Ch. 593

1993 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 593
(House Bill 1224)

AN ACT concerning

State and County Appropriations - Local Health Services

FOR the purpose of establishing a formula for the financing of local health services in the
counties; specifying the staffing ratios for local health service's; specifying the
method of calculating the estimated minimum budget for local health services for a
county; providing that the counties pay an adjusted share of the local estimated
minimum budgets for local health services under certain circumstances; specifying
the method of calculating the State share of a county's estimated minimum budget;
specifying the use of certain appropriations; requiring the Governor to include a
certain amount of funding for local health service's beginning with a certain fiscal
year; in certain fiscal years; specifying the use of certain appropriations; requiring a
certain minimum level of funding for each subdivision under certain circumstances;
requiring certain allocations under certain circumstances; establishing a certain
committee to review and make certain recommendations regarding the funding of
local health services; specifying the membership and duties of the committee; and
generally relating to establishing a formula and method of financing and funding for
local health services in the counties.                                                           

Preamble                                          

WHEREAS, Maryland was the first state in the nation to have a local health
department in each subdivision; and

WHEREAS, Local health department programs focus on prevention; and

WHEREAS, Local health programs are a critical component to protecting the
public health; and

WHEREAS, A continuous and definitive State commitment for local health funding
is necessary for local health departments to institute sensible and effective long term
prevention programs; and                                                               

WHEREAS, Since Fiscal Year 1956 State distributions to and subdivision
allocations for local health have been based on the "Case formula" (named after Richard
Case); and                                                                   

WHEREAS, The Case formula reflects a funding partnership between the State
and the subdivisions that acknowledges that both levels of government are responsible for
supporting public health services; and

WHEREAS, The implementation of a national policy for the delivery of health
services will impact local health programs; and                                         

WHEREAS, It is recognized that a review of the system for the delivery of local
health services is needed, but that during this review a definitive State funding
commitment for local health programs must be enacted; now, therefore,

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