Maryland’s secretary of well being has authorised the county’s choice for a brand new well being officer — setting the stage for the County Council to resolve whether or not to substantiate the particular person really useful by County Govt Marc Elrich and his administration. 

James Bridgers, who has served because the county’s appearing well being officer since Travis Gayles left the place final September, informed reporters throughout a information briefing Wednesday that Maryland Secretary of Well being Dennis Schrader and different state colleagues have “green-lighted” the county’s decide for its well being officer.

Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Earl Stoddard informed reporters that every council member can have a chance to satisfy with the candidate. Then the total council will meet with the candidate earlier than a remaining affirmation vote is held. 

Chase Prepare dinner, a spokesman for the Maryland Division of Well being, stated Wednesday that the division doesn’t touch upon personnel issues. As a result of the place is a joint appointment with the state and county, the state’s well being secretary should approve the county’s alternative, per state legislation. 

Stoddard added that he hasn’t spoken with the candidate but, however that Raymond Crowel, director of the county’s Division of Well being and Human Companies, stated he talked with the candidate who spoke positively concerning the alternative to work within the Washington, D.C., area.

That’s as a result of the Meals and Drug Administration, Nationwide Most cancers Institute, Nationwide Institutes of Well being, and different well being care infrastructure are situated within the county, offering good alternatives to do necessary work, Stoddard stated.

County officers have declined to call the finalist, citing the necessity to shield privateness for a personnel determination. They’ve beforehand stated that two different candidates who had been interviewed later determined to say no pursuing the opening, as a consequence of political pressures going through well being officers nationwide.  

In January, Gayles testified on a invoice in Annapolis that was aimed toward defending well being officers within the state. He informed Bethesda Journal in an interview in late 2020 that he acquired racist and homophobic emails from individuals due to his selections through the pandemic. 

Gayles started work because the county’s well being officer in September 2017. Because the county’s prime well being officer, he oversaw the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, because the jurisdiction was the primary to report coronavirus instances in Maryland.

He was criticized for his selections relating to restrictions and different measures well being officers took through the pandemic. However a number of elected officers lauded his work, saying he and colleagues had been placing residents’ security first — together with Elrich, who stated on the time of Gayles’ resignation announcement that he would clone Gayles if he may. 

Whereas the coronavirus pandemic has grabbed probably the most consideration because it started in March 2020, the county well being officer offers with a broad spectrum of public well being points, officers stated. Bridgers stated these points vary from pedestrian security to the challenges in getting sure communities immunized for coronavirus and different sicknesses, and offering drug remedy and related therapies.

Each Bridgers and Elrich stated the coronavirus pandemic uncovered inequities inside the well being care system itself. The brand new well being officer will likely be anticipated to assist discover options to fill the gaps with numerous companions, well being clinics and hospitals, they stated.

“One factor that the hospitals had been hit with had been individuals who had pre-existing situations that basically sophisticated the remedy for COVID,” Elrich stated. “And we all know that racial disparities play a big function in that.”

“I felt fairly strongly, and I feel different individuals agree, that we have to come collectively and discuss … the place well being care goes on this county,” Elrich stated. “Given regardless of the federal limits are at this time, what can we do to extra comprehensively handle the well being and well-being of our residents?”

Stoddard added that the well being officer additionally oversees different areas, like licensing and laws for nursing houses and assisted dwelling services, together with psychological well being providers — which Elrich additionally stated he believes are important. 

The brand new well being officer additionally will handle inequities associated to prenatal care and little one care, particularly for communities which have much less sources, Stoddard stated.

“The general public well being officer simply has such an incredible alternative to make long-term good points within the morbidity, mortality and life expectancy of Montgomery County residents…it’s such an necessary place,” Stoddard stated.

Steve Bohnel could be reached at steve.bohnel@bethesdamagazine.com