In an innovative effort to improve outcomes for thousands of Baltimore’s youth, BCHD was joined by representatives from Johns Hopkins University, City Schools, non-profit provider Vision To Learn, Warby Parker, and many others to launch Vision for Baltimore, a new program that will provide  universal access to glasses to students across Baltimore City—at no cost.

Right now it is estimated that as many as 10,000 elementary and middle school students in Baltimore City lack the glasses they need. Students with vision problems fall behind their peers academically, have difficulty focusing on class discussions, report headaches and eye soreness, and have a greater tendency for classroom misbehavior. We knew we had to do something.

Through this new public-private collaborative, highlighted by the Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, we will go to every elementary and middle school over the next three years to provide every student in pre-kindergarten through grade eight with eye screenings, eye exams, and glasses, so that our students  get the care they need, when they need it, where they need it.

By eliminating these barriers to care, we can improve performance, engagement, and opportunity in our community, while providing access to this essential learning tool to thousands across Baltimore.

Vision for Baltimore is a core component of the BCHD’s Youth Health and Wellness Strategy, a comprehensive 5-year plan to reduce economic, social, and racial disparities among Baltimore City’s children and youth.

To celebrate the launch this week, we joined with community partners, including JHU President Ronald J. Daniels, BCPSS Interim Chief of Staff Michael Thomas, Abell Foundation President Bob Embry, President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Patrick McCarthy, and many others, who shared their passion for bringing this visionary program to our youth.

We were also joined by two very special guests: Ravens great Ray Lewis and Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore, who spoke about the importance of glasses in the classroom, on the field, and throughout life, before joining us to deliver the first pairs of glasses to dozens of students at Hampstead Hill Academy.

It was powerful and inspiring to see these students put on their glasses for the first time and to understand what being able to see more clearly will mean for their futures.  

Thank you to all of our philanthropic partners for their generous support of this new program and their commitment to our city’s youth.

On Wednesday, Dr. Wen joined CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta for a special town hall, Prescription Addiction: Made in the USA, where she represented Baltimore City and shared our innovative efforts in addressing the opioid addiction epidemic.

The Town Hall audience was comprised of individuals and family members who have been affected by opioid abuse and who had the opportunity to share their stories with Dr. Wen, Dr. Gupta, and Anderson Cooper.

This conversation was an extremely timely one: while we have long been focused on cutting-edge practices for addressing the opioid epidemic as a City, the spread of this crisis across the country underscores the opportunity for us to share our accomplishments and lessons learned with a national audience.

If you missed the live showing, you can watch a recap of our conversation at http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/12/health/opioid-addiction-history/

On Thursday, Commissioner Wen had the opportunity to give the keynote speech at the Department of Justice in celebration of #AAPIHeritageMonth.

Attorney General Lynch of the Department of Justice acknowledged our efforts in Baltimore during her introduction of Dr. Wen: “Although she works in health, she dispenses justice every day.”

Dr. Wen went on to deliver an impassioned speech on the challenges we face and triumphs which we can achieve by leaving our self-doubt behind, and asking the questions that matter: “What will I contribute? How can I speak up?”

ICYMI , you can watch the recording here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/video/2016-department-justice-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month-observance

Contradictions. Juxtapositions. Mindfulness. Just a few words to describe these stunning images to address the stigma surrounding sexual identity and health. BCHD is proud to present the launch of #ProjectPresence.   

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 14 at 5 PM - 8 PM at Impact Hub Baltimore (10 E North Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21201), artist/photographer Richard Mitchell will premiere a new exhibit developed in collaboration with BCHD to highlight a spectrum of stories documenting Baltimore's charming LGBTQ community.

SPACE IS LIMITED! Please RSVP through our email admin@baltimoreinconversation.com

You can also share the event with friends on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/582934221872328/

Meet the cast and crew and join the conversation for a healthier and a more inclusive Baltimore.

We can't wait to see you there!

During mosquito season, there is the potential for local transmission in Baltimore if an individual with travel associated Zika is bitten by a mosquito and that mosquito then bites other residents. Zika cannot be transmitted via casual contact (i.e. shaking someone’s hand), but can be transmitted through sexual contact. It can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby.

Our Zika Working Group will continue to monitor this this quickly evolving situation and will provide recommendations and updates as the latest information becomes available.

BCHD will soon release a Zika Ambassador Program (ZAP) and informational packets which will provide City agencies, community based organizations, neighborhood associations, and individuals with the information they need to be aware of Zika, how to prevent it, and how to educate others. Through the ZAP, the Health Department will also hold “train the trainer” sessions for individuals from community based organizations to learn about Zika and receive the tools necessary to educate individuals they serve in their community.

In the meantime, to learn more about the Zika Virus, including information for women who are, may become pregnant, and their partners, as well as tips to prevent the potential spread of the virus, please visit: http://health.baltimorecity.gov/zika-virus/

The CDC has additional information including the latest travel guidance, available at: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

We will be providing regular updates on our website at http://health.baltimorecity.gov/zika-virus and on twitter @BMore_Healthy, during the spring and summer months.

Thank you for joining us for the Baltimore City Health Department's latest B’More Health Talk!

Our last discussion focused around issues of trauma, mental health, and the development of the new citywide strategy on trauma and emotional well-being.

These twice-monthly virtual town hall meetings are an opportunity for leaders in our community to discuss efforts to reduce health disparities, engage in our city's collaborative strategy, and share the work that organizations are doing.

As always, you can join us by calling 605-562-3180 and using the access code 117-245-291 and tweet-chat live with the hashtag #BMoreHealthTalks.

In the meantime, we hope you will email us at bmoreheard@baltimorecity.gov with suggestions, ideas, or comments for this and future episodes.

You can listen to all of our past Bmore Health Talks on our Soundcloud. 

Employees who don't get enough physical activity may be risking your company's health bottom line. Physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. These chronic conditions lower productivity, raise health care costs, and, in the case of obesity, increase the likelihood of workplace injuries by nearly 50%.

The benefits of regular physical activity include: 

• Feeling happier, less stressed, and mentally sharper.
• Experiencing fewer sick days-people who exercise 5 or more days a week have 435 fewer sick days.
• Being more productive-people say they're 15% more productive on days they are physically active than on days when they aren't.

We encourage each division to incorporate a few these activities to get your staff moving this month:

• Walking meetings: Build physical activity into your everyday meetings by walking instead of sitting.
• Stretch breaks: Encourage employees to stand up and stretch every 60 minutes.
• Move It Monday: Research shows that starting a habit on Monday can be seen as a fresh start and has significant cultural meaning. Click here for activities to implement this coming Monday.

In addition, we began a department-wide challenge where teams compete to cut out the most sugar-sweetened beverages for this month. Let us know about your team’s struggles and triumphs and we will feature you in our next newsletter! Email Cagla.Buyukkoc@baltimorecity.gov with your story.

Mental Health America and its affiliates across the country have led the observance of May as Mental Health Month since 1949. This year’s theme is- Life with a Mental Illness- and will call on individuals to share what life with a mental illness feels like for them in words, pictures, and video by tagging their social media posts with #mentalillnessfeelslike (or submitting to MHA anonymously). Join the conversation and let’s end the stigma for folks living with mental illness or disorder.

National Women’s Health Week is an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health on this week every year. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority, as they often neglect to do. This week also serves as a time to help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health. The 17th annual National Women’s Health Week kicked off on Mother’s Day, May 8, and will be celebrated through May 14, 2016. Learn more about your health at every age by visiting http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw/ and getting customized advice for your age group!

And tweet @Bmore_healthy to share how you celebrated #NWHW.

Join the Greater Baltimore Asthma Alliance (GBAA) as we partner with Docs In The Park (DITP) on Saturday, May 14th from 11am - 3pm to be sure that city residents know how to take charge of their asthma. This activity-focused event will take place at ABC Park (501 S. Catherine Street 21223) and will feature basketball, hula hoops, a "bounce house", asthma control tips, and lots of other fun things for kids and their parents.  

Baltimore City children bear more than their fair share of the burden of asthma.  In 2014, there were more than 5,700 pediatric emergency room visits for asthma, and over 800 hospitalizations.  Join us to help reduce the impact asthma has on our kids.

For more information contact Margret Schnitzer at margret.schnitzer@baltimorecity.gov  or call 410-396-3848.

Get your strut on while raising awareness about HIV/AIDS among women and girls in your community. 

The Purse & Pumps 1 Mile Awareness Walk will take place at Druid Hill Park’s Sundial Pavilion from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, May 14th. 

Bring your friends for a day to remember! 

For more information contact the BCHD STD/HIV Prevention Program: jillian.newsam@baltimorecity.gov or Vonda.colson@baltimorecity.gov.