The Worcester County Health Department is led by Health Officer Rebecca L. Jones. The department is divided into six programs, listed below, each with a program director.
Our behavioral health and ambulatory care programs are fully accredited by The Joint Commission, an independent nonprofit organization that accredits and certifies more than 17,000 health organizations and programs in the United States.
Our behavioral health and ambulatory care programs are re-evaluated and accreditation is renewed every three years. The programs have maintained accreditation for 24 years. Information about the safety and quality of accredited behavioral health and ambulatory care organizations is available to the public at www.qualitycheck.org.
Public Health Accreditation Board: As of 2014, Worcester County Health Department has received additional accreditation, with a primary focus on the provision of top quality core public health services, under the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s more than 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.
Below are the divisions within the Worcester County Health Department:
Behavioral Health incorporates both mental health and substance abuse services. Many of our services are held within multiple sites across the county. While many of our services are held on site, we also offer community based services, many of which are listed below. If you aren't sure which direction to head or which program you need, call us and we will help you. If you are a provider looking to refer someone and you need further guidance on the referral process, here's a UNIVERSAL REFERRAL that can help get things started.
Community Health provides a variety of services including immunizations, family planning assistance, HIV, STD and TB monitoring. The program also contains the Maryland Access Point staff. The Community Health Program is also responsible for the Emergency Preparedness functions of the Health Department and led the response to the H1N1 Flu pandemic. Read more...
Dental Center serves patients who are uninsured, underinsured or enrolled in Maryland Healthy Smiles Program AND are under 21 OR pregnant. The Worcester County Dental Center is located at 107 William Street in Berlin. Phone: 410-641-0240. Cost varies with Service. Sliding scale based on income.
Environmental Health Program is responsible for licensing and inspection of food establishments, pools and spas, and body piercing establishments and piercers. They are also responsible for food borne illness outbreak investigations, rabies exposure and animal bite investigations, and health related nuisance complaint investigations. Read more...
Prevention Program aims to promote healthy lifestyle practices through all stages of life, and offers a variety of programs and services to help residents achieve optimum health and wellness. Read more...
Planning Program The Department of Planning and Quality ensures the health department accomplishes its mission by providing support in needs assessment, program planning, program monitoring and tracking, and improving the quality of health services. The program divides its work into the following functional units: Planning, Quality & Accreditation, Local Behavioral Health Authority, and Local Management Board. Read more...
Administration Program provides support functions for the rest of the organization including Accounting, Billing, Facilities Management, Human Resources, and Information Technology. Read more...