CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

HEALTH

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

[photo, Calvert County Health Department, 975 Solomon's Island Road North, Prince Frederick, 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 Calvert County Board of Health (Chapter 22, Acts of 1886).


Calvert County Health Department, 975 Solomon's Island Road North, Prince Frederick, Maryland, July 2008. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

The Board of County Commissioners appointed the County's first health officer as a part-time position in 1900. In 1914, the Board of Health 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). 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). Calvert appointed a full-time health officer in 1924, and added a sanitarian and secretarial staff in 1933.

Today, the Health Department, under direction of the Health Officer, provides public health services and administers and enforces State and local health laws and regulations within Calvert 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 3-202).

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).

LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY
Under authority of the Secretary of Health, a core service agency is designated by each county government to plan, manage, and monitor the delivery of publicly funded mental health services in the county (Code Health-General Article, secs. 10-1201 through 10-1203). In Calvert County, this originally was the Mental Health Core Service Agency, which later was renamed the Local Behavioral Health Authority.

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

Search the Manual
e-mail: mdmanual@maryland.gov


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.

Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!

[ Archives' Home Page  ||  Maryland Manual On-Line  ||  Reference & Research
||  Search the Archives   ||  Education & Outreach  ||  Archives of Maryland Online ]

Governor     General Assembly    Judiciary     Maryland.Gov

© Copyright September 26, 2023 Maryland State Archives