The St. Mary’s County Health Department has received two 2026 Promising Practice Awards from the National Association of County and City Health Officials for innovative programs improving public health services.
NACCHO, representing over 3,000 local health departments, selects awardees through a competitive peer-review process. Recognized programs are added to a national database for replication by other agencies.
SMCHD’s implementation of public health laboratories at its Leonardtown Health Clinic, Lexington Park Health Hub and School-Based Health Centers at Margaret Brent and Spring Ridge Middle Schools was honored. The labs expand access to rapid diagnostic testing, support outbreak response and improve local service delivery.
The department’s OSHA Compliance & Safety Committee, led by Christina Hane and Tressa Setlak, was recognized for fostering a sustainable culture of workplace safety through training, continuous improvement and organizational learning.
“These recognitions reflect the dedication of our team members who saw opportunities for improvement, worked together to develop practical solutions, and turned great ideas into action,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “From expanding access to critical testing to building a culture of safety across our organization, these initiatives demonstrate how local health departments can respond to community needs in meaningful and impactful ways.”
The awards continue SMCHD’s tradition of national recognition for local innovations. The department has previously earned multiple NACCHO Model and Promising Practice Awards.
“Local health departments remain committed to supporting their communities across a host of programmatic areas and public health challenges,” said NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman. “It is extraordinary to witness local health department officials driving innovation and scaling best practices.”
