Baltimore City Health Department Hosts Healthy Baltimore 2020 Community Conversation on Chronic Disease Prevention

BALTIMORE, MD (March 29, 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.

“Building a healthier Baltimore is foundational to our success as a city. To truly move forward, we must support innovative efforts to reduce the chronic conditions that are killing so many of our residents,” said Mayor Catherine E. Pugh. “I look forward to working together to reduce health disparities and promote well-being across Baltimore.”
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 ten 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.

“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. “By developing a comprehensive approach to fighting the chronic conditions that remain the major causes of death in our city, we can ensure that all Baltimore City residents have the resources and support they need to enjoy long, healthy, and well lives.”
During the Community Conversation, health officials honored more than a dozen partners from across Baltimore for their commitment to a public health approach to preventing chronic disease and achieving health equity in their communities. Awardees included:

• Dr. Mary Beth Bollinger, University of Maryland Medical Center
• Vincent DeMarco, Maryland Citizen’s Health Initiative
• Rhonda Ford Chatmon, American Heart Association
• J. Howard Henderson, Greater Baltimore Urban League
• Dr. Lawrence Johnson, Park West Health System
• Sarah Kline, Shoprite Howard Park
• Dr. Elizabeth Matsui, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Pat McLain, University of Maryland School of Nursing
• Dr. Cliff Mitchell, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• Barbara Moore, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital
• Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, 44th District
• Ruth Ann Norton, Green and Healthy Homes Initiative
• Akil Patterson, Sugar Free Kids
• Carol Payne, Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, Global Policy Solutions
• Tiffany Welsh, No Boundaries Coalition
• Ann Williams, University of Maryland’s Healthy Men Project

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.

“The input and support of our community is critical to creating a framework that truly supports the health of our residents. 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 improving health in Baltimore City, and we need the involvement of all those committed to improving health to guide our strategy moving forward.”

The complete Healthy Baltimore 2020 report is available at http://www.hb2020.com.
 

###