STATE CUTS TIES WITH DETENTION HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDER: The Board of Public Works unanimously approved a $724 million contract for pretrial detention medical and mental health services Wednesday over the objections of a troubled incumbent. The vote by the three-member board approves the contract with Centurion of Maryland despite an ongoing set of appeals filed by private equity backed YesCare, which is currently providing services to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
MENTAL HEALTH HELP DIFFICULT TO SECURE IN MARYLAND: In 2023, Americans paid an average premium of $8,435 for individual health care coverage and $23,968 for family coverage, according to a report from the health policy research nonprofit KFF. Health insurance is supposed to make getting medical care easier and more affordable, but that’s not always the case when it comes to mental health care. And in Maryland, people are nearly 9 times more likely to go out of network to get behavioral health care than to get primary care. Angela Roberts/The Baltimore Sun.
STATE HOUSE SECURITY TO BE BEEFED UP: Maryland’s state government is spending more than $300,000 to beef up security at the State House complex in Annapolis, but officials aren’t saying how the money is being used. Pamela Wood and Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.
COMMENTARY: INCLUDE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES IN CLIMATE GOALS: This week, Gov. Wes Moore signed a groundbreaking executive order aimed at protecting us from climate change while fostering an inclusive economy. The order directs every agency to develop solutions and consider Justice40 goals, initiatives and funding to advance environmental justice comprehensively. However, while many policymakers and practitioners recognize the roles of race and place in determining who is overburdened and underserved, Maryland’s 719,000 residents with disabilities, including 350,000 of working age, are often overlooked. Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi/Maryland Matters.
STATE TRANSIT OFFICIALS SEEK CULTURE CHANGE TOWARD ROAD SAFETY: Maryland transportation officials have updated a statewide policy on road safety and transportation access for the first time since it was issued in 2012, expanding the policy’s reach and making it more difficult for projects to be exempt. The new Complete Streets policy — which seeks to place an emphasis on the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and people using mobility devices in the design of roads — will now cover all major state transportation projects. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.
UNION CALLS ON MOORE TO FIRE HEAD OF PUBLIC SAFETY: A union representing state employees is calling on Gov. Wes Moore to fire the head of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services following the killing of a parole and probation agent. Hannah Gaskill/The Baltimore Sun.
PG COUNCIL OKs COMMERCIAL ‘CURFEW ZONES:’ The Prince George’s County Council passed a bill that will allow commercial areas to become curfew zones for minors. The bill gives commercial property owners the ability to request the police chief designate areas as juvenile curfew zones. Lateshia Beachum/The Washington Post.
FEDS SEEK TO CONCEAL UNDERCOVER WITNESS NAMES IN NEO-NAZI CASE: Federal prosecutors want to conceal the names of undercover witnesses who are expected to testify against Brandon C. Russell, the founder of a neo-Nazi group who is charged with planning an attack on Baltimore’s power grid. Madeleine O’Neill/The Baltimore Sun.
HARFORD EXEC PROMISES AN ADDITIONAL $6.5M FOR TEACHER SALARIES: Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly made a slight change of course on education funding Tuesday, pledging an additional $6.5 million for teacher salaries. The county spending on public schools had been set to remain flat next school year. Dillon Mullan/The Aegis.
FREDERICK SCHOOLS CLARIFIES PLEDGE ‘MANDATE:’ Frederick County Public Schools recently clarified to school administrators that anyone can choose not to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance after one school mistakenly told its staff that students and teachers must recite the pledge and give an “approved salute.” Gabrielle Lewis/The Frederick News Post.
