40 troopers, 20 for a full year and 20 for the last half of the fiscal
year, to supplement the present force of 511. Additional civilian
personnel also is recommended.

Our program for the modernization of the State roads system,
started in 1953, now enters its sixth year. The State Roads Com-
mission will report to you during this session on the progress of the
program and will submit to you a schedule of projects planned to
be advertised in this calendar year.

For the Department of Health and the vast program it carries on for
the health of our citizens, I have proposed an overall budget increase
of $3, 493, 374. This will include more money for program planning
and research, for medical care, for general local health services, for
hospital in-patient and out-patient programs, for chronic disease
hospitals and for certain special types of care.

I am acutely aware of the problem of mental health in Maryland
and the need for more facilities and personnel. Provision is made
in this budget for staffing, equipping and operating new rehabilita-
tion buildings at Crownsville and Spring Grove hospitals, an in-
dustrial building for the long term colony at Rosewood and the new
Maximum Security Hospital at Jessup. In our program of mental
health, I have proposed 213 new positions, which, together with
standard salary scale requirements, account for $1, 466, 436 of the
agency's total general fund increase of $1, 654, 196.

Likewise, allowance has been made for improvements in our public
welfare program, including a restoration of cuts in the welfare food
allowance made by this Legislature last year. Calculated on the
current Federal matching basis, the budget I am recommending
calls for a net increase for headquarters and public assistance of
$2, 676, 229.

To carry on the vital work of rehabilitating our delinquent
children, increased appropriations are proposed for the four training
schools, the three forestry camps and the Maryland Children's Center.
Of the total increase of $384, 465 for these institutions, $142, 114 is for
35 positions and $11, 504 for operating expenses of the new Maryland
Children's Center.

To take care of our increasing prison population, provision has
been made in this budget for additional custodial officers and other
personnel at the Maryland Penitentiary, the Patuxent Institution,
the House of Correction, the Reformatory for Males and the Re-
formatory for Women.

Consideration has been given to the urgent need for improvements