Recent News

On Health Matters, Cities Are Increasingly Going to Court (Governing)

Cities used to stay out of courtroom battles over health, leaving that role predominantly to state governments. In the 1990s, states sued the tobacco industry and won more than $200 billion for the damages it had done to public health. States have filed lawsuits against and in defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

But in recent years, more and more cities have been going to court.

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Leana Wen

Health Commissioner Declares Code Red Extreme Heat Alert for Wednesday

BALTIMORE, MD (August 7, 2018) – With continued heat in the Baltimore region and a heat index expected to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen has issued a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert for tomorrow, August 8th.

Code Red Extreme Heat Alert Issued For Wednesday (WJZ)

With continued heat in the Baltimore area and a heat index expected to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen has issued a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert for Wednesday.

“Heat is a silent killer and a public health threat, particularly for the young, the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions,” Dr. Wen said. “All residents should protect against hyperthermia and dehydration. It’s important to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay in touch with your neighbors, especially seniors and medically frail individuals who live alone or without air conditioning during times of extreme heat.” – Dr. Leana Wen

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Leana Wen

Baltimore City Councilwoman will introduce legislation to improve lactation accommodations (Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore City Councilwoman introduced legislation Monday designed to improve lactation accommodations and ease new mothers’ transitions back into the workplace.

Councilwoman Shannon Sneed — who often brings her young daughter to public hearings and council meetings — said all working mothers “deserve the ability to lactate if they return to work by choice or by necessity.” Mothers, she said, shouldn’t have to choose between their careers and their child’s wellness.

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Leana Wen

Mayor Pugh's annual back-to-school rally distributes around 3,200 free backpacks (Baltimore Sun)

Parents and children lined up to get free backpacks decorated with smiley faces, baseball bats and sharks, and filled with school supplies at Mayor Catherine Pugh’s annual back-to-school rally.

The event, hosted at the War Memorial Plaza downtown Saturday, distributed around 3,200 backpacks ahead of the Sept. 4 start date for city schools. Fewer than 100 backpacks were left over, which will be distributed next week, Pugh spokesman James E. Bentley II wrote via text message.

The rally also featured an array of sponsors, including the Baltimore Fire Department, which taught hands-on CPR; the Enoch Pratt Library; and the Baltimore City Health Department, which delivered immunizations to children in the War Memorial Building.

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Baltimore ‘Back-To-School Rally’ Gets Kids Prepared (WJZ)

Baltimore City students will head back to class one month from today.

Public Health Heroes: Office of Youth Violence Prevention Supporting Male Survivors of Violence Program

The Health Department’s Supporting Male Survivors of Violence Program (SMSV) is housed within the Office of Youth Violence Prevention, and is one of 12 pilot programs funded through the Office for Victims of Crime within the U.S. Department of Justice.

Office of Youth Violence Prevention

Baltimore Suing Trump Administration Over Healthcare (Patch)

The city of Baltimore is suing President Donald Trump and his administration over the Affordable Care Act. With a total of four cities listed as plaintiffs, the lawsuit was filed Thursday in Maryland district court.

"We are deeply concerned about the impact of the rising uninsured population on health and costs to our city," Baltimore Health Commissioner Leana Wen said in a statement Thursday.

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Leana Wen

Health Department Raises Awareness about Benefits of Breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week – August 1 through August 7

Today, during World Breastfeeding Week, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen joined staff at the Health Department’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding for healthy mothers and babies.

Note From The Commissioner: Standing in Support of the CARE Act

Last Friday, I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion on the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act introduced by Representative Elijah Cummings and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Congressman Cummings and Senator Warren were on the panel, along with Senator Ben Cardin, Representative John Sarbanes, Mayor Pugh, and several of our community partners, including hospitals, direct service providers, and individuals in recovery. The CARE Act—modeled after the Ryan White Act for HIV/AIDS—was introduced this year by Representative Cummings and Senator Warren.

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