The Local Source for News and Information Since 1980
The Caroline County Health Department is our local public health agency, responsible for protecting and improving the health of Caroline County residents through prevention, education, clinical services, and community-based programs.
In October 2025, the Health Department received a $50,000 grant from the Caroline Foundation to launch its Mobile Integrated Health pilot program. The funding covered the program’s costs from October 2025 through September 2026, and has made a difference for some of Caroline’s most vulnerable residents.
Health Department representatives described the MIH program, first launched in December of 2025, as an effort to take a more coordinated approach to reducing 911’s frequent-flyers. The program aims to reduce unnecessary EMS use, prevent avoidable out-of-county hospital readmissions, and establish connections to healthcare for residents who may otherwise struggle to access it.
Using emergency dispatch data, the MIH team identified residents who called 911 more than five times a year, and put them on a list of folks to visit with the MIH van. During these home visits, a part-time community health nurse and part-time community paramedicine provider complete clinical, environmental, and social assessments, which allows them to provide short-term case management.
“Program enrollees receive education related to medications, disease management, and linkage to community resources aimed to keep the client in the community,” the CCHD representatives explained.
The Caroline Foundation’s grant paid for personnel costs as well as equipment and supplies needed during these home visits, including EKG capabilities and lab-draw supplies. Funding also supported safety equipment such as non-skid socks and fire alarms. The Department of Emergency Services provides transportation for visits and can transport an MIH client to the hospital when the team determines it is appropriate.
“Without the awarded Caroline Foundation grant funding, the MIH program would not have been financially feasible,” the CCHD representatives said, “Grant funding is vital for public health organizations such as the Caroline County Health Department to implement and sustain programs.” Such funding allows the Department to expand its workforce and pursue targeted community interventions that may not be covered through traditional federal, state, or local funding, such as MIH programs.
