BALTIMORE, MD (June 20, 2017)—The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) today hosted the latest Healthy Baltimore 2020 Community Conversation, a town hall meeting offering residents the opportunity to provide public comment on Healthy Baltimore 2020—BCHD’s recently released strategic blueprint for health and wellness through the lens of health equity.

“Through Healthy Baltimore 2020, we not only aim to improve health, but strive to cut health disparities in half over the next decade,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen. “Our core public health services, such as restaurant inspections, emergency preparedness, and disease surveillance, are the foundation that allows us to protect the health and well-being of our residents.”

Launched in August 2016, Health Baltimore 2020 outlines key priorities and objectives through which BCHD aims to reduce health disparities in Baltimore by half over the next 10 years. Building off BCHD’s prior accomplishments and extensive community engagement and conversations, the plan identifies priority areas and indicators that significantly affect the health of Baltimore City’s residents. It includes specific activities that can be implemented to improve health outcomes while addressing systemic inequities.

During the Community Conversation, health officials honored more than a dozen partners from across Baltimore for their commitment to core public health services and achieving health equity in their communities. Awardees included:

• Dr. David Blythe, Director, DHMH Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response Bureau
• Dr. Richard Brooks, Medical Officer CDC Prevention and Response Branch, and DHMH Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response Bureau
• Nathaniel Copeland, DPW Fire Hydrant Supervisor, Water Maintenance
• Blaise D’Ambrosio, Vice President, Global Business T. Rowe Price
• Dr. Katherine Feldman, State Public Health Veterinarian, DHMH Center for Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Disease
• Niles Ford, Fire Chief, Baltimore City Fire Department
• Fagan Harris, Founder and CEO, Baltimore Corps
• Ed Hunter, President and CEO, de Beaumont Foundation
• Shawn Kolego, Code Enforcement Investigator, Department of Housing and Community Development
• Anne Langley, Senior Director, Health Planning and Community Engagement, Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Mindy Lipowitz, Chief Operating Officer, Northern Pharmacy
• Neil MacDonald, Vice President Operations, MedStar Good Samaritan and Union Memorial Hospitals
• Darryl McKay, Shoprite, Community Relations Coordinator
• Michelle Nowak, Network Service Center Manager, Maryland Food Bank
• Micheal Anne Preas, Director of Infection Control at University of Maryland Medical Center
• Christine Sandberg, Founder, Rescue Well
• Dr.  Lucy Wilson, Chief, DHMH Center for Surveillance, Infection Prevention and Outbreak Response

Healthy Baltimore 2020 is designed as an ongoing project. BCHD will continue to seek community input in the coming weeks and months.

To further facilitate public discussion, the Baltimore City Health Department will continue to host Community Conversations on each of the strategic priority areas identified in Healthy Baltimore 2020.

“We are so fortunate to work with passionate community partners, and are honored to celebrate their dedication to improving health and wellbeing in our city,” Dr. Wen added. “Everyone has a role to play in transforming health and reducing disparities, and we need the involvement of all sectors to improving health to guide our strategy moving forward.”

The complete Healthy Baltimore 2020 report is available online.