In one of its first actions as part of the Johns Hopkins Health System, Howard County General Hospital has named eight Howard County community leaders and health and business professionals to head a new $40 million foundation.

The Howard County Community Health Foundation was established with the merger of the hospital, which is now Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine. As part of the deal, Hopkins will assume $57 million in Howard County General debt and establish the foundation, which will fund a range of health services, including dental, teen-age pregnancy, drug abuse and disease prevention programs.

The foundation will begin work next year.

Although Howard County is often considered to be an affluent area, many health professionals say there are an increasing number of services needed for those who do not have insurance or do not have the proper coverage. Foundation trustees say they can provide money to help cover these gaps.

Richard G. McCauley, a retired Rouse Co. attorney, will be president and chairman of the board. Robert J. Gaw, a former president of Ryland Mortgage Co., has been named treasurer, and Constance S. Rotan, former vice president for administration at Howard University in Washington, will be secretary.

Other trustees are Ronald H. Carlson, who is a director at the Center for Health Policy Studies; Dennis W. Miller, a senior vice president at Commercial and Farmers Bank; Joan K. Paik, president of the League of Women Voters of Maryland; Janice M. Phillips, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore; and Jon Paul Shematek, a pediatrician who works for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland.

Pub Date: 7/16/98