[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6573928,"mediaKeyId","3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404","parentId",3140115,"title","Prince George’s health department outlines FY26 budget, opioid abatement fund and risks to grant‑funded services","audioSeconds",1918,"startMs",3936442,"endMs",5854855,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404&start=3936&end=5854","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404/thumbnail_3936442.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6573928/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Prince-Georges-health-department-outlines-FY26-budget-opioid-abatement-fund-and-risks-to-grantfunded-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573928-6ae54fa532bcfe9fea1ec769736a0f4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516960&Signature=fXao-6-iL4E-3cqgWxsQhX4Df-d0BsAEo4bszwxY4FwHTLRURaN8iPtJKa8jTYAIaj4TqNoDYEQYz7mPuQiWKb6poEQD57gpE10nuqAlGQ2y6aurIost0HmbragFAkvHddGz5iPJ-p4R6uUrfzR6mdJ7Rwrnh~xQJzeMmgoOi-Xrq5wTt4Nyb5ZEer5x5veXoPEh06GhCJNXkPkpMobXLt7ZNU4D6NCnqKhnlysp~YbfJ3Q0LuaBOoaNe9nkF7HqoWxrclAp0geoQLHzfUiaUo3ZNmkrZuLQw883c3xdbIg~9XsL5~mhICcvUtMN2XZ5MV8INrXNsiSJCYraagyCgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George","date","2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Prince George’s County Health Department told the County Council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that its proposed fiscal 2026 budget is $106.7 million and that the department faces significant grant‑funding risk, staffing shortages for grant‑funded positions and operational challenges with its permitting system.

David Noto, the county budget analyst, said the department’s FY26 proposal is $106,700,000, an increase of $14.6 million from the FY25 approved budget. He said 32% of the proposed budget is general fund, 56.6% grant funding and 11.3% from a new Opioid Local Abatement Special Revenue Fund. Noto said the opioid fund is a new county account with $12.1 million in FY26 from the county’s share of the national opioid settlement and state allotments; the department will use those funds for permitted opioid remediation purposes and expects some funding to continue for up to 18 years, though annual amounts may vary.

Noto and Health Officer Dr. Akil H. Levy (introduced by the department) told the committee that many health‑department services are legally required through the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) and that reduced state or federal grants could force reductions in required work such as hearing and vision screening, TB control, immunizations, pool and restaurant inspections, septic and well inspections, and communicable disease control. Noto said the department had a limited‑term grant‑funded vacancy rate of 87% as of March and that low compensation for hard‑to‑fill positions is a recruitment barrier.

The presentation covered capital projects. Noto said the ribbon cutting for the new regional health and human services center was April 1 and that the department will move into the building shortly. He also described a WSSC water‑septic connection project in underserved communities that uses $1.6 million in congressional directed spending and county matching funds to connect households with failing septic systems to the WSSC sewer system. The Chevrolet Clinic building remains problematic, the department said, with ongoing maintenance issues.

Noto and Dr. Levy said the county’s Momentum permitting and licensing electronic system is not fully functional and continues to cause inaccurate inspection and permit counts and operational inefficiencies, requiring staff to assist clients with applications.

Dr. Levy summarized department accomplishments and strategic priorities, including a new strategic plan with four priorities (chronic disease, maternal health, behavioral health and access to care). He said the department had collected about $66.7 million in previously owed accounts receivable in FY25 and had hired roughly 75 staff despite hiring freezes and budget uncertainty. Dr. Levy emphasized that public health is a public‑safety function and warned that grant reductions could reduce clinical and inspection capacity.

On behavioral health infrastructure, committee members asked about the Dyer Care Center (the county’s crisis care center). Dr. Levy said the Dyer Center is operational, has 16 beds and can receive walk‑ins, law‑enforcement transports and MRT referrals, but staff and the county are working through some final operational hurdles. Council members asked about a 40‑bed residential treatment facility included in budget documents; Dr. Levy and other staff clarified there is no current funded plan to open a 40‑bed residential treatment facility in FY26 and that the references in the capital plan are out‑year placeholders without current funding.

Why it matters: public‑health services — including inspections, communicable‑disease control, maternal and behavioral health services — are largely grant funded and the department said it faces staff‑shortage and grant risks that could reduce service levels.

Looking ahead: the department will move into the new regional center and begin implementation of strategic priorities. Council staff and departmental leaders said they will monitor federal and state grant actions and the department will pursue private philanthropy and state coordination to fill gaps where possible.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Prince George - Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee - Budget Work-session: Homeland Security, Office of the Sheriff, Health Department - Apr 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Health Department presented a $106.7 million FY26 budget proposal that includes a new opioid local abatement fund, capital work on regional health centers, continuing problems with the Momentum permitting system and substantial grant and staffing risks that could reduce inspections and community health services.","taxTitle","Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",3378,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6573932,"Prince George’s County sheriff seeks more staff, clinical support as courthouse security obligations and evictions strain resources",2012,1877915,3890760,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404&start=1877&end=3890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404/thumbnail_1877915.jpg","/articles/6573932/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Prince-Georges-County-sheriff-seeks-more-staff-clinical-support-as-courthouse-security-obligations-and-evictions-strain-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573932-660901b4cc6f616e14f073ef65adf5cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516960&Signature=TcoRYaDYDxWURgraDK-~xrF2T-ZX~TRJigCm1PoaSY1CQzaCLD5GVYRKgzVWe4W2bSnGBAB1BoQBiDMf6BnR7iOjLRstQ3FJ3DdaGh19KEs9UZsQUJNbSAUD4VTe~rVaSa-Ck5fzxprakNCOKolXpdXxBAQGAuUoMnxlNmasowOIbZuNc7Qf4j~1uI0~nhwPCN9qWQNYhSTH97l1QBUqd6x9pfLjjUzo-LIFnbaZr0XbunZYUqsc3-rTXGv3gvoqgcruMHKqRh9mP56zXfxwWGZ6j7znZUj3WHX3TqOOqQUie1AuBBR0MtNeuCpPPrqgtXyD6EPV2kqoJXEqko95ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff Michael Carr told the County Council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that his office is operating under staffing pressures that include courthouse security mandates, high eviction activity and a rising need for behavioral‑health supports for deputies.

Malcolm Moody, the council’s budget analyst for the sheriff, presented the office’s FY26 proposed operating budget at about $65.9 million and noted a supplemental request in the $2.5–2.4 million range. The presentation described grant funding that supports 23 full‑time positions and said overall staffing totals are unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

Carr introduced senior staff and described operational challenges, including court security workload. He told the committee the Upper Marlboro courthouse has seen about 4,000 visitors a month and said a change in court staffing expectations — described in the meeting as a requirement emerging from Annapolis — would require two deputy sheriffs in every criminal courtroom and one deputy in civil courtrooms. \"We still gonna be in a deficit because now with this mandate coming from the state, we will have to figure out ways to hire additional staffing,\" Carr said. He provided vacancy figures: 62 total vacancies, including about 34 sworn and 26 civilian vacancies.

Committee members raised domestic violence service levels and evictions. Carr said the sheriff’s office still serves the county for service of peace and protective orders, averaging \"a high volume\" and that peace orders are on the rise. He said the office has taken steps to make eviction activity more transparent and to coordinate resources: the office posts eviction addresses (not names) online to let residents and service providers find assistance, and the sheriff described working with Emergency Rental Assistance Program and social services. Carr said the office recently handled a large eviction effort at North Hill Apartments — about 195 eviction filings — and reported that many were administratively closed after outreach and resource coordination; on the first day 20 were carried out, the second day 6.

On mental health, Carr and members of the council said deputies and staff are exposed to high levels of stress when executing domestic violence, eviction and warrant duties. Assistant Sheriff Carr described a proposed behavioral health unit and asked the council to consider adding a clinical technician or similar clinical staff to provide psych services to deputies. Council Vice Chair Fisher and others emphasized the need to support staff: \"Losing somebody from your agency because of mental health is something that, again, it resonates throughout your agency,\" a council member said.

Carr said the sheriff’s office supports a school‑based program with nine schools and about 650 youths and seeks to maintain or grow it, but he warned that mandated courtroom staffing could force repositioning of deputies away from some community roles. On the question of a new sheriff headquarters, OMB Director Stanley Early said funding to convert the former County Administration Building into a new headquarters is included in the capital budget; Early said design work is largely done and discussions remain about timing and details.

Why it matters: courthouse staffing mandates, eviction caseloads and deputy mental‑health needs affect county public safety operations and budget priorities. The sheriff asked the council to consider staffing, clinical support for employees and continued funding for community programs.

Looking ahead: the office is conducting a staffing study to quantify needs, seeks funding for clinical behavioral‑health staff and expects continued coordination with the county on a headquarters relocation.","Sheriff Michael Carr told the council the office faces vacancies, court security mandates that could require more deputies per courtroom, a high eviction caseload, and a need for behavioral‑health clinical staff; county officials said funding for a new sheriff headquarters is included in capital plans.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6573936,"Prince George's County homeland security seeks to stem 911 vacancies, add high‑school pathway to dispatcher jobs",682,44925,727144,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404&start=44&end=727","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140115-3e8c6fd30df2c5c3f0e0701d2efba404/thumbnail_44925.jpg","/articles/6573936/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Prince-Georges-County-homeland-security-seeks-to-stem-911-vacancies-add-highschool-pathway-to-dispatcher-jobs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573936-fcbffb06555c9b1d12c4734142463bc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516960&Signature=C~6~jy2GyOypmBSCiGwPuQLmJJSkGiAdN6KRLs3ywgJsjF-3Wus2Prf61lhqUKQxk~cOqrdu0s6K0hWZvn9lAHgx24TGZovbo~F6-aXQLpDSszrnw5w0DnU5FrqFd6EpyVJk6By2I7cxN~4BJk6BHQOcMUqgvpkG6btdF9AYlnLAmvqc-VHJ6SIlWyP7oVFTi8wAjPZzRKnhPvkQ287a0nou1beNa5sAJkaLdo7CXTx5HSQQHoFqMEAYuDOYi~KVnIMaXX2iBmXF9UBC-I9a2xq0dZCFMFdSZMRIxV6yb8bR716yHYYzjqU4068Gq8Eu4U-FsC64uN9Cb7~jkDVkKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security told the County Council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee on April 30 that its proposed fiscal 2026 budget is $47.1 million and that the office is continuing efforts to reduce vacancies in 911 call‑taking and dispatch positions.

David Williams, budget analyst in the county’s Budget and Policy Analysis Division, told the committee the total proposed Office of Homeland Security budget is $47,100,000, a decrease of $170,800 (0.4%) from the previous fiscal year, with 93.8% of the budget from the general fund and 6.2% from grants. Williams said compensation is proposed at $19.5 million, operating expenses $18.3 million, fringe $6.4 million and overtime $2.8 million; grant funds are proposed at $2.9 million, an increase of $622,700 (27%) from the prior year.

Director Ronald Gill, Office of Homeland Security, described core services the office provides, including 911 call services and dispatch, management of body‑worn and in‑car cameras, public safety records systems and countywide emergency management. Gill said the office’s FY26 staffing complement would be 219 full‑time general‑fund positions, 11 limited‑term grant positions and one part‑time general‑fund position.

Gill and analysts highlighted recent vacancy reductions in the emergency dispatch center: 37 vacancies in FY23, 22 in FY24 and 13 in FY25, a decline Gill called a “65% decrease in vacancies for emergency dispatchers and call takers from April 2023 to April 2025.” He said five incumbent call takers were enrolled in an apprenticeship and that successful completion would reduce vacancies further.

The office flagged rising costs for video storage and long‑term media retention; Williams said projected video storage costs are approximately $992,000. Gill said the office is enhancing the emergency operations center with federal grant dollars and is working regionally on CAD‑to‑CAD dispatch functionality and on an emergency 911 call registry scheduled to go live on 05/05/2025.

Gill described a new “pathway to work” initiative with Prince George’s County Public Schools. He said the Maryland State Department of Education approved the national basic 911 dispatch certification as an industry‑recognized credential to be embedded in PGCPS homeland security and emergency preparedness career and technical education programs. In phase 1, Gill said, all students in the program will receive the certification; phase 2 will pilot a blended learning internship for a limited number of seniors from Bowie, High Point, Parkdale and Potomac high schools, with lessons beginning in September 2025. \"The intent is to have fully trained and qualified specialists who would then be eligible to become 911 specialists after they complete high school,\" Gill said.

Council members pressed the office on climate‑related preparedness and the agency’s dependence on federal grants. Gill said emergency management functions are integral to the county climate action plan and warned that if federal grant dollars are lost, emergency management staffing could fall by about 60–65% and funding by about 80%, because \"most of our funding for training, for exercise, for our employees are tied to federal grama dollars.\" He said that with current federal support the office will continue training, planning and preparedness work.

Several council members also asked about pay and retention. Gill acknowledged regional salary competition and long training timelines — he said a new hire can take six months to begin answering calls and nearly a year to be fully effective — and identified salary differences and workload as drivers of turnover. He and OMB Director Stanley Early said classification review and budgeted adjustments on the low end of pay grades are being considered.

Why it matters: the Office of Homeland Security oversees the county’s first‑response communications and emergency management. Staffing levels, system upgrades and the office’s dependence on grant funding affect response capacity for weather events, multi‑jurisdiction incidents and countywide emergencies.

Looking ahead: the office will continue recruitment and apprenticeship efforts, pursue grant‑funded EOC upgrades and pilot the school certification program in September 2025. The committee was warned that grant funding risks could force programmatic reductions if federal resources are curtailed.","The Office of Homeland Security presented its FY26 budget, highlighting a $47.1 million proposal, continuing vacancy reductions in 911 call takers and dispatchers, grant funding risks, rising video storage costs and a new high‑school certification pathway for 911 dispatch.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Prince George’s health department outlines FY26 budget, opioid abatement fund and risks to grant‑funded services

Prince George’s County sheriff seeks more staff, clinical support as courthouse security obligations and evictions strain resources

Prince George's County homeland security seeks to stem 911 vacancies, add high‑school pathway to dispatcher jobs