Lt. Governor Brown

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown
Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown has dedicated his professional life to public service. Elected alongside Governor Martin O’Malley in 2006 and reelected in 2010, Lt. Governor Brown leads the O’Malley-Brown administration’s work to expand and improve health care, support economic development, help victims of domestic violence, increase access to higher education, and provide Veterans with better services and resources. Prior to serving as Lt. Governor, Anthony Brown represented Prince George’s County for two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates, rising quickly to the position of Majority Whip. A Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Anthony Brown is the nation’s highest-ranking elected official to have served a tour of duty in Iraq.

Anthony is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and the proud father of two children – Rebecca (17) and Jonathan (11). He lives in Prince George’s County.

Did you know that the Affordable Care Act is based on building state health exchanges because neo-liberals like Clinton, Obama, and O'Malley are working to end the Federal programs Medicare and Medicaid and to throw public sector health benefits into this state run system where most people will only be able to get Medicaid-level health care? Did you know that simply extending Medicare would have allowed for no systems development and that Medicare addresses the very problems we are having with health care-----fraud and profiteering by health industry?

You say----entitlements lose 1/2 of the spending to fraud each years....hundreds of billions of dollars and billions right here in MD so how could it get better? Well, Medicare and Medicaid lose all that money because there are no oversight agencies within these programs to catch the fraud. Just build in the oversight and VOILA....no fraud and profiteering.

So, private health systems where the very health institutions involved in the fraud and profiteering writing the laws for reform is not a good thing as O'Malley, the MD Assembly, and Brown, Gansler, and Mizeur know. The failure with the MD health system is that is should be Expanded and Improved Medicare for All and not the opposite...dismantling of the Medicare structure to end these programs.

Mr. Brown gets a reprieve [Editorial] Our view: Democrats' credibility takes a hit with decision to drop further legislative probing into Maryland's troubled health exchange

2:49 p.m. EST, February 3, 2014 Baltimore Sun

It doesn't take a doctor to diagnose Fix-is-in Disease, the condition common to politicians who look out for favored individuals. In the recent outbreak in Annapolis, the warning signs are too painfully obvious for most anyone to ignore.

Last week, the chairmen to the two committees with oversight of Maryland's woeful health care exchange announced they'll wait for state auditors to look into the matter this summer rather than proceeding with their own investigation during the current legislative session. That's a decision that must have brought a smile to the face of gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, the man in charge of implementing the exchange (although not necessarily really, truly in charge), who now won't have to face more embarrassing questions about it until after the June Democratic primary — or even the general election in November.

Certainly, it's not unusual for lawmakers to defer to the auditors within the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, and their work is widely regarded as reliable and non-partisan. We're sure they'll conduct a thorough, objective review. But the position taken by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Thomas M. Middleton that to not holding hearings would give exchange officials more time to do their jobs is curiously at odds with what legislative leaders said a few weeks ago.

Back then, there were statements made about how the "buck stops here" or that hearings would continue until every legislator's questions were fully answered. Why the sudden change in heart? According to Senator Middleton, it's because there's been no evidence uncovered of criminal wrongdoing.

That may be true, but Maryland's $107 million exchange had one of the most troubled launches in the country. It's been a huge embarrassment, not only for the lieutenant governor, but for Gov. Martin O'Malley, the General Assembly and the people of this state. At last reckoning, less than one-fifth of the 150,000 people expected to sign up for private health insurance through the exchange by the end of next month have actually done so.

So why so little curiosity about what went wrong and why, at least beyond last month's initial hearings? It's just too easy to draw the line from the legislature's Democratic leadership to the candidate they, and a majority of the Democrats in the General Assembly, have already endorsed to be Maryland's next governor. Whether this is really a matter of favoritism or not, the appearance of it is just overwhelming.

Obviously, it's not been lost on the other candidates running for governor who are none too pleased about it. Frankly, the best idea we've heard so far is from Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley who called for an independent probe. That was good enough for the Democrats when they weren't happy with hiring and firing practices in the administration of Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. nine years ago, and the same standard ought to apply today.

One can argue the reverse — that conducting legislative hearings would only serve Mr. Brown's political opponents — but while that's true in theory, it's also a bit hard to swallow. Frankly, nobody is going to believe Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch are out to embarrass the lieutenant governor, their preferred candidate for governor, or that House and Senate chairmen would permit some witch hunt.

Moreover, we don't actually know what share of the blame Mr. Brown deserves for how things turned out. Perhaps he was incompetent, but perhaps he was the one person who kept things from being worse. Maybe he wasn't really that involved at all. We don't have the answer, but it certainly seems like material information for voters to know before they decide whether to elect Mr. Brown to run the entire state.

Moments like this lend credence to the Republican Party's perennial complaint that Maryland's status as a one-party state with Democrats in charge of all statewide offices and with hefty majorities in both legislative houses is antithetical to good government. Republicans have no say in this, none. So what check is there on Democratic power?

This isn't all about Mr. Brown. This is also about whether incumbent lawmakers can be trusted to look out for the public and not just their own (or their allies') political self-interest. Like it or not, this is the conclusion most people will draw — Democrats have cut an inquiry short in deference to their favored candidate for governor. And they're probably correct.

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As everyone knows it is public private partnerships that have fueled the fleecing of government coffers through massive corporate fraud, the avoidance of corporate tax revenue through subcontracting to subcontractors leaving oversight, if it even existed, difficult to do. They are being used to privatize all that is public killing public sector unions and driving what is left of middle-class America into poverty wages. So, why are Third Way corporate pols like O'Malley, Anthony Brown, and Maggie McIntosh doing the very thing harming our economy the most? Corporate profit and the dismantling of labor's strength in unions.

This is why we have wealth inequity today. It is why the economy is stagnant with high unemployment, and it is why government coffers are empty so it is obviously bad policy for all of us....except the 1% for whom these pols work of course.

The answer is to simply vote your incumbent out of office and run and vote for labor and justice in these next elections.....Watch especially the Governor and Attorney General's race as these are the elected officials most responsible for the conditions allowing massive corporate fraud and corruption.

Brown to testify on public-private partnerships bill
Posted: 7:54 am Fri, February 15, 2013
By Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS — Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown will testify in favor of a measure to create a framework for public-private partnerships to build roads and public buildings.

Brown is scheduled to testify before the House Environmental Matters Committee on Friday.

A similar bill failed to pass last year. Its prospects were complicated by a provision that was added to allow legal appeals on such projects to be heard on an expedited track before the Court of Special Appeals.

While Maryland has entered into public-private partnerships over the past five years, the private sector and the General Assembly have asked that the process be improved to attract private investment to help build new infrastructure in Maryland.

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This is the concern regarding Health Enterprise Zones. First, we are seeing this consolidated approach to care for the Medicaid and Medicare patients that nobody wants. We will never create a fair and quality approach to health care by marginalizing groups by socioeconomic factors, in fact this precipitates inequity. The idea that we must create warehouse-style care in order to make it affordable when we all know the problem lies with fee for service and massive health industry fraud is an insult to all citizens not just those who will fail into the category of these entitlement programs. You had better believe that most people will as those pushing these policies are motivated by private profits and not access and quality. So, as co-pays and deductibles are allowed to rise, even middle-class families will not be able to afford insurance and will fall into these warehoused facilities.

Second, we are already seeing these entitlement zones being handed to national medical chains and in Baltimore's case the hedge fund Carlyle Group gets all of our senior care facilities for goodness sake. Raise your hand if you think a hedge fund has your health interests at heart!!! Who is committing all of the entitlement fraud? National health chains and individual doctors now being forced into health systems who will be more predatory for profits.

Maryland is setting the stage for health fraud becoming worse even as it continues to ignore the current fraud and in fact has no state laws defining health fraud and has caps on awards just like the financial industry caps that protect against awards. Setting the stage for more health fraud with no laws and oversight in place!!! Hello!

The last concern is that we all know what Enterprise Zone means to these pols. It is not the Harlem Enterprise Zone that actually helps the underserved. Here, Enterprise Zone means sending taxpayer money in the guise of helping the poor to build affluent infrastructure. We will be watching as this pilot moves forward where these zones will be. We already know Druid Hill is slated for affluent development for example.

It doesn't seem to far-fetched to those who know the political players involved to say that this HEZ scheme will be yet another way to use taxpayer money for affluent development and it will be riddled with corporate fraud. Take a look nationally at the level of fraud attached to these national medical chains. Carlyle Group? Really?

State designates five 'health enterprise zones' New program will address disparities in health care

By Michael Dresser, The Baltimore Sun 6:39 p.m. EST, January 24, 2013

The O'Malley administration launched an effort Thursday to bring medical services to disadvantaged neighborhoods by designating the state's first five "health enterprise zones" created under a law passed last year.

One of the areas selected for such a zone, aimed at bringing health care to the poor, is in West Baltimore, where the Bon Secours Health System will take a lead role.

Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, who led the administration's efforts to start the four-year, $16 million pilot project, announced that the other four zones will be in Annapolis, Capitol Heights (Prince George's County), Greater Lexington Park (St. Mary's County) and Dorchester-Caroline counties.
The program's goals include reducing health disparities among races and ethnic groups, improving access to care in communities that lack services, and reducing costs and hospital admissions.

The program will offer tax breaks and other incentives to physicians and community groups to bring medical care to underserved neighborhoods. The zones were chosen after community coalitions identified areas with a documented history of poverty and poor health. The five zones were selected from 19 proposals submitted by local health care coalitions.

Where a person lives is considered one of the best predictors of overall health. In Baltimore, for example, a recent study found that the life expectancy of white residents of Roland Park is about 30 years longer than that of African-Americans who live in Upton/Druid Heights.

Brown, who was credited by health care advocates as the driving force behind the initiative, said the program will bring more than 100 health care providers, including 37 primary-care physicians, to the selected communities. The bill creating the program was part of the administration's 2012 legislative agenda and was the first bill Gov. Martin O'Malley signed last year.

Sen. Verna Jones-Rodwell, a Democrat who represents many of the West Baltimore neighborhoods included in the zone, said the program will bring needed services to communities that have been neglected for decades.

"This has been in the making for three years," she said. "This is the first time this kind of collaboration has happened in the city of Baltimore."

Dr. Samuel Ross, chief executive of Bon Secours, said the program will emphasize connecting residents of low-income neighborhoods with primary care and preventive services.

"What we can do free, we will. Otherwise it will have to be low-cost to be available to this population that we serve," he said. The West Baltimore zone is defined as the areas with ZIP codes 21216, 21217, 21223 and 21229.

Among other things, Ross said, the zone coalition will hire community outreach workers from the local population to bring information to residents and encourage them to seek the help they need

Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, secretary of health and mental hygiene, said the state will seek grant money in the hope that it can expand the zone program to some of the 14 areas that were not selected.

"We do not want to have to wait for four years," he said.

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JUST AS MANORCARE FOR SENIOR CARE IS RUN BY THE HEDGE FUND CARLYLE GROUP, MARYLAND'S UPCOMING HEALTH CLINICS WILL BE JOHNS HOPKINS' CHASE BREXTON. IT HAS GROWN IN PRESENCE AS AN AT-RISK HEALTH CENTER FUNDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS FOR UNDERSERVED HEALTH CARE. THE FUNDS COLLECTED BY THIS 'NON-PROFIT' HAVE ALLOWED IT TO EXPAND. IF YOU NOTE THE AREAS OF EXPANSION YOU SEE ALL THE NEW LOCATIONS ARE IN AFFLUENT AREAS, AS WILL BECOME THEIR ORIGINAL MT.VERNON SITE. YOU SEE ALSO THEY ARE A STUDENT HUB FOR HOPKINS AND MICA, AFFLUENT SCHOOLS.

THESE ARE WHAT WILL BE CALLED HEALTH ENTERPRISE ZONES AND THEY WILL RECEIVE COPIOUS DEVELOPMENT MONEY AGAIN FROM FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS FOR EXPANSION AND THEY WILL AGAIN BE GIVEN UNDER THE GUISE OF HEALTH FOR THE UNDERSERVED WHILE BUILDING HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES. WE DO NOT CARE IF AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES GET HEALTH CARE.......

.WE CARE THAT THEY ARE TAKING FUNDING UNDER FRAUDULENT PRETENSES!!!!!

BELOW YOU'LL SEE GUIDESTAR CHARITY CHECK. I'M NOT FULLY INFORMED ON THEIR OPERATION, BUT THEY SEEM LEGITIMATE. YOU'LL SEE NO INFORMATION HAS BEEN GLEANED ON THIS HOPKINS OPERATION. THERE IS NO CRITICAL ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE PUBLIC......AS IS ALWAYS TRUE OF HOPKINS........'WE ARE VERY PRIVATE'.

OH, THAT'S A GREAT START TO MEGA-HEALTH CARE!

Maryland Moment – A new home for Chase Brexton Posted: 5:57 pm Fri, October 5, 2012
By Danny Jacobs Maryland Daily Record

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown shakes hands with Guy Van Tiggelen, chairman of the board of directors of Chase Brexton Health Services, at the groundbreaking Thursday of the organization's new home in Mt. Vernon, the former Monumental Life building. Behind them are board members Les Pitton, left, and Joanne Kraus, and CEO Richard Larison. (Maximilian Franz/The Daily Record).

Branches in Easton, Mt. Vernon, Columbia, and Pikesville.

Chase Brexton Health Services ------A Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Business

Function of Organization/ Site:
To provide nondiscriminatory primary care to the community, with a focus on the underserved.Includes:

Nutritional assessments
Dental treatment
Women’s health services
Pediatric care
HIV medical care
Pharmacy
Mental health services/ counseling
Case Management and Outreach
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Youth Outreach
Research

Involvement Opportunities:

Office support
Health Committees

Location:
Take JHSPH shuttle to the Peabody/Mt. Vernon stop.

THIS IS THE REPORT BY A LEADING NON-PROFIT ASSESSMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SHOWS NO CRITICAL REVIEW. I RECEIVED A CRITICAL REVIEW WHILE ON A BUS PASSING BY ITS DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE LOCATION FROM THE UNDERSERVED........'DON'T GO THERE'!!!!!!

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THERE IS ALMOST NO DOUBT THAT THESE HEZ WILL END UP AS THE ENTERPRISE ZONES DID.....FUNDING AFFLUENT DEVELOPMENT.....LET'S WATCH WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED AND WHOM THESE HEZ HELP.

Health Enterprise Zones in Maryland!

Welcome message from the Lieutenant Governor Dear Colleagues,

This April I joined Governor Martin O'Malley as he signed the Health Disparities and Reduction Act of 2012 into law. This landmark legislation, which I had the privilege to lead, seeks to address the unsustainable and significant health disparities that impact the lives of too many Maryland communities, families and individuals.

The primary focus of the legislation was the creation of the Health Enterprise Zones (HEZs). HEZs are designed to reduce health disparities among Maryland’s racial and ethnic groups and between geographic areas, improve health care access and health outcomes, and reduce health care costs by providing a variety of incentives to defined geographic areas with high rates of disparities. According to the United Health Foundation, Maryland ranks 35th in infectious diseases, 34th in health outcomes, and 33rd regarding geographic health disparities, despite numerous positive measures, such as having the 2nd highest rate of primary care providers per capita and one of the ten lowest rates of smoking. Funded with $4 million allocated to the Community Health Resources Commission, it is anticipated that between two and four zones will be part of the pilot program.

I want to thank all of legislators, stakeholders and community and health care leaders for their worked on the bill. As we move forward, I encourage you to stay in touch and check the website for updates on the public input and hearing process and future application timeline.

Sincerely,

Anthony G. Brown

Lt. Governor Brown looking for public input on HEZs initiative to address disparities Despite numerous medical advances, unacceptable health disparities persist among racial and ethnic groups and between geographic areas throughout Maryland. Addressing health disparities is a moral and financial imperative, and our new Health Enterprise Zones program will provide innovative incentives to help groups at the community level improve health care and health outcomes for all Marylanders.

This summer, the State will be hosting public forums throughout Maryland where citizens will have the opportunity to offer input and discuss how this new and exciting program can best make a positive impact on their communities. The application process will begin in the fall and the first HEZs are expected to be designated by the end of the year.

For more information or to find out how you can get involved, please visit the HEZ website.

I can find no list of public comment dates. You state that public comment began in June, yet I see no schedule. Please put me on whatever list to get these dates.

Thank you,

Cindy Walsh

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As a graduate of Harvard University, Brown is working hard for Wall Street in moving public assets into private. He and Maggie McIntosh are in the Wall Street farm team and both are on board with all that is corporate. He is Prince George's County and much of his accomplishments are in Montgomery County......We These are his website accomplishments and as you can see from reading my website, things aren't as rosy as these politicians make us believe. What he has here is a resume for future office that doesn't really exist.......just like O'Malley.

We are hearing nothing but complaints from unions, contractors, and citizens about these partnerships. Whether schools, buses, or transportation projects, all involve bad labor practices, convoluted contracting, and little public imput.

Public private partnerships: charter schools, public transportation with French business Veola,
Accomplishments

Made record investments in our community colleges, increasing funding by 31% since 2007
Funded $3.7M in BRAC higher education grants, which successfully trained more than 2,100 Marylanders for BRAC jobs in just the first two years of the program
Apprenticeship graduations up 28%, the highest level of participation in 20 years

Lt. Governor Brown, Joint Committee on Oversight of Public-Private Partnerships Submit Recommendations to Governor and General Assembly ANNAPOLIS, Md. (January 10, 2012) – Today, the Joint Legislative and Executive Commission on Oversight of Public-Private Partnerships, chaired by Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, submitted to Governor Martin O’Malley and the General Assembly a series of recommendations for streamlining and enhancing the framework for establishing public-private infrastructure projects in Maryland.

Initial estimates by Maryland departments overseeing capital projects have found that additional utilization of public-private partnerships could contribute between six percent and ten percent, or $205 million and $315 million respectively, of Maryland’s $3.1 billion annual capital budget while creating as many as 4,000 jobs. This includes an estimated $160 million to $240 million annually that could be invested in Maryland transportation projects through public-private partnerships.

“Creating jobs and putting Marylanders back to work is our highest priority, and investing in infrastructure projects is one of the most effective ways to spur job creation and encourage economic growth,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Through well structured public-private partnerships we can increase investment in our infrastructure, ensure accountability, and create more jobs. I commend the members of the Commission for their hard work in bringing stakeholders together to develop these comprehensive recommendations. I look forward to working with the Governor and General Assembly to encourage public-private partnerships that will strengthen Maryland’s infrastructure while retaining the State’s control of critical assets.”

The fifteen member Commission was established in 2010 under HB 1370/SB 979 to evaluate and improve the State’s framework for and oversight of public-private partnerships. Under Lt. Governor Brown’s leadership, the Commission held six public meetings, as well as a Maryland Forward policy forum attended by over 200 representatives from the labor, business, transportation, construction, and other infrastructure-related communities, in order to fulfill its responsibilities and increase the potential for private investment in public infrastructure projects.

As prescribed by law, other members of the Commission include Senator James E. DeGrange (D), District 32; Senator Richard F. Colburn (R), District 37; Delegate Tawanna P. Gaines (D), District 22; Delegate Stephen W. Lafferty (D), District 42; Nancy K. Kopp, State Treasurer; Alvin C. Collins, Secretary of General Services, Beverley K. Swaim-Staley, Secretary of Transportation; William E. Kirwan, Ph.D., Chancellor, University System of Maryland; Carolane Williams, Ph.D., President, Baltimore City Community College; David Wilson, Ed.D., President, Morgan State University; Joseph R. Urgo, Ph.D., President, St. Mary's College of Maryland; Robert C. Brennan, Executive Director, MEDCO; Michael J. Frenz, Executive Director, Maryland Stadium Authority; and Robert Brams, Partner, Patton Boggs LLP.

“Our experience with the Seagirt Marine Terminal project has demonstrated that public private partnerships can succeed in our state,” said Transportation Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley. “These recommendations will help us build the foundation needed to broaden our scope and better utilize public private partnerships as another tool to address our infrastructure needs in the future.”

“It has been a pleasure to work with Lt. Governor Brown and all the members of the Commission throughout these past months, and I believe the recommendations we have put forward will greatly improve the process for developing public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects in Maryland,” said Senator James E. DeGrange. “I look forward to working with the Administration and my General Assembly colleagues to put these recommendations into action.”

The recommendations made by the Commission addressed numerous issues, including the definition of a public-private partnership, the role of State financing, the use of proceeds and revenue sharing, workforce considerations, the process for legislative oversight of future public-private partnerships, and the process for identifying and evaluating potential public-private partnerships. The Lt. Governor will lead legislative efforts during the 2012 Legislative Session to address the Commission’s recommendations. The full report from the Commission can be accessed at http://mlis.state.md.us/other/Public-PrivatePartnerships/index.htm.

Lt. Governor Brown leads the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s economic development portfolio. In his role as Chair of the Joint Legislative and Executive Commission on Oversight of Public-Private Partnerships, the Lt. Governor has held numerous hearings, as well as a policy forum for over 200 attendees, in recent weeks to evaluate the State’s framework for public-private partnerships in order to increase the potential for private investment in public infrastructure projects. Additionally, Lt. Governor Brown chairs Maryland’s FastTrack initiative – part of Maryland Made Easy (www.easy.maryland.gov) – to streamline the state permitting process for businesses and developers and serves as Chair of the Governor’s Subcabinet on Base Realignment and Closure.

Partnerships for Non-Highway Projects

The state of Maryland has had a Transportation Public-Private Partnership (TP3) Program established through regulations since 1997. The TP3 Program is intended to focus on non-highway facilities, such as transit-oriented development projects, airport and port facilities, and allows qualified private entities to submit unsolicited proposals to acquire, finance, construct and/or operate new transportation facilities or undertake major rehabilitation of existing transportation facilities. This initiative strives to tap the creative ideas and strengths of the private sector and to provide a vehicle for sound economic investments that supplement traditional transportation resources. In recent years, MDOT has been contacted by entities interested in developing port terminals and transit-oriented development projects.

The main provisions of the TP3 Program are outlined in the TP3 Program Summary. More detailed procedures, as well as guidance to interested private parties for participating in solicited and unsolicited partnership proposals, are provided in the TP3 Guidelines.

The Maryland Transportation Authority is responsible for administering the TP3 provisions on behalf of MDOT. Unlike some states, Maryland has chosen to only accept unsolicited proposals for non-highway projects. As explained below, Maryland is interested now in soliciting P3s for highways and is engaging stakeholders to determine the best process for soliciting private-sector participation in the delivery of new highway projects.

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Lt. Governor Brown Honored as 2012 Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Association Recognizes O'Malley-Brown Administration's Support for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses BALTIMORE, Md. (May 11, 2012) – Today, the Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Association (MWMCA) honored Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown as their 2012 Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business. The award, presented at MWMCA’s 9th Annual Spring Breakfast and Business Showcase Expo, was given in recognition of the Lt. Governor’s on-going efforts to support minority and women-owned businesses throughout Maryland.

Through innovative initiatives like Maryland’s MBE University Program, Lt. Governor Brown has traveled across the state to provide Maryland’s minority and women-owned businesses with vital information and resources to successfully grow, and create new jobs in their communities.

“Governor O'Malley and I have made a commitment to strengthening and growing our middle class and to expanding opportunity to all Marylanders,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Investing in Maryland's small and minority-owned businesses is critical to keeping that promise. These investments not only support our working families and create jobs, but they build a stronger, more diverse economy. I'm honored to accept this award on behalf of the entire O'Malley-Brown Administration and all who are working diligently to support Maryland’s minority business community.”

“Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown has proven to be a friend of Minority Business Enterprise,” said Wayne R. Frazier, Sr., MWMCA President. “As such, the Md. Washington Minority Contractors’ Association is honored to bestow upon him our 2012 Most Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business award. We pray that continued compliance and concern for Minority Business Enterprise remains strong with him.”

Since 2002 MWMCA has been a member organization that advocates for minority business inclusion in all public and private procurement and believes that all sectors in America should be open to diversity inclusion. For its small business members MWMCA provides support, education, capacity building, and technical assistance to new and existing businesses. MWMCA monitors and facilitates inclusiveness, empowerment and opportunities for its members. MWMCA also provides certification assistance for Maryland Department of Transportation and Baltimore City’s minority business enterprise certification.

As the point person for the O’Malley Brown Administration’s economic development portfolio, Lt. Governor Brown leads the administration’s efforts to connect Maryland’s minority and women-owned businesses with greater procurement opportunities. Maryland has an aggressive and progressive MBE Program and has established the highest minority and women-owned business contracting goals in the nation at 25 percent. In addition, Maryland is one of a few states with an MBE law in statute and remains the only state in the nation to collect uniform reporting data including actual payments to MBEs. The O’Malley-Brown Administration has increased awards to MBE firms by 45%, (from $1.1 billion in FY 2007 to $1.6 billion in FY 2011) and increased payments to MBE firms by nearly 53% (from $752 million in FY 2007 to $1.15 billion in FY 2011).

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Accomplishments

Expanded coverage to over 318,000 Marylanders since 2007, half of them children
First in the nation to have all acute care hospitals connected electronically

Recovered over $46.5 million in stolen Medicaid funds during FY11 through the False Health Claims Act

Maryland’s infant mortality rate down 16% since 2008

Improving and Expanding Health Care Lt. Governor Brown Kicks Off National Children's Dental Health Month in Prince George's In observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month and in recognition of the five year anniversary of Deamonte Driver’s death, Lt. Governor Brown participated in two events in Prince George’s County to highlight the State’s commitment to improving oral health for children throughout Maryland.

He joined federal, state and local officials, the Prince George's County Health Department, and the Deamonte Driver Dental Project at Cheverly Health Center for a press conference highlighting the collaborative partnerships throughout Maryland that have led to improvements in providing access to oral care.

Next, the Lt. Governor participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally dedicate the new Fortis College Dental Clinic in Landover, which began operations in August 2011. In addition to training new dental health professionals, the clinic will provide free or low-cost dental care to an estimated 2,000 individuals each year.

Accomplishments

Expanded coverage to over 318,000 Marylanders since 2007, half of them children
First in the nation to have all acute care hospitals connected electronically

Recovered over $46.5 million in stolen Medicaid funds during FY11 through the False Health Claims Act

Maryland’s infant mortality rate down 16% since 2008

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Reducing Domestic Violence New Hospital-Based Domestic Violence Program at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown Lt. Governor Brown recently announced the launch of a new Hospital-Based Domestic Violence Program at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, which will be funded in part by $50,000 in state grant money. The Hagerstown program is Maryland’s sixth hospital-based domestic violence program and the first in Western Maryland.

“Governor O’Malley and I are committed to ending domestic violence in Maryland. Working together with partners like Meritus Medical Center, CASA and CareFirst, we are making progress by building a coordinated response to domestic violence in every part of our state,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “The hard work being done by the dedicated staff at Meritus Medical Center is making a real difference in the lives of Western Maryland residents. By funding the hospital-based domestic violence program in this location, we will be able to better recognize and care for victims of domestic violence and prevent further incidences in Washington County and throughout the region.”

Accomplishments

Reduced domestic violence deaths in Maryland by 41% since 2007
Launched six hospital-based domestic violence programs across Maryland
Championed legislation to make child neglect a criminal act in Maryland
Reduced violent crime statewide to lowest rates since 1975