Oct 6, 2026 - Council Session (AM)

The Montgomery County Council’s October 6, 2026 session included proclamations for World Mental Health Day, National Principals Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month, followed by a Board of Health briefing from the Department of Health and Human Services. The briefing covered Medicaid eligibility changes, youth suicide-attempt ER visits, behavioral health services, maternal and school health, and the county’s community health transformation program. HHS reported $964,888 in FY27 reductions across three state behavioral-health grants, including approximately $132,000 in lower-utilization or alternatively funded programs and $832,000 in other reductions. The county is assessing service impacts and ways to preserve access to its safety-net programs.

The community health transformation program plans to expand urgent-care access and community health worker support for Montgomery Cares and Care for Kids clients, and includes a first-year EMS treatment-in-place pilot estimated to serve about 250 people. HHS said it was working to finalize a reduced-rate contract with Patriot Urgent Care, expected to complete other urgent-care contracting, and select a nurse-triage vendor; community health worker job offers were pending contract finalization. No vendor selection or contract award was approved during the meeting. The Council approved the consent calendar unanimously; the transcript also referenced funding for Rec Mode and the Street Outreach Network but did not specify the amounts or establish the details of that action.