Today, the Health Department, under direction of the Health Officer, provides public health services and administers and enforces State and local health laws and regulations within Howard County. Programs meet the public health needs of the community and provide services not offered by the private sector (Code Health-General Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-202).
Appointed by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Health Officer is the executive officer and secretary of the County Board of Health (Code Health-General Article, secs. 3-301 through 3-310).
CHILD FATALITY REVIEW TEAM
The Child Fatality Review Team seeks to develop an understanding of the causes and incidence of child death in Howard County. The Team develops plans for and recommends changes within the agencies represented on the Team to prevent child deaths; and promotes compensation and coordination among agencies involved in investigations of child deaths, or in providing services to surviving family members. The Team also advises the State Child Fatality Review Team on changes to law, policy, or practice to prevent child deaths (Chapters 355 & 356, Acts of 1999; Code Health-General Article, secs. 5-705 through 5-709).
DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE COUNCIL
The Council is composed of members appointed by the County Executive to five-year terms as well as ex officio members.
MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD
Appointed by the County Council, the Board consists of twenty-one members who serve three-year terms.
In Howard County, the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council is known as the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Board (County Code, sec. 12.1000). Authorized in 2004, the Council develops, submits to the Governor, and implements plans and strategies with which to evaluate, prevent, and treat alcohol and drug abuse in Howard County (Chapters 237 & 238, Acts of 2004; Code Health-General Article, sec. 8-1001).
The Mental Health Advisory Board monitors, reviews, and evaluates the allocation and adequacy of publicly funded mental health services within Howard County. The Board determines the needs of the County mental health system; helps develop the local mental health plan and budget; and prepares an annual report (Code Health-General Article, secs. 10-308 through 10-312).
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