• Local Public Health Maplewood www.tapinto.net/towns/soma/sections/government/articles/local-public-health-departments-are-critical-maplewood-is-a-case-in-point

• Congratulations to the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission (MCRHC) and Administrator Health Officer David Henry, for their outstanding work. The following link is to the article that was published in the Asbury Park Press on April 13, 2020 by Andrew J. Goudsward.

  https://www.app.com/story/news/health/2020/04/13/nj-coronavirus-monmouth-county-health-department-battles-covid-19/5124679002/

  A little history about MCRHC No.1:

  The MCRHC serves 20 municipalities, within Monmouth County. Each municipality retaining its own local board of health and authority. One member from each board of health or local governing body comprises the Commission which meets monthly to fulfill its obligation of policy development, assurance and assessment. The HO and administrative staff are responsible for implementing rules and regulations of the Commission, and all federal, state and local public health laws, codes regulations and ordinances. 

  MCRHC joined with 4 local health departments to form the Monmouth Public Health Consortium. 

From Christopher Merkel, Health Officer of Monmouth County Health Dept.  These are a few of the unique measures and procedure we have in place during the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. 1. 1. The Medical Reserve Corp, REHS staff and school nurse volunteers are performing contact tracing, 7 day a week.
      2. Our Long Term Care Center Initiative hold weekly conference call with LTCs, OEM and Health dept staff that includes recently added vaccination planning and closed POD agreements.
      3. County wide phone bank staffed with MRC and disaster resource crisis counselors, county and health dept employees.
      4. Out-reach to homeless shelters, child care centers, group homes, SPCA and humane society to provide them timely and accurate information and guidance on COVID19.
      5. Members of the Monmouth County Health Dept. have been manning the County Emergency Operations Center since March.
      6. Members of the Monmouth County Health Department are involved in PPE distribution initiatives to Monmouth County hospitals and long term care centers.