Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) announced that legislation funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education for Fiscal Year 2010, which passed the House today, contains significant investments that will benefit Maryland and the fifth congressional district, including $400,000 for the College of Southern Maryland to address the nursing workforce shortage and $250,000 for the Charles County Community Health Center to provide preventative services to at-risk populations.
“Today, the House passed a fiscally responsible bill that will give more children in Maryland the high quality education they deserve, make it easier for more Marylanders to go to college, and invest in critical health care programs and life-saving research,” said Rep. Hoyer. “I am pleased to announce that this legislation included funding for various programs that will benefit residents in my district.”
Congressman Hoyer helped secure funding for the following programs that will benefit the citizens of Maryland and the 5th Congressional District:
American Russian Cancer Alliance, in partnership with the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute - $1,000,000
Funding for this project would be used to continue a collaborative project between American and Russian cancer research institutions to use their specialized expertise to advance cancer research and its ultimate translation into clinical application. This funding leverages the expertise, resources and materials provided by both nations to conduct advanced cancer research. In the past, this research has included the development and production of pharmaceutical grade radioisotopes, and future research will study the effectiveness of an antibody designed to discriminate between cancers and normal, healthy tissue, allowing for even earlier cancer detection.
Best Buddies Maryland - $300,000
Best Buddies is an organization that enhances the lives and fosters the social integration of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This funding would support the 5th District's 18 volunteer-run chapters, as well as additional chapters throughout the State of Maryland. The funding supports the activities of thousands of Best Buddies participants using a proven and research-tested model. One 2005 study at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill found, "[the] Best Buddy environment is a unique context in which adolescents with [intellectual disabilities] have the potential to learn new skills and safely experiment with new social roles and experiences" (Prinstein and Aikins 2005).
College of Southern MD Simulation Alliance for Health Education - $400,000
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) and the region's hospitals and health care facilities have long shared a collaborative relationship in the development of the regional nursing workforce, and all are committed to developing innovative strategies to address the current and future nursing workforce shortage. By building on the simulation technologies and experience that currently exist at CSM, a Southern Maryland Simulation Alliance for Health Education will work to meet the challenges of the nursing workforce shortage. The funding would be used to purchase equipment needed to furnish three clinical simulation laboratories. This project provides an effective simulation environment that can reduce failure rates in the nursing program, provide participants with competency testing prior to graduation, and allow hospitals to validate competencies and further develop clinical skills in their nursing staffs.
Community Health Integrated Partnership - Electronic Patient Record System - $500,000
The funding would be used for the equipment, software, and technical assistance associated with implementing an integrated Electronic Patient Record System (EPRS) throughout the State of Maryland. EPRS is an example of health information technology (Health IT), which studies have consistently shown is necessary to improving the provision of and access to care, preventing medical errors and reducing overall costs for care. This funding would help increase access to health care in rural areas where access remains limited. For example, by having on-line access to patients' health records, Greater Baden Medical Services, the 5th District's federally qualified health center, can serve Southern Maryland patients from remote locations and see patients at any site that is accessible to the patient.
Charles County Community Health Center - $250,000
Funding will be used to establish a health, wellness and dental center in Bel Alton, MD. Charles County is home to many un- and underinsured, as well as a disproportionate percentage of disabled residents as compared to the national average. In rural communities such as Bel Alton, reduced access to preventive and routine health and dental services results in an increased frequency of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. This funding will be used to provide preventive services to at-risk populations and reduce health care costs in Southern Maryland rural communities.
"Safe Nights" Program for the Homeless in Charles County, MD - $60,000
This funding would be used to provide services for homeless individuals and those left temporarily without shelter living in Charles County, MD. With rising costs in this period of economic downturn, this funding provides assistance to Southern Maryland's most disadvantaged populations. Program beneficiaries receive guidance toward becoming self-sufficient, including a clothes closet, emergency food pantry, financial management assistance, counseling, job and housing searches, and life-skills development. All services are focused toward equipping individuals with the tools they need to obtain employment and become independent once again.
Rebuilding Together, "Safe at Home" Elder Falls Prevention - $350,000
According to Rebuilding Together, "Medical treatment for the elderly who have fallen cost more than $19 billion in 2000, and is projected to increase to $43.8 billion by 2020." Rebuilding Together will continue its Safe at Home, Falls Prevention Initiative, which will cover St. Mary's, Calvert, Anne Arundel, and Charles counties in Maryland. A number of at-risk elderly homeowners in the Fifth District will receive falls prevention home modifications, and funding will also allow for increased training for Southern Maryland chapters of Christmas in April and local falls prevention practitioners. This funding will prevent costly hospitalizations and ensure a better quality of life for disadvantaged seniors in Maryland's 5th District.
Rett Syndrome Education Database & Research Support - $180,000
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare and debilitating neurological disorder that is masked until a child, predominantly female, is typically 6-18 months old. Funding will aid in education; awareness and outreach for patients, health professionals, and the public regarding RTT; and will support and integrate databases on RTT for families dealing with this debilitating disorder, the providers who serve them as well as researchers and clinicians. Funds will also provide for the continuation of a longitudinal study to record detailed information on the progression of clinical features, quality of life, and longevity of girls with RTT and will provide support for educational materials to inform parents, researchers and physicians. These funds will improve understanding of the disease and provide support for important research for this debilitating syndrome.
St. Mary's College of Maryland Laboratory Equipment Acquisition - $600,000
More than ever at St. Mary's College of Maryland, laboratory equipment and space for research activities are in high demand since, over the past several years, the number of students majoring in the sciences has grown considerably, and the State of Maryland now requires all non-science undergraduates take a laboratory-based course. Furthermore, St. Mary's College also requires students to complete the St. Mary's Project (SMP), a culmination of studies at the college, for which 80 students annually completing science majors use laboratory equipment to complete their research. Funding would be used for the acquisition of laboratory equipment and other advanced instrumentation and would enhance the educational experience for the student body of St. Mary's College who represent the next generation of great scientific leaders.
Special Olympics Education Programs - $8,095,000
Funding will be used to educate and inform the public about opportunities to volunteer in support of Special Olympics' efforts to recruit more athletes and enhance the quality of the sports experience. This program partners people with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in sports training and competitions. This program promotes inclusion and helps break down stereotypes and barriers that unnecessarily keep people apart. These funds would be used to promote national policies toward inclusion and continue the important objective of educating the public about people with intellectual disabilities.
