About Our Agency

The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) is the local health department for St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Under the direction of the county’s Health Officer, Dr. Meenakshi G. Brewster, SMCHD is responsible for protecting and promoting the health of all St. Mary’s County residents. Within the scope of its resources, the health department delivers a variety of services to our community, based on local health needs and federal, state, and county regulations. As the county’s leader in public health, the agency is committed to ensuring that community members have access to personal and environmental health services and information.

Vision

The St. Mary’s County Health Department promotes healthy choices, opportunities and environments for all who live, work and play in St. Mary’s County.

Mission

St. Mary’s County Health Department promotes a healthy community by:

Empowering and informing our residents about public health issues
Strengthening community partnerships
Implementing culturally sensitive programs to assure public health access
Maintaining a safe and healthy environment
Monitoring health status to identify community health needs
Informing development of policies that address public health issues
Preparing for and responding to public health emergencies

Values

We take P.R.I.D.E. in our work as public health leaders:

Professionalism: We pledge competent, consistent and evidence-informed public health services in a timely, effective manner.
Respect: We value all of our team members and residents while treating each other with respect and cultural sensitivity.
Integrity: We honor the public’s trust and pledge to maintain the highest standards of accountability and ethics.
Diversity: We value the diversity in our county and work towards achieving health equity.
Education & Health Communication: We provide effective, responsive and timely communication, and excel in our role as a trusted source of health information.

Organizational Structure

SMCHD operates through eight internal Divisions (Administration, Behavioral Health, Clinical Services, Data and Information Systems, Environmental Health, Health Promotion & Community Services, Preparedness & Response, and Community Engagement & Policy), which work collaboratively to ensure Essential Public Health Services are provided for St. Mary’s County.