Health and Mental Hygiene/203
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

Adele Wilzack, R.N., M.E., Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene

Brian Biles, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene

William M. Eichbaum, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Programs

Deborah Lewis-Idema, Assistant Secretary for Health Regulation and Policy Analysis

Jesse E. Williams, Assistant Secretary for Administration

Trevor R. Hadley, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for Mental Health, Mental Retardation. Addictions, and
Developmental Disabilities

Thomas F. Krajewski, M.D., Acting Assistant Secretary for Health
Douglas H. Morgan, Assistant Secretary for Medical Care Programs
Randall M. Lutz, Principal Counsel

201 W. Preston Street

Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-2600
Public Information: 383-2683

Although the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was created in 1969, its historical
development began in the nineteenth century. The Department of Health originally was established in
1874 (Chapter 200, Acts of 1874). The separate development of the Department of Mental Hygiene,
however, dates from 1886, when the State Lunacy Commission was formed (Chapter 487, Acts of 1886).
In 1922 the Commission was abolished and replaced by the Board of Mental Hygiene (Chapter 29, Acts
of 1922). The Board, in turn, was replaced by the Department of Mental Hygiene in 1949 (Chapter 685,
Acts of 1949). By 1961 the State Board of Health and Mental Hygiene was created to maintain authority
over the Department of Health and the Department of Mental Hygiene (Chapter 841, Acts of 1961). The
present Department of Health and Mental Hygiene replaced the State Board in 1969 (Chapter 77, Acts of
1969).

The mission of the Department is to assure the people of Maryland their inherent right to a healthful
environment and a high level of physical, mental, and social health. Through the development of a
comprehensive, continuous, and accessible system of health services for the State, the Department
emphasizes the promotion of health and the prevention of disease and disability.

Many programs are by their nature public functions and cannot be performed effectively by the private
sector. Prime among these is the responsibility for dealing with the epidemiological dimensions of hazards
to health affecting the community, such as environmental pollution and communicable disease, and the
organization of community efforts to prevent or control their impact.

Twenty-four local health departments report to the Assistant Secretary for Health and have access to
all Departmental officials as well. The local health departments are the focal point in the delivery of
services.

The Department provides or purchases direct care services primarily through residential and outpatient
care for the mentally ill, the mentally retarded, the chronically ill, including those with tuberculosis, the
impaired elderly, persons with addictive conditions, and court-referred youths. It provides several
preventive medicine services directly. It develops programs for the rehabilitation of troubled youth and
provides comprehensive health care services for the indigent and medically indigent.

The Department is organized under six assistant secretaries who are responsible for distinct
programmatic areas. The Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene also directs and coordinates numerous
boards, commissions, and various citizen advisory groups.