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MOV Health Department runs training on public health emergencies

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, September 4th 2025 at 10:54 GMT by TheNewsCenter
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Maryland’s Health Department Launches Expanded Training for Public‑Health Emergency Responders

On September 3, 2025, WTAP reported that the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is rolling out a new, comprehensive training initiative designed to better prepare the state’s public‑health workforce for the next wave of emergencies. The program, officially dubbed the Maryland Public Health Emergency Response Training (MPHERT), builds on the lessons learned during the COVID‑19 pandemic and the 2024 severe flooding that hit the Chesapeake Bay region. By combining online modules, live simulations, and cross‑agency drills, the Department hopes to create a more agile, interoperable system of responders that can act quickly and efficiently when the next crisis arrives.

Why a New Training Program Is Needed

The article opens with a stark reminder of the Maryland experience during the 2024 floods. “We watched communities suffer from delayed response times and fragmented communication between first‑responders and public‑health officials,” notes MDH Director Dr. Linda Ramos. The floods, which submerged parts of Baltimore, Harford, and Talbot counties, highlighted two major gaps: a lack of standardized training for local health departments and a shortage of coordinated response protocols across agencies.

Similarly, the COVID‑19 pandemic exposed the fragility of the state’s emergency response system. While Maryland was praised for its vaccine rollout and contact‑tracing initiatives, officials admit that “the sheer scale of the outbreak strained our workforce to the brink.” The Department recognized that its staff – who had to juggle data collection, testing, and community outreach – often had insufficient hands‑on training in crisis management. The result: a fragmented, unevenly equipped workforce.

In the months that followed, MDH convened a task force that included epidemiologists, emergency managers, community health workers, and representatives from the National Guard and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The task force’s mandate was to create a “universal curriculum that can be deployed statewide, with flexibility for local needs.”

Core Components of MPHERT

The new program comprises three layers, each targeting different tiers of the public‑health workforce.

1. Foundational Online Course (E‑Learning Module)

Every public‑health employee—from community health workers to senior epidemiologists—must complete a 12‑hour online course. The curriculum covers the basics of emergency preparedness: risk assessment, surge capacity planning, triage protocols, and risk communication. The module includes interactive case studies based on past Maryland emergencies (the 2024 floods, the 2023 opioid overdose surge, and the COVID‑19 pandemic) to illustrate real‑world decision‑making.

2. Specialized Live Simulations

After finishing the online module, staff advance to live simulations conducted quarterly in collaboration with the Maryland State Police, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and local emergency medical services (EMS). These exercises involve mock scenarios, such as a bioterrorism threat or a mass‑casualty event. Participants are evaluated on their use of incident command systems (ICS), information‑sharing protocols, and inter‑agency coordination.

3. Community‑Focused Rapid Response Teams

The Department is also establishing rapid‑response teams (RRTs) in each of the state’s 24 public‑health districts. RRTs consist of a mix of professionals: epidemiologists, nurses, community health workers, and logistics coordinators. These teams receive advanced training in contact tracing, rapid diagnostic testing, and vaccination logistics. They also receive monthly “table‑top” exercises that focus on specific threats such as emerging infectious diseases, chemical spills, or climate‑related disasters.

Funding and Implementation

The MPHERT initiative is funded through a combination of state appropriations and a grant from the CDC’s Public Health Preparedness and Response Program (PHPRP). The state’s budget for 2025 earmarked $12 million for training, while the CDC grant provided an additional $8 million to cover simulation equipment, software licenses, and instructor salaries. The Department plans to spend the first 18 months on curriculum development, pilot testing in three districts, and evaluating outcomes before a full roll‑out.

“Funding is just the first step,” says Dr. Ramos. “We need to build a culture of continuous learning and improvement. That’s why the program isn’t a one‑off course; it’s designed to be an ongoing, evolving effort.”

Community Input and Feedback Loops

One of the article’s most compelling aspects is its emphasis on community involvement. In partnership with the Maryland Coalition for Community Health (MACH), the Department has created a “Community Advisory Board” that meets bi‑annually to review training materials and give input on local needs. For instance, in the rural Chesapeake region, board members expressed a desire for more focus on telehealth and remote contact‑tracing tools. In urban Baltimore, the focus was on addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable resource distribution.

Feedback mechanisms are built into the program’s design. After each live simulation, participants fill out a detailed evaluation form that is automatically forwarded to a central data dashboard. The Department’s data analysts review the results weekly and adjust the curriculum as needed.

The Role of Technology and Data Analytics

The article also highlights the growing role of technology in modern public‑health emergencies. MDH’s Maryland Health Response Platform (MHRP), a new cloud‑based dashboard, integrates real‑time data from hospitals, labs, and emergency services. The platform provides predictive analytics, identifying potential hotspots before they reach critical mass. During the training simulations, participants use the MHRP to practice data‑driven decision‑making.

The platform’s developers emphasized the importance of data interoperability. “We’ve worked closely with the state’s information technology department to ensure that all the disparate data sources—whether from hospitals or local health departments—talk to each other,” says Chief Technology Officer, Maria Nguyen. The platform also supports secure messaging among responders, enabling instant communication in crisis situations.

Early Outcomes and Success Stories

Although the MPHERT program is still in its infancy, the Department is already seeing early successes. In a recent simulation exercise in Harford County, the rapid‑response team was able to deploy a mobile testing unit within 30 minutes of a simulated outbreak announcement, a speed that would have been impossible without the new training. In Baltimore, a community‑health worker team was praised for their effective use of the MHRP to track a surge in opioid overdoses and coordinate with local EMS.

Dr. Ramos notes, “These early results are encouraging. They validate our approach and give us confidence that we can scale this across the entire state.”

Challenges and Criticisms

Not everyone is convinced that the initiative will fully address Maryland’s preparedness gaps. Some critics argue that the program’s emphasis on technology might sideline low‑resource settings that lack high‑speed internet or modern devices. Others worry that the training may be too time‑consuming for already overworked staff. To address these concerns, the Department has committed to offering flexible, asynchronous learning options and ensuring that training is integrated into regular staff development cycles.

Looking Ahead

The article concludes with a forward‑looking perspective. MDH plans to expand the MPHERT initiative to include a Youth Emergency Response Corps, training high‑school and college students in basic first aid, disaster preparedness, and community outreach. Additionally, the Department intends to host an annual Maryland Emergency Preparedness Summit to bring together local, state, and federal stakeholders to review progress, share best practices, and refine protocols.

In a world where public‑health emergencies can emerge from pandemics, climate events, or even intentional threats, Maryland’s Department of Health is taking a bold step toward a more resilient, coordinated, and data‑driven response system. By investing in comprehensive training, cutting‑edge technology, and community collaboration, the state is positioning itself to better protect its residents in the face of future crises.