O.C. Children's Clinic

Originially Released: May 25, 2000
Contact: Ellen Beth Levitt, eblevitt@umm.edu, 410-328-8919

UM HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN AND THE WORCESTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATE SUMMERTIME HEALTH CLINIC IN O.C.

Illnesses and injuries can occur at any time, even while vacationing at the beach. This summer, the University of Maryland Hospital for Children and the Worcester County Health Department are operating a health clinic for children and teens near the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland. The H.O.T. Boards (Health on the Boards) clinic provides treatment for health problems, as well as health education, counseling, and substance abuse services.

The H.O.T. Boards clinic is located at 4 Caroline Street in the heart of Ocean City's downtown boardwalk area. The clinic will open on May 30 and will continue operating through the Labor Day weekend on September 4. Patients will be seen Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on Wednesday when the hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The H.O.T. Boards clinic is staffed by pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists from the University of Maryland Hospital for Children in Baltimore. Registered nurses, social workers and addiction counselors from the Worcester County Health Department manage and support the clinical services. The doctors see approximately 600 to 800 patients a year and are equipped to treat minor injuries and illnesses, and provide health education, pregnancy testing, and screening for communicable diseases. In addition, the H.O.T. Boards staff offers psychological and substance abuse counseling.

"Many of the young people who come to Ocean City are on their own for the first time and they don't always know where to turn for help," says Ligia Peralta, M.D., director of adolescent medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We're here to treat everything from sunburn to jellyfish stings to infections. But, we also help teens who are having emotional problems, problems with drugs and alcohol, or those who want to know how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases," adds Dr. Peralta.

The H.O.T. Boards clinic is a cooperative effort between the Worcester County Health Department and the University of Maryland Hospital for Children and has been in operation since 1975. In addition to the clinic, the Worcester County Health Department also provides shelter for runaway and homeless youths and participates in the Play It Safe program, which provides alcohol-free activities for graduating high-school seniors vacationing in Ocean City.

"We have many young people who vacation and work here in Ocean City during the summer and we want to keep them healthy," says Joyce Baum, program director for the Ocean City Youth Health Center and the Worcester County Health Department. "Often they need treatment of minor injuries and sometimes they are just homesick and don't know where to go. This clinic is very accessible and can really help," adds Baum.

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For patient inquiries, call 1-800-492-5538 or click here to make an appointment.

This page was last updated on: March 9, 2009.