{"id":10377,"date":"2025-03-27T19:20:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T19:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/?p=10377"},"modified":"2025-04-30T21:43:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T21:43:32","slug":"health-care-for-heroes-duo-promotes-from-within","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/2025\/03\/27\/health-care-for-heroes-duo-promotes-from-within\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Care for Heroes Duo Promotes from Within"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Chazz Kibler<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

BALTIMORE<\/b>\u2014<\/span>In a development for the Maryland Military Department, two employees from the Health Care for Heroes program have recently advanced within the agency, reflecting a commitment to promoting talent from within. Peter Kriscumas has transitioned from his role as program manager to deputy director of Legislative Affairs. At the same time, Schanell Hurt-Franklin has stepped up from program officer to program manager for the Health Care for Heroes office. This movement highlights their expertise and reinforces the agency’s focus on enhancing support for service members and their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the Health Care for Heroes program, which provides financial assistance to service members for their TRICARE insurance premiums, their leadership will be crucial in navigating the intersections of policy and personal impact. With their new responsibilities, they aim to deepen the program’s reach and effectiveness, ensuring that those who serve the state receive the comprehensive support they deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"In his new role, Kriscumas will serve as a bridge between the Maryland Military Department, the state legislature, and the federal Congressional Delegation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy previous role as program manager for the HCfH program provided me with invaluable experience that directly translates to my new responsibilities in legislative affairs,\u201d said Kriscumas. \u201cWorking closely with service members helped me understand the challenges they face, from accessing medical services to addressing affordable healthcare and dental premiums.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Kriscumas\u2019 promotion to deputy director left a vacancy in the HCfH\u2019s office and Hurt-Franklin said that Kriscumas was one of her biggest supporters to take his place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Pete announced his relocation into another role, he praised my performance and encouraged me to pursue the role of program manager,\u201d said Hurt-Franklin.\u00a0 \u201cHe felt I knew the program like the back of my hand, showed dedication and could keep it running successfully.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hurt-Franklin\u2019s ascent in Maryland state government dates back to 2001, where she started as a temporary employee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore separating for a few years in 2011, I gained experience at the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Office of Traffic and Safety,\u201d said Hurt-Franklin. \u201cUpon my return, I wanted to continue to learn different aspects\/entities of state government and have since been employed in six additional state agencies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Hurt-Franklin\u2019s movement throughout Maryland state government has afforded her many opportunities to connect with individuals from various backgrounds and presented her with a multitude of opportunities for career advancement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI tell any new employees in Maryland state government to \u2018shoot for your best,\u2019\u201d said Hurt-Franklin.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be still and you are never stuck. Maryland’s state government encourages growth and advancement and has so many opportunities for it. Set a career goal, invest your time in any free training, move around to gain experience and knowledge, and never be discouraged to amplify your skills.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As of 2025, approximately 6,000 service members are in the National Guard. Hurt-Franklin said she intends to introduce the program to all of them and give them the opportunity to get something back for their dedication. Her goal within the next year is to increase membership and align the budget for such.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click the link to learn more about Health Care for Heroes<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Chazz Kibler \u00a0 BALTIMORE\u2014In a development for the Maryland Military Department, two employees from the Health Care for Heroes program have recently advanced within the agency, reflecting a commitment to promoting talent from within. Peter Kriscumas has transitioned from his role as program manager to deputy director of Legislative Affairs. At the same time,  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":10388,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10377"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10377\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10483,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10377\/revisions\/10483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}