ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MARYLAND

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

HEALTH

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH


[photo, Anne Arundel County Health Services Building, 3 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland] In 1880, the General Assembly authorized the State Board of Health to organize local boards of health or advisory committees in every city, village, and legislative district (Chapter 438, Acts of 1880). Not until 1886, however, were County responsibilities assigned. In that year, the Board of County Commissioners was designated as the Anne Arundel County Board of Health (Chapter 22, Acts of 1886). In 1914, it was placed under control of the State Department of Health, which had organized in 1910 (Chapter 560, Acts of 1910; Chapter 742, Acts of 1914).

Anne Arundel County Health Services Building, 3 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland, February 2006. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.


Later, under provisions of the "County Health Law" of 1922, County health duties increased, opening the way for a full-time health officer in each county (Chapter 116, Acts of 1922).

The Anne Arundel County Model Health Department organized in 1931. Due to the efforts of the Rockefeller Foundation and the U.S. Public Health Service, the "model" health department would serve as a laboratory and an example of how to dramatically upgrade the quality of health care available to the public. Originally, the Department included the City of Annapolis from which it separated in 1933. The City rejoined the County Department in 1943.

Today, the Department of Health, under direction of the Health Officer, provides public health services and administers and enforces State and local health laws and regulations within Anne Arundel County (County Charter, sec. 553; County Code, sec. 2-1-603). 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, 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).

OPERATIONS

OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT & PLANNING

PUBLIC HEALTH

Public Health oversees the Mental Health Core Service Agency, the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, and five bureaus: Behavioral Health, Disease Prevention and Management, Environmental Health, Family Health Services, and School Health and Support.

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