Bill No. 1-11
Concerning: Administration – Department of Health and Human Services – Duties
Revised: 3/1/2011 Draft No. 6
Introduced: January 18, 2011
Enacted: March 1, 2011
Executive: March 10, 2011
Effective: June 9, 2011
Sunset Date: None
Ch. 3 , Laws of Mont. Co. 2011
County Council
For Montgomery County, Maryland
By: Councilmembers Leventhal, Navarro, and Rice
AN ACT to:
(1) authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to provide direct access to health care;
(2) authorize the Department to administer programs to reduce disparities in access to health care, preventative health services, and human services;
(3) authorize the Department to provide health education and promotion programs;
(4) amend the functions of the Commission on Health; and
(5) generally amend the law regarding health and human services and health and sanitation.
By amending
Montgomery County Code
Chapter 2, Administration
Section 2-42A
Chapter 24, Health and Sanitation
Sections 24-22 and 24-24
Boldface Heading or defined term. Underlining Added to existing law by original bill. [Single boldface
brackets] Deleted
from existing law by original bill. Double
underlining
Added
by amendment. [[Double boldface
brackets]] Deleted
from existing law or the bill by amendment. *
* * Existing law unaffected by bill.
The County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland approves the following Act:
Sec. 1. Sections 2-42A, 24-22, and 24-24 are amended as follows:
Division 7A. Department of Health and Human Services.
2-42A. Functions, powers, and duties.
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(c) Powers of the Department. The Department may:
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(4) collect data on the health status of County residents, including health disparities and inequities, and on the need for services and the effectiveness of programs;
* * *
(15) conduct studies and investigations; [and]
(16) provide direct access to health care;
(17) administer programs to reduce disparities in access to health care, preventive health services, and human services based on gender, race, ethnicity, and poverty;
(18) provide health education and promotion programs; and
(19) carry out any other functions that are necessary to achieve the purposes of this Section.
(d) Duties of the Department.
* * *
(3) The Department provides staff support to [the]:
(A) the Commission on Children and Youth;
(B) the Commission on Aging;
(C) the Community Action Committee;
(D) the Commission on Child Care;
(E) the Commission on People with Disabilities;
(F) the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council.
(G) the Mental Health Advisory Council.
(H) the Juvenile Court Committee;
(I) the Commission on Health;
(J) the Board of Social Services;
(K) the Adult Public Guardianship Review Board; [and]
(L) the Victim Services Advisory Board;
(M) the Advisory Board for the Montgomery Cares Program; and
(N) any program created to achieve health equity among County residents.
24-22. Policy.
(a) It is the policy of Montgomery County to protect and promote the public health and safety and general welfare by fostering the development of a health care system that provides [[for all citizens,]] financial and geographic access to quality culturally and linguistically competent health care at a reasonable cost for all County residents. To accomplish this purpose, it is essential that plans for maintaining the health of [[the citizenry]] County residents and developing health services to meet the current and future health needs of [[the citizens of the county]] County residents be prepared, programs to implement these plans be developed and executed, and proposed developments or alterations of health services be publicly reviewed and commented [[upon]] on. Health planning should address the overall health status of County residents, [[and]] health disparities within social, economic, geographic, racial and ethnic groups, and the effects of social determinants of health on County residents.
* * *
24-24. Functions.
(a) To advise the County Executive and the County Council, the Commission must:
(1) Periodically review available County public health programs, services, and facilities and data on the health status of the County population and subgroups within it;
(2) Comment on gaps, deficiencies, or duplication in County public health programs, services, and facilities, including health status disparities and inequities;
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(5) Advise on local public health planning needs based on health status data;
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Approved: