are contributing to the Commission’s five workgroups. The Commission’s goal is to ensure the public health system is designed to help all Marylanders achieve their best health and a lifetime of wellness. Meetings are held monthly and streamed online. For more information, please visit smchd.org/coph.