Recent News

"Measles outbreak puts spotlight on vaccinations" (WBAL-TV, January 22, 2015)

Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen suggests the Measles situation in California is a "call to action" for Maryland parents to ensure their children have the proper vaccinations.  View the WBAL-TV story.

“Baltimore Health Commissioner Leana Wen calls on hospitals to collaborate” (Baltimore Business Journal, January 22, 2015)

Baltimore's new health commissioner wants the city to play a leading role in bringing together hospitals to tackle public health problems. Read more here.

We’re working together 24/7 to protect Baltimore City from health and safety threats

In emergencies of all types, Baltimore City community members respond at the individual level, within neighborhoods, as government agencies and healthcare organizations. Public health response begins at the most basic level. Many of you are involved in it on an ongoing basis for yourself and your family without thinking of it as protecting our collective health and safety.

Baltimore City Health Department Table

"Fighting the spread of HIV by posing on the dance floor" (Associated Press, January 17, 2015)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Beneath the neon lights of a banquet hall on an industrial stretch of the city, models strutted across an elevated stage in homemade evening gowns and tuxedos adorned with sequins, lace and something atypical for the runway: Trojan condom wrappers. Read more here.

"Leana Wen: Geography should not be destiny" (Baltimore Sun Op-Ed, January 15, 2015)

New Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen writes in an Op-Ed for the Baltimore Sun that her goal is to "change the unfortunate reality that geography is often destiny" and highlights details of her 100-day plan focusing on youth wellness, substance abuse and population health.

"Baltimore's New City Health Commissioner To Focus On Substance Abuse, Youth Wellness" (WBAL Radio, January 15, 2015)

Dr. Leana Wen is the new City Health Commissioner. She says she's going to focus on three things: youth wellness, the rampant substance abuse problem and older folks. Dr. Wen is a practicing emergency physician and public health leader who most recently served as director of patient-centered care and assistant professor of emergency medicine and health policy at George Washington University. Listen to the WBAL 1090AM story here.

"Why I Left The ER To Run Baltimore's Health Department" (WYPR "Shots", January 15, 2015)

Dr. Leana Wen writes about why she chose to leave the emergency department and her position as a  public health professor to serve as Baltimore's new Health Commissioner.  Read Dr. Wen's story here.

Welcome From The Health Commissioner

Welcome to the new Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) blog!

I am delighted to start the B’healthy in B’more blog as I begin my first day at BCHD—the oldest public health department in the country. With the leadership and support of our Mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, our 1,100 employees work innovatively and extremely hard every day to serve the public and improve health.

Leana Wen, M.D. Begins Tenure As Baltimore’s Health Commissioner

With Leana Wen, M.D. officially beginning her tenure tomorrow as Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department, today she announced details of her priority areas and several key additions to her senior leadership team. Dr. Wen replaces Dr. Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, who had served as interim health commissioner since May 2014 and has been named Director of the Mayor’s Office of Human Services.

"Baltimore welcomes new health commissioner" (WBAL-TV, January 14, 2015)

A new commissioner will take the helm of the Baltimore City Health Department on Thursday. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake introduced Dr. Leana Wen, saying, "We look forward to your thoughtful patient-driven approach that will help us ensure that Baltimore's resident will have the knowledge and access they need to realize healthier lives." Watch the WBAL-TV 11 story here.

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