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Howard County Health Department flags $900,000–$1 million in possible grant reductions; maternal health and school-based clinics still expanding
Summary
Deputy health officer Antigone Vickery briefed council members on the Health Department's FY26 request and program highlights, noting an estimated $900,000 to $1 million of current federal/state funding exposure and describing growth in maternal-infant services, school-based wellness, and community health worker outreach.
Antigone Vickery, deputy health officer, presented the Howard County Health Department's FY26 operating request and emphasized program continuity while flagging federal and state funding uncertainty. The department reported a requested 13.7% increase for the budget line that covers staff and services (the department attributed most of the increase to IT chargebacks and state-imposed salary increases plus a half-year funding request for a mental-health court clinical position).
Vickery and staff described programmatic highlights: expansion of maternal and infant health navigation and a doula-training initiative; a 25% increase in enrollment at a campus-based reproductive health clinic at Howard Community College; ten school-based wellness sites with a 10% utilization rise; sharp rises in contacts for peer recovery staff supporting opioid response; and a strong environmental-health performance with 90% of mandated food inspections completed this year (surpassing prior goals).
On the department's financial exposure, Vickery said initial known reductions amounted to about $900,000–$1 million so far, including a 10% cut in certain state core funding. She urged councilors to consider the county's role in backstopping programs if federal or state cuts materialize. On senior services, Ophelia Ott said the county's 65+ population is about 16% today and projected to increase; she noted Title III (Older Americans Act) funds support congregate meals (donation-based but not means-tested) and home-delivered meals. The department described an award from CareFirst to establish a local Food Council focused on food access and nutrition.
Ending: Health Department officials agreed to share planned reports (including the latest concert/noise monitoring report and details on maternal and doula programs) with the council and to continue briefing evaluations of grant exposure as state and federal signals develop.
