Business

As the U.S. faces a growing mental health crisis, providing youth and families with the resources and support they need is vital. All too often, when mental health issues go unaddressed, it leads to substance use problems, which can wreak havoc on families and disrupt children’s ability to function. With the support of the Mental Health/Core Services Agency of Harford County, Ashley Addiction Treatment opened The Clubhouse by Ashley, a free after-school and summer care program for Harford County teens ages 12 to 17 (18 if still in high school) and families, particularly those who have been affected by or are at-risk for substance use disorders. 

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the region’s largest health insurer, and Johns Hopkins Medicine notified patients Thursday that coverage for some medical procedures and services could be eliminated if the two entities fail to negotiate a new contract by Dec. 5. At issue are the costs associated with the care patients receive in outpatient procedure areas and ambulatory surgery centers, or those that don’t require an overnight stay, as well as doctor and other providers’ fees. That means those with CareFirst insurance who need routine visits with doctors and minor surgeries, such as lens and cataract procedures or endoscopies, would be forced to pay out of pocket for those services. Hospital rates for inpatient services and procedures, meanwhile, are set by the state and are regulated; those rates are not up for negotiation in these discussions.

More workers may be “quiet quitting” than the recent viral TikTok trend has revealed, at least according to a new Gallup survey — and that includes some managers. “Quiet quitting,” or when workers do only what they feel is called for in their job descriptions and commensurate with their pay — also called “acting your wage” or “working to the rule” — is measured by experts as engagement to the workplace. A new Gallup poll found 32% of workers were engaged while the number who are actively “disengaged” has increased to 18%, or a ratio of 1.8 to 1  — the lowest in nearly a decade. It follows a trend that began in 2021 and coincided with the Great Resignation. The remainder of the workforce lies somewhere in between.

Manekin LLC, one of the region’s leading real estate development firms, and Turnbridge Equities, a privately held, full-service real estate investment, development, and SEC-registered investment advisory firm, have completed a 358,400-square-foot lease with Ferguson Enterprises at National Capital Business Park in Upper Marlboro. Ferguson is one of North America’s leading value-added distributors across residential, non-residential, new construction and repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) end markets.  Ferguson’s site will incorporate a 358,400 square foot modern 36-foot clear height warehouse distribution facility, approximately 260 parking spaces, 56 truck docks, four drive-in doors, and 80 trailer parking spaces, as well as three acres of outdoor storage space.

Shares of McCormick & Co. Inc. fell nearly 6% in after hours trading Wednesday after the Hunt Valley spicemaker slashed its sales and profit outlook for the rest of its fiscal year. The company said in a release Wednesday night announcing its preliminary earnings for its fiscal third quarter that continued high inflation and supply chain struggles will drag down its results in the coming months.

The University of Maryland Baltimore is launching a new crime prevention initiative. Thanks to a $2 million grant, the school will partner with Shock Trauma, the university’s school of medicine, community leaders, along with the university’s law school and school of social work to help reduce and respond to violence in the city.

Dollar General plans to open a “DG Market” — a store that primarily sells groceries — on Main Street in Myersville, prompting mixed reactions from town residents. The business would lease property on a 31-acre lot just north of the Sunoco gas station, along the town’s main thoroughfare.