Health and Human Services Workgroup
The workgroup’s two principal
areas of research are health and human services. The health field incorporates
issues concerning public health including emergency response, the Medicaid
program (including the Maryland Children’s Health Program, Primary Adult Care
program, as well as traditional Medicaid), long-term care, behavioral health
(including issues concerning the developmentally disabled, individuals with
serious mental illness, and individuals with substance abuse problems), private
health insurance, health regulation, and health occupational licensing and
regulation. Human services issues are focused primarily on public benefit
programs such as temporary cash assistance, child welfare, and child support.
Other areas of concern to the workgroup are aging and juvenile justice issues.
The workgroup responds to
numerous legislative requests during the year as well as pursuing research on
other topics considered of interest to legislators. In the 2010 interim,
ongoing projects include the impact of federal health reform on the State, a 10‑year
retrospective on the Cigarette Restitution Fund and programs financed by that
fund, a review of the implementation of medical marijuana laws in other states,
the ongoing implementation of electronic health records, concerns about the
development of a new federal poverty measure and the potential impact of such a
measure on State programs, and a review of local health department financing
and funding priorities.
The workgroup produces one biannual
report, Public Benefits for Children and Families, which attempts to
assess the value of the public benefits that are available to families and individuals
by local jurisdiction. Other reports are on an ad hoc basis. In addition to
formal reports, workgroup research is often incorporated into Issue Papers
prepared for the Maryland General Assembly as well as operating budget
documents.
Reports
Survey of Local Health Departments in Maryland
(January 2013)
Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (Presentation to
the Joint Republican Caucus, January 2013)
Public Benefits for Children and Families
Updated Estimate of the Cost of Maryland Medicaid of Federal
Health Care Reform
Stem Cell Research
Health Disparities
Issue Papers
Data Dashboards