At the Baltimore City Health Department, we believe that where a person lives should not determine if they live. We believe that it is unconscionable for there to be a 20-year difference in life expectancy between neighborhoods just a few miles apart. Our programs and initiatives work to fight this disparity and to improve the health and well-being of all our residents.

The overdose epidemic contributes to this disparity in life expectancy. Today, I joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen for a tour of the Tuerk House, a residential treatment facility for those suffering from the disease of addiction. The federal omnibus spending package and 21st Century Cures Act will provide additional funding for substance use disorder treatment. However, the plan to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives, includes a provision that could allow insurers to stop providing coverage for mental health and addiction services. In the midst of an opioid epidemic that is a public health emergency, this will cost millions more lives.

As I mentioned during a discussion this week at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, only 1 in 10 people who need treatment nationwide receive it. This gap is unacceptable, which is why we are working to improve education, outreach, and access to treatment for substance use disorders and mental health in Baltimore City.

On Sunday, BCHD staff and I joined the March for Babies, hosted by March of Dimes Baltimore, in pursuit of our common goal: we want all babies to be born healthy and ready to thrive in healthy families. Since the inception of the B’more for Healthy Babies initiative in 2009 we have seen a decline in infant mortality to record lows in the city—as well as an over 50 percent decrease in the disparity between the black and white infant mortality rates.

Many other health disparities affect the lives of Baltimore’s residents. Earlier in the week, I joined Chase Brexton’s HIV/AIDS Walk to help raise awareness and funds for research and education. In Baltimore, 1 in 6 people who have HIV do not know they are infected. On average, BCHD performs more than 50,000 HIV tests and connects thousands of individuals with HIV/AIDS to high-quality medical care every year. Thanks to pioneering efforts such as our needle exchange program, HIV infection rates from intravenous drug use have plummeted from 63 percent of all new infections in 1994 to just 7 percent in 2014.

On Thursday, I had the honor of representing Mayor Catherine E. Pugh at the Maryland’s Centenarian Luncheon. Older adults are the backbone of our community. In Baltimore, we are proud and honored to serve our seniors. During Older Americans Month, BCHD is hosting several events to thank older adults and celebrate the countless contributions they have made to our city.

Public health plays a crucial role in our lives, from birth into later in life, and is inextricably tied to social justice. At BCHD, we will continue working each day to ensure that everyone across our city has access to the resources they need to lead healthy and well lives.

Sincerely,

Leana S. Wen, M.D., M.Sc.

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