Howard County Named One of America’s Healthiest Counties for Kids

ELLICOTT CITY, Md., June 19 -- Howard County issued the following news release:

US News and World Report today named Howard County as one of America's 50 Healthiest Counties for Kids for 2014-2015. Howard County ranked 13th.

"For the last eight years, we have implemented many innovative programs and strategies that have allowed our residents to see the benefits of making healthy choices," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. "Whether it's fighting childhood obesity, or teaching our children how to make healthy food choices as early as their pre-school years, we strive to become the model public health community and appreciate the recognition. We are thrilled with this ranking, and we will work hard to do even better."

"This is a wonderful accolade for Howard County and the Health Department," said Dr. Maura Rossman, the Health Officer for Howard County. "It is confirmation that we are creating healthy behaviors amongst our youngest residents that will result in a lifetime of wellness."

The rankings were developed with the help of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

America's 50 Healthiest Counties for Kids is a national, county-level assessment of how health and environmental factors affect the well-being of children younger than 18. It highlights counties that feature fewer infant deaths, fewer low birth weight babies, fewer deaths from injuries, fewer teen births and fewer children in poverty. The rankings also consider the percentage of children without health insurance, air quality, rates of adult smoking and adult obesity, and access to physicians and exercise opportunities. All the variables were equally weighted.

In selecting Howard County, US News wrote:

In 2011, Howard became the first county in Maryland to ban smoking at its 50-plus parks. "Our families are thankful for the policy - frankly, it's what they've come to expect," says county executive Ken Ulman. When he took office in 2006, his goal, he says, was to make Howard a "model public health community." Today, Healthy Howard programs certify schools, restaurants, workplaces and child care facilities - designations that help people make the smartest choices about where to eat, live, work and play, Ulman says. Another pride point: In 2009, Howard became the first county in the nation to ban minors from tanning beds. "We had to fight the industry and those who said we were going too far," Ulman recalls. "But there's no need to expose our young people to those [cancer] risks. I'm heartened to think of the problems we avoided we took some heat, but it was worth it."

"It is rewarding to know that through our innovative programs and partnerships, we are helping our parents and children make the right decisions to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle" said Howard County Council Chair Dr. Calvin Ball. "We are grateful that through our wide variety of programs offered by our award winning schools, Recreation and Parks department and Healthy Howard, we will encourage healthy habits that will last a lifetime."

"Our children are always one of our top priorities," said Howard County Council Vice Chair Courtney Watson. "This ranking affirms our efforts to keep them thriving and to create healthy futures. We could not accomplish this without the voluntary participation of our schools, our businesses, our restaurants and child care operators. We appreciate their willingness to work as partners with local government."

"Healthy Howard is proud to play an important role in making Howard County one of the leaders on US News & World Report's list of healthiest places for kids," said Christine Hall, Executive Director of Healthy Howard, Inc. "Through our Community Health Promotion programs, our partnership with the Howard County Public School System and our work connecting Howard County to affordable health coverage, we are excited to help build a model health community for the next generation."

The only other Maryland jurisdiction to make the list, Montgomery County, ranked 20th.

To read the complete article, visit http://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-childrens-hospitals/articles/2014/06/16/americas-50-healthiest-counties-for-kids.

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