Dorchester County Health Department

Adults 65 and older are recommended to get a spring 2024 COVID-19 vaccine. You may get your next dose at least 4 months after your last one.

Call 410-228-0235 to schedule an appointment at the department’s satellite center or call your medical provider or pharmacy.

$13.5M to behavioral health

Governor Wes Moore announced that the Maryland Department of Health awarded $13.5 million in grants to 19 jurisdictions across the state to help promote health equity and improve access to behavioral health crisis services for Marylanders. The grants will fund pilot programs to expand and improve mobile crisis team services and establish behavioral health crisis stabilization centers, which provide high quality, person-centered services.

All 19 jurisdictions that applied will receive funding to participate in the pilot program, including establishing Behavioral Health Crisis Stabilization Centers in Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s and Washington counties, as well as Baltimore City. This funding also supports mobile crisis team development and expansion in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties, as well as Baltimore City.

If you are in danger or need immediate medical attention, call 911.

For more information about behavioral health crisis services, visit health.maryland.gov/bha. 

Medicare enrollment deadlines

Not happy with your Medicare Advantage Plan? You can still make a change! Miss your initial enrollment period? Now is your chance to enroll!

March 31 is an important deadline if you're eligible for Medicare. Every year there are two Medicare Enrollment Periods from Jan. 1-March 31:

The Medicare General Enrollment Period is for those who missed their Initial Enrollment Period and want to enroll in Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Part B (Medical Insurance).

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is for those already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan who want to switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or to go back to original Medicare.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is available to offer free, non-biased assistance on enrolling for Medicare. For more information, go to aging.maryland.gov/SHIP, Medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

$134K to dementia caregivers

The Maryland Department of Aging is pleased to congratulate six nonprofit organizations that have been awarded a total of $134,000 for programs supporting people with dementia and those caring for them.

The funds will be used to implement comprehensive home- and community-based supportive services, improve coordination of care, and expand opportunities for social support to maximize the health and autonomy for those living with dementia.

“Supporting people with dementia and their caregivers helps maintain dignity and keeps older adults with dementia independent in the community - a much preferred and less expensive alternative to institutional nursing home care,” said Mark Tesoro, MDOA cognitive and behavioral health specialist.

Currently in Maryland, 110,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, a number projected to increase to 130,000 by 2025, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Additionally, 247,000 family caregivers bear the burden of the disease in Maryland, providing an estimated $8.1 billion of unpaid care.

Navigating dementia

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias represent a growing public health crisis across the nation.

Recognizing the unique needs of those living with dementia and their caregivers, the Geriatrics & Gerontology Education and Research Program at University of Maryland, Baltimore is hosting a Maryland Department of Aging funded series of five webinars and two in-person conferences over the next few months. All sessions are free and open to the public.

The new professional development and community educational series, Navigating Dementia, will provide valuable knowledge, resources and support on topics related to aging, cognitive health, dementia care and caregiving in Maryland. Aging services professionals, caregivers of persons living with dementia, and anyone with an interest in matters concerning older adults may register for free. Go to umaryland.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5vy7KA07lgoHBoa to register. For more information, contact ggear@umaryland.edu.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Governor Wes Moore has proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Maryland, recognizing the unlimited potential of Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To celebrate, the Developmental Disabilities Administration is highlighting several licensed providers and community members in a series of videos titled “Innovation in Our Communities,” showcasing state-of-the-art approaches to enhancing people’s abilities to live, work and thrive.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is observed nationwide every March to promote understanding, inclusion and advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities. The department’s video series will highlight resources from several providers, including The Arc Baltimore, Seeking Employment, Equality and Community for People with Developmental Disabilities and The Arc of Southern Maryland. 

The video series will premiere on the Maryland Department of Health’s social channels every week in March. For updates, follow the department’s Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. 

Human Trafficking 101

For All Seasons will sponsor a Lunch & Learn, “Human Trafficking 101,” on April 10 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce in Cambridge. In 2024, For All Seasons expanded its human trafficking awareness efforts to engage the Shore’s business community. The International Labor Organization estimates that forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry worldwide.

Last year, For All Seasons joined a statewide network of agencies working to respond to and prevent human trafficking under the Maryland Human Trafficking Regional Navigator Program. The Eastern Shore – and especially the Route 50 corridor – experiences a high volume of cases. Several of the known factors that increase the prevalence of human trafficking on the Eastern Shore include rural communities, poverty, proximity to airports, large public events, and more.

To register, visit bit.ly/HumanTrafficing101. To learn more about For All Seasons Human Trafficking programs or to request information about trainings and presentations on Human Trafficking for your organization, visit WeSupportSurvivors.org or contact Susan Ahlstrom at sahlstrom@forallseasonsinc.org.

Dorchester County Health Department

If you have chronic medical conditions, need help with daily living, and are at risk of being placed in a facility for care, a state program finds services to help you stay in your home.

Go to MarylandAccessPoint,info or call 410-742-0505, ext. 109, for more information about the program.

You must have Medicaid to be eligible for services.

DDA offices

Learn about the Maryland Department of Health - Developmental Disabilities Administration’s four regional offices and how its teams can help you or your loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities at bit.ly/3zWzpMG.

Give blood

The Blood Bank of Delmarva asks local residents to schedule an appointment to give blood by calling 1-888-8-BLOOD-8 or going to delmarvablood.org.