Baltimore Health Dept. Launches Online Tool To Track Restaurant Inspection Data (WJZ)

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—The Baltimore City Health Department released a new inspection web portal on Tuesday that provides the public with an easy way to access food service facility inspection data online.

The health department says it’s their way to improve transparency and streamline the inspection process.

“People need to be able to make informed decisions about where they want to eat. We are proud to introduce this new tool which will increase transparency and help residents make better choices for their families,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen. “We’ve continued to work tirelessly to ensure our restaurants and other food service establishments serve food in a hygienic and safe way, and believe this new system will empower residents to be more involved in this critical public safety process.”

Read More at: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/05/17/baltimore-health-dept-launches-online-tool-to-track-restaurant-inspection-data/

Related Stories

Lead poisoning cases fell 19 percent in Baltimore last year, even as more children tested for exposure (Baltimore Sun)

The number of Baltimore children with lead poisoning fell 19 percent in 2017, even as more children were tested for exposure to the powerful neurotoxin.

Statewide, the number of Maryland children found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood held steady even as the number of children tested increased by 10 percent, according to a Maryland Department of the Environment report released Tuesday.

Read the entire story.

Azar Unveils Plan to Help Pregnant Patients Quit Opioids (MedPage Today)

States will get help from the federal government integrating services for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid patients with opioid use disorder under a pilot program announced Tuesday by Health and Hu

Trump declared an emergency over opioids. A new report finds it led to very little. (Vox)

To much fanfare last year, President Donald Trump ordered his administration to declare a public health emergency over the opioid epidemic. “As Americans, we cannot allow this to continue,” Trump said at the time. “It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction.”

When I’ve asked experts about these approaches, it’s not that any of them are bad. It’s that they fall short. For instance, Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore (and soon-to-be president of Planned Parenthood), said that the Support for Patients and Communities Act “is simply tinkering around the edges.”

Read the entire story.