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County health officer outlines summer risks, service expansions and workforce plans
Summary
At a joint Board of Health session, County Health Officer Dr. Brewster warned of seasonal threats (ticks/alpha‑gal syndrome, Vibrio bacteria and heat illness) and described expansions in school‑based health centers, mobile access planning, behavioral‑health crisis response and data modernization work to improve access across Saint Mary’s County.
Dr. Brewster, the county health officer, told the Saint Mary’s County Board of Health on June 2 that seasonal risks and access gaps require stepped‑up prevention and system coordination this summer. The presentation covered tick‑borne illness (including alpha‑gal syndrome), Vibrio infections in warming waters, heat‑illness prevention and program metrics for county health services.
The board heard why alpha‑gal and other tick‑associated conditions are a growing local concern. “Most people are familiar with Lyme disease … but we’re also starting to see some increasing concern … around alpha‑gal syndrome,” Dr. Brewster said, noting Maryland does not currently make the condition a mandatory reportable disease. He urged residents to do tick checks, use EPA‑registered repellents and remove attached ticks promptly.
Why it matters: Dr. Brewster said better surveillance and public education would help the county target prevention and research. He described operational numbers the department is tracking — for example, its nonemergency medical transportation program has provided roughly 2,600 trips this fiscal year and served more than 660 residents, and school‑based health centers approach 4,000 enrollments with nearly 5,000 medical visits and more than 1,100 behavioral‑health encounters — as evidence that local access programs are being used but need continued investment.
The presentation also summarized a behavioral‑health response continuum the county has built. “Our goal in all of this is, of course, very simple … to provide the right care, in the right time, at the right setting,” Dr. Brewster said, describing 988 call/text access, a contracted mobile crisis response (Assante Southern Maryland) and walk‑in services at the county health hub.
Dr. Brewster highlighted data modernization work supported by the CDC Foundation, including a temporary data architect and senior advisor who will help the department unify records, establish governance and build a public health data hub. He said the county is pursuing a rural health transformation program that could expand school‑based behavioral‑health capacity, fund a third school‑based health center planned for 2027 and encourage mobile health providers.
On water safety the health officer warned about Vibrio species linked to wound infections and illnesses from raw shellfish, and said the department has begun beach monitoring and will publish guidance and test results on the health department website (smchd.org/beaches).
The board asked for follow‑up data displays over time to track trends; Dr. Brewster agreed to provide time‑series graphs at future meetings. The presentation required no board vote; Dr. Brewster concluded by listing upcoming community health events and enrollment dates for nicotine‑cessation classes and other programs.
