For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 17, 2021
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet virtually on Monday, March 18 at 9:30 a.m. and the Planning, Housing & Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet virtually at 1:30 p.m.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
Health & Human Services (HHS) Committee
HHS: Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz (Chair) and Councilmembers Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness and Vulnerable Communities) and Craig Rice.
9:30 a.m.
Department of Health and Human Services Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Review
The Committee will review the County Executive's recommended amendment for the Avery Road Treatment Center in the Department of Health and Humans Services (DHHS) FY21-26 CIP. The project provides for the replacement of the existing Avery Road Treatment Center, which provides residential, non-hospital detoxification and intermediate care services for adults through 20 medical detox and 40 intermediate care beds. The new facility will provide medical detox and intermediate case services and will house an outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment program supported by Medicaid reimbursements.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Rolando Santiago, chief, Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, DHHS; Richard Kunkel, Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, DHHS; Deborah Lambert, Office of Management and Budget; Greg Ossont, deputy director, Department of General Services.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Office of Legislative Oversight Report 2020-11, Telehealth Equity
The Committee also will discuss the findings of Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) Report 2020-11, which responds to the Council’s interest in learning about telehealth and the inequities that may result from its increased use. OLO recommends two actions for Council consideration: advocate to maintain the telehealth laws enacted during pandemic and that technology resources be given to county providers, staff and patients that includes language interpretation services.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Dr. Chris Rogers, Public Health Services, DHHS; Dr. Odile Brunetto, Aging and Disabilities, DHHS; Dr. Rolando Santiago, Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, DHHS; Ms. Barbara Andrews, Early Childhood Services, DHHS.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Discussion with Mary's Center: Telehealth and Strategies to Increase Healthcare Access and Equity
Representatives from Mary’s Center will brief the HHS Committee about their experience using telehealth before COVID and over the last year. Representatives will also provide the Committee with information on their vision for the use of telehealth, including how it has been responsive to the needs of their patients and ways it can help improve access to quality healthcare.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Maria Gomez, president and CEO, Mary’s Center; Dr. Tollie Elliott, chief medical officer; Heather Morgan, chief development officer
Leah Shoval, director of Care Coordination and Ari Holland-Baldwin, advocacy and policy associate
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
PHED: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
1:30 p.m.
Shady Grove Minor Master Plan Amendment—transportation elements and fiscal impact statement
The Committee will continue its review of the Shady Grove Sector Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment, which makes recommendations for land use and zoning within the Shady Grove Minor Master Plan area, as well as recommendations intended to improve overall circulation, pedestrian connections and the network of bikeways for approximately 2,000 acres. This discussion will address the final draft plan’s transportation elements.
The vision of this Sector Plan Amendment is to create a future Shady Grove Metro Station area that is home to a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented environment with attractive streetscapes, distinctive architecture and a sense of place that is complemented with public art, facilities and amenities and new mobility options.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Casey Anderson, chair, Planning Board; Gwen Wright, director, Planning Department; Carrie Sanders, chief, Midcounty Planning Division, Planning Department; Jessica McVary, master plan supervisor, Midcounty Planning Division, Planning Department; Nkosi Yearwood, planner coordinator, Midcounty Planning Division, Planning Department; Patrick Reed, transportation planner coordinator, Midcounty Planning Division, Planning Department; Eric Graye, planning supervisor, Countywide Planning and Policy Division, Planning Department; Christopher Conklin, director, Department of Transportation (DOT); Hannah Henn, deputy director, Transportation Policy, DOT and Andrew Bossi, Director’s Office, DOT.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 51-20, Landlord-Tenant Relations – Window Guards
The Committee will continue its review of Bill 51-20, also known as the Window Safety Act, which would require a landlord of a multifamily dwelling to install and maintain a window guard in each window of a habitable room if a child of age 10 or younger occupies the dwelling or a tenant of the dwelling requests in writing the installation of window guards. Council President Hucker is the lead sponsor and Council Vice President Albornoz and Councilmembers Navarro, Rice, Riemer, Katz and Jawando are cosponsors. Bill 51-20 comes in response to several incidents of young children enduring serious injuries from window falls in Montgomery County. The bill was introduced in December, two months after a two-year-old boy died after falling from an apartment window in Takoma Park. The purpose of Bill 51-20 is to prevent future tragedies of this nature by requiring the installation of window guards in certain multiple dwellings.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Mitra Pedoeem, director, Department of Permitting Services (DPS); Rick Merck, division chief, Commercial Construction, DPS; Ehsan Motazedi, DPS; Aseem Nigam, director, Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA); Dan McHugh, DHCA; Chris Anderson, DHCA and Rosie McCray-Moody, DHCA
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Expedited Bill 50-20, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Fire Safety - Removal of Mercury Service Regulators
The Committee will also review Expedited Bill 50-20, which would require landlords to schedule the immediate replacement of indoor mercury service regulators, and to provide certain notices to tenants. Council President Hucker is the lead sponsor and Councilmember Riemer, Council Vice President Albornoz and Councilmembers Navarro, Katz, Rice, and Jawando are cosponsors. The purpose of the expedited bill is to facilitate the immediate replacement of indoor mercury service regulators with safer, more modern regulators. Indoor mercury service regulators have contributed to fatal building fires. Replacement would improve fire safety and reduce mercury in the environment.
Those expected to provide information at the meeting include: Aseem Nigam, director, DHCA; Dan McHugh, DHCA; Christopher Anderson, DHCA and Lisa Brennan, Office of the County Attorney.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Special appropriation for the Small Business Rental Assistance Program
The Committee will close out its meeting with a review of a $1.5 million special appropriation for the Small Business Rental Assistance Program, which was introduced by Councilmember Jawando. This proposed special appropriation supports County small businesses with small grants to either pay for back rent or to address ongoing rent obligations. The maximum award available is $10,000 or three-months of rent, whichever is less. Councilmember Jawando proposes setting priority considerations for minority- and women-owned businesses and for businesses that lease space in zip codes that have experienced the greatest impact from COVID-19 based on the number of cases.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 21-108