PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — There’s positive news from the Calvert County Board of Health. According to Health Officer Dr. Nimfa Teneza-Mora, Calvert County ranked both above Maryland averages and national averages in categories that measure public health and well-being.
These measurements come from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. They’re meant to provide comparable data and metrics to help public health officials identify patterns in their populations and find room for improvement. The program includes data from multiple sources to provide a snapshot of the health of almost every county in the U.S. The categories include data points like life expectancy and premature death.
Quality of life indicators include an array of factors like adult obesity, diabetes prevalence and frequent mental or physical distress.
The data showed that Calvert is among the healthiest counties in Maryland, with high scores in community health indicators. The county also met state averages across the board with chronic diseases.
Dr. Teneza-Mora cited funding as a core reason why Calvert County wasn’t “the healthiest.” Calvert residents fall behind Maryland averages when it comes to access to exercise opportunities, mental health providers, dentists and primary care providers.
Calvert residents also lack access to parks and recreational spaces, with “access” being defined by residents being within 3 miles of a space.
Board members expressed particular concern over access to mental health providers and increases in mental health struggles since the COVID shutdowns of 2020. County Commissioner and Health Board Member Mike Hart questioned whether mental health was “taboo” in schools and asked about resources for students.
Dr. Teneza-Mora pointed to a pilot program that offers mental health services in three schools so far, and said that once they have data on those programs and “iron out the kinks,” they hope to expand the program to all secondary schools. She further advocated for the necessity of “protective factors” for students, such as having a trusted adult they can confide in.
“There are mentoring programs, but those are small and slow and it’ll take time for those to actually be a part of community practices.”
Both the board and Dr. Teneza-Mora were optimistic about Calvert’s health and its future.
“Hopefully we can make an impact one kid at a time,” Teneza-Mora said, and enthusiastically suggested continuing the conversation at later meetings.
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