Under direction of the Health Officer, the Health Department provides public health services, and administers and enforces State and local health laws and regulations within the County. 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 3-306).
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).
Today, the Health Department oversees six bureaus: Administrative Support Services; Behavioral Health; Clinical Services; Community Health Services; Health Care Access; and Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness. The Department also is aided by the Board of Health and the Child Fatality Review Team.
Seven members constitute the Board. They are appointed to three-year terms by the County Executive (Code Health-General Article, secs. 3-201, 3-202).
CHILD FATALITY REVIEW TEAM
The Child Fatality Review Team seeks to develop an understanding of the causes and incidence of child death in Baltimore County. The Team develops plans for and recommends changes within the agencies represented on the Team to prevent child deaths; and promotes compensation and coordination among agencies involved in investigations of child deaths, or in providing services to surviving family members. The Team also advises the State Child Fatality Review Team on changes to law, policy, or practice to prevent child deaths (Chapters 355 & 356, Acts of 1999; Code Health-General Article, secs. 5-705 through 5-709).
BUREAU OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
The Council develops, submits to the Governor, and implements plans and strategies with which to evaluate, prevent, and treat alcohol and drug abuse in Baltimore County.
MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
BUREAU OF CLINICAL SERVICES
BUREAU OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
BUREAU OF HEALTH CARE ACCESS
BUREAU OF PREVENTION, PROTECTION, & PREPAREDNESS
Appointed by the County Executive with County Council consent, the Board consists of seven members who serve two-year terms (County Code, secs. 3-3-401 through 3-3-405).
ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION
The Commission advises the County Executive and County Council on matters concerning animal care and welfare, animal rescue and adoption, control of the animal population, animal bite prevention, zoonotic disease transmission, standards for animal shelters, training of personnel and volunteers, and other issues related to the Animal Services Division (County Code, secs. 3-3-2401 through 3-3-2407).
The Commission's eleven members are appointed to the three-year terms by the County Executive and County Council.
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The Bureau of Behavioral Health formed from the merger of the Mental Health Bureau with the Substance Abuse Bureau in July 2009. The Bureau serves as the Core Services Agency for the County.
DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE COUNCIL [BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL]
In 2004, a drug and alcohol abuse council was authorized in each county by the General Assembly (Chapters 237 & 238, Acts of 2004; Code Health-General Article, sec. 8-1001).
The Mental Health Advisory Council advises the Bureau of Behavioral Health (Code Health-General Article, secs. 10-308 through 10-312).
The Bureau of Clinical Services began as the Child, Adolescent and Reproductive Health Bureau and reformed under its present name in July 2009.
Formerly the Long-Term Care Bureau, the Bureau of Community Health Services organized under its present name in July 2009.
The Bureau of Health Care Access was formerly the Medical Social Work Bureau. It adopted its current name in July 2009.
The Bureau of Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness originated as the Disease Control Bureau. In July 2009, it reorganized under its present name.
ANIMAL CONTROL DIVISION
(County Code, secs. 12-1-103 through 12-1-114)
ANIMAL HEARING BOARD
The Animal Hearing Board hears and rules on appeals of citations issued under County animal control laws (County Code, secs. 12-1-101 through 12-8-107). On matters related to enforcement of those laws, regulation of animal-holding facilities, animal cruelty, and other animal issues, the Board makes recommendations to the County Executive and County Council.
In 2015, the Animal Services Advisory Commission was established.
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