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Public Safety for the Public Good

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Dear Friends,

I want to relay an important reminder of some of the great work being done by public safety professionals in our community. Earlier this week, a young child with autism who lives in Olney ran away from his parents. Thanks to alert and helpful neighbors and officers in the the Montgomery County Police Department's special unit on autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, the child was located and returned safely to his family.

This unit is an example of the great work our public safety community can do when put together with the training, resources, and people who understand how to best serve residents facing emergency or crisis. The nonprofit Upcounty Community Resources and many others have been critical to supporting the police department's mission to treat those with autism with respect and compassion. This work also involves follow-up from officers to support caregivers in what are often traumatic situations.

"The reason our MCPD Autism/IDD Unit is so successful is due to the officers I work with, the community we serve and the caregivers who trust to work with us," said Officer Laurie Reyes of the special unit.

Thank you Officer Reyes and all who are working together to keep everyone in our community safe.

As a member of the Council's Public Safety and Health and Human Services Committees and the Council's lead for Crisis Response, I'm committed to support and expand these meaningful partnerships. Last week, I was proud to convene our committees to learn about some of the effective ways other jurisdictions are supporting those who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. We have lots of work to do, and I'm thankful for much of the work already being done for the good of our community.

Protecting health care privacy

Councilmember Luedtke speaking at the dais during Council session. Click to see video of her remarks.

Last week, I introduced legislation to prevent Montgomery County Government from seeking what should be private health care information of prospective County Government employees.

Why is this important? All prospective employees deserve the right to keep private important aspects of their health history that have no bearing on their ability to do the job they're applying for. This is the right thing to do and a better way to ensure we're hiring the best public servants for the job.

I'm thankful that all of my Council colleagues have co-sponsored this bill, which is set for a public hearing on February 14.

Community Corner

HIV/AIDS prevention with the African American Health Program

Councilmember Luedtke with African American Health Program leaders and community members at the Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event in Sandy Spring

I was honored to join the Montgomery County African American Health Program on Tuesday at the Sandy Spring Museum for its conversation on preventing and treating HIV and AIDS in the Black community. The AAHP partners with the County Department of Health and Human Services to provide regular testing, counseling, and support on this and numerous other health issues - helping to close the racial disparities in health services and impacts. Check out more about what the AAHP is doing.

Olney Barrel Aged Beer Event

Feb. 11 - 5 p.m. Presented by the Olney Civic Fund with proceeds benefitting Olney HELP.

Council Hybrid Town Hall in Gaithersburg

Feb. 15 - 7 p.m. The County Council will host a hybrid in-person and virtual Town Hall at Lakelands Park Middle School. Attendees can ask questions either at the event or via Zoom.

Ribbon Cutting: My Cup Runneth Over

Feb. 17 - 11 a.m. Celebrate the opening of this new Montgomery Village restaurant specializing in southern soul food with the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce.

15th Annual Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) College Fair

Feb. 17 - 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Free in-person event at The Universities at Shady Grove to provide students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 50 HBCUs. Representatives will share information and answer questions from students and parents about admissions, financial aid, testing, majors and much more. The event will also feature a college preparation workshop for middle school students and parents, a discussion on college life, FAFSA completion assistance, scholarship information and more. Co-sponsored by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).