BALTIMORE, MD (July 25, 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. “BCHD’s clinical, STD, and HIV services serve as the safety net for thousands of Baltimore residents, enabling them to get the care that they and their families need.”

Launched in August 2016, Healthy 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 HIV, STD, and clinical services and achieving health equity in their communities. Awardees included:

• Dr. Edgar Alonsozana, previous Chief of Department of Pathology, Mercy Medical Center
• Nancy Baruch, Chief, Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Maryland Department of Health
• Odette Belcher (and team), Director, Dayspring Head Start
• Jean-Michel Brevelle, Sexual Minorities Program Manager, Center for HIV/STI Integration and Capacity, Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health
• Dale Brewer and Carlton Ray Smith, Co-Chairs, Greater Baltimore HIV Health Services Planning Council
• Kip Castner, Chief, Center for HIV/STI Integration and Capacity, Maryland Department of Health
• Kim Cosgrove, Director, Maryland Family Network Early Head Start
• Dr. Michael Fingerhood, Medical Director, Comprehensive Care Practice, Johns Hopkins Bayview
• Dr. Robert Gallo, Director Institute for Human Virology, University of Maryland
• Mary Gunning, Director, Catholic Charities
• Jamal Hailey, Director of Programs, STAR TRACK Adolescent HIV Programs, University of Maryland
• Jacky Jennings, Director, Center for Child and Community Health Research
• Traci Kodeck, President, HealthCare Access Maryland
• Carolyn Massey, Former Chair, Greater Baltimore HIV Health Services Planning Council
• Dr. Robert Meyers, Director, Maryland Department of Health Public Health Lab
• Dr. Anne Rompalo and Dr. Barbara Wilgus, Medical Director and Project Administrator, STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, Johns Hopkins
• Ken Ruby, Chief, Center for STI Prevention, Maryland Department of Health
• Sandi Timmins, Executive Director, House of Ruth Maryland
• Dr. Jonathan Zenilman, Chief, Infectious Diseases Division, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

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.