Health Enterprise Zones

WHAT: Public Forum, Health Enterprise Zones

WHEN: Thursday, September 13, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

WHERE: Wor-Wic Community College, Henson Hall, Room 105
32000 Campus Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804

WHO: Officials from the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC)

INVITED: Members of the Eastern Shore Delegation
Local Health Departments
Community and advocacy organizations
Health care providers

This is event is open to the public. Please RSVP to dhmh.hez@maryland.gov dhmh.hez@maryland.gov For further information about the Health Enterprise Zones Initiative, please visit http://dhmh.maryland.gov/healthenterprisezones/SitePages/Home.aspx or contact Mark Luckner, HEZ Planning Team, CHRC, 410.260.7046.

BACKGROUND: The Maryland Health Improvement & Disparities Reduction Act, legislation approved by the Maryland General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor earlier this year, establishes the Health Enterprise Zones (HEZ) Initiative. The purpose of HEZs are to target state resources to address reduce health disparities, improve health outcomes, and reduce health costs and hospital admissions and readmissions in specific areas of the State. This year’s budget provides $4 million in new funding to support HEZs and the Community Health Resources Commission and DHMH will be receiving and reviewing applications later this fall. It is anticipated that approximately 2-4 Zones will be selected, and these designation decisions will be made by the DHMH Secretary this coming December.