At the end of September BCHD announced that over $20 million in grant funding had been award from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to support efforts to reduce HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender populations, with an emphasis on MSM of color. 

While new HIV infections are declining across the city–and nationwide–new infections are increasing among MSM and transgender persons in Baltimore. African American populations are particularity at-risk–84 percent of those living with HIV in Baltimore are African American.

The two grants awarded to BCHD are part of $185 million in funding distributed by the CDC to respond to the severe burden of HIV among MSM and transgender men and women. 

BCHD will be coordinating these grants among a number of partners across the city.

We are so proud of what these grants will mean for our prevention efforts.

On October 1st Dr. Wen issued a citywide blanket prescription for the anti-overdose drug naloxone.  Baltimore City will become first jurisdiction in Maryland to expand access to the opioid antidote.

“If someone is dying of overdose, they can’t save their own life. That’s why it’s so important for every one of us to learn how to use naloxone,” said Dr. Wen. “Naloxone should be part of everyone’s medicine cabinet and everyone’s First Aid kit—and now, with the standing order, it can be.

Baltimore City’s standing order model will help to expand access to naloxone to those at-risk of experiencing an opioid overdose in Baltimore City and make it easier for people to get naloxone from their local pharmacist when they need it.

For more information, please visit: http://health.baltimorecity.gov/NaloxoneStandingOrders

NPR has released their next series of stories on highlighting BCHD's ongoing work. Their stories profiled our progress in the fight to prevent overdose deaths, including our expanded focus on naloxone training and the recent multi-million dollar donation of Evzio, as well as a story highlighting the recent increase in naloxone pricing.

An article written by Dr. Wen and her team, “Public Health in the Unrest: Baltimore’s Preparedness and Response After Freddie Gray’s Death,” was published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The article highlights BCHD’s immediate response following the unrest and renews the call for health equity across Baltimore:

“Our mandate is to help all residents realize their full health potential, especially when the challenges seem daunting. It’s everyone’s job, because health is everywhere—affected by everything and everyone.

Public health should never take a back seat. We did not do so in the unrest, and have no intention of doing so now.

This is our time to rally local energy and federal resources to catalyze change throughout the city and truly fight for health care equity.”

Read more at: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302838

On October 4th tens of thousands of people came from across the country to gather on the national mall for the UNITE to Face Addiction concert and rally.  

Famous musicians, politicians and experts in the addiction field came together to share their stories and unite to break the stigma surrounding addiction. The rally included musical performances by Steven Tyler, Sheryl Crow and the Fray, as well as speeches by the Director of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.

At the rally, Dr. Leana Wen led the crowd in a naloxone demonstration with Senator Angus King.   Thousands of naloxone trainers had been distributed throughout the audience prior to the demonstration, making it the world’s largest naloxone training! It was a great opportunity to raise awareness to thousands of people about how they can fight overdose in their communities and save lives. 

In late September, BCHD, along with representatives from the community, announced the launch of the "Words Not Weapons,” campaign focused on communication as the key to violence prevention.

Under the leadership of Joneigh Khaldun, this campaign will ask medical professionals, neighborhood leaders, and young people to pledge their commitment to spreading a message of non-violent conflict resolution.

"We're not trying to reinvent the wheel," said Khaldun. "Every hospital should have a violence prevention program. And doctors should call the social workers and get people to applicable resources every time."

To learn more about the "Words Not Weapons" campaign, please visit: http://health.baltimorecity.gov/wordsnotweapons

The Safe Streets site in McElderry Park has begun limited operations in early September, following a comprehensive review of the program which resulted in new protocols to strengthen management and oversight. 

Following the arrest of two Safe Streets contractors in July, BCHD immediately suspended operations of the site until this thorough review was completed and improved best practices were adopted.

Dr. Wen also announced that the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) has formally introduced an RFP inviting community- based organizations in West Baltimore the opportunity to bring Safe Street to their neighborhoods.

BCHD remains committed to supporting the Safe Streets Baltimore model, and we cannot wait to expand to a fifth site.

Community groups interested in a Safe Streets site can review the RFP at: http://health.baltimorecity.gov/funding-grants-and-rfps

On September 17th the BCHD released the second Baltimore Community Health Survey (CHS) Summary Results Report. The report is based on a survey conducted in the fall of 2014 of 1,722 adults across Baltimore City, and is a follow up to the 2009 CHS.

The report highlights several positive changes in the health of Baltimore City residents over the past five years, including:

•  35 percent increase in the number of residents with health insurance;
• Increased awareness about how to combat sleep-related infant mortality; and
• Decreased levels of obesity and diabetes among African American populations.

We will use the results of the 2014 Community Health Survey to guide our efforts as we work to achieve healthcare equity for all residents. 

More than 100 people gathered this past Tuesday for "Pink Out Day," as part of a nationwide push to demonstrate support Planned Parenthood.

Dr. Wen was joined by Congressman Van Hollen , PPM Interim President & CEO  Dr. Amina Chaudhry,  State Senator Madaleno, State Delegate Ariana Kelly.

Delegate Shelly Hettleman, and Delegate Nathan-Pulliam to speak about the vital importance that Planned Parenthood has also played in helping reduce Baltimore's infant mortality rate.

"I am a doctor, I am a scientist and I believe in evidence and facts and the truth...Fact: Back in 2007, Baltimore had the fourth-worst infant mortality in the country. As a result of our relationship with Planned Parenthood and with other city partners … Baltimore now has the lowest infant mortality we've ever had."

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day was September 26th, an annual event National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

To promote this year's event, Dr. Wen joined Baltimore Police Commissioner Davis, DEA Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shawn Ellerman, and a number of community partners to urge residents to drop off unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription drugs at any of local police district office.

Last year over 8,000 pounds of unwanted medication was collected across the state of Maryland.

One in four Baltimoreans currently live in a food dessert. Dr. Wen joined Mayor Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) President Bill Cole to announce new legislation being introduced to the City Council that will create a new tax credit to attract supermarkets to Baltimore City's food deserts.

BCHD remains committed to expanding food access across Baltimore thanks to successful programs such as Virtual Supermarket and Healthy Corner Stores.

Following weekend celebrations for Grandparents Day, Dr. Wen joined Mayor Rawlings-Blake at the 2015 Baltimore City Grandparents Caregivers Conference to honor the invaluable contributions of our nation’s grand families and caregivers.

Nationwide more than 7.5 million children under age 18 are living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. Here in Baltimore, over 8,000 grandparents are household heads who are responsible for grandchildren living with them. In many of these homes, grandparents and other relatives are taking on primary responsibility for the children’s needs.

Dr. Wen and Mayor-Rawlings-Blake reiterated their support for these thousands of families and called for increased support for both caregivers—and the children in their care.

B'More Health Talks is our Biweekly virtual town hall meetings to give leaders in our community a platform to engage with key issues.  Our last B'More Health Talk on September 18th was focused on emergency preparedness and communicable disease.

Join us for our next B’More Health Talk on Friday, October 9th from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Dr. Wen will be joined by community leaders at the Baltimore City Health Department headquarters to discuss, mass incarceration, the legacy of “tough on crime” politics, and how this disturbing trend impacts policies ranging from infectious disease, and mental health, to substance use disorders, and violence.

You can listen in by calling 605-562-3180 and using the access code 117-245-291 and tweet-chat live with the hashtag #BMoreHealthTalks.

In the meantime, we hope you will email us at bmoreheard@baltimorecity.gov with suggestions, ideas, or comments for this and future episodes.

To listen to our previous episodes, please visit: www.soundcloud.com/bmorehealthtalks

In honor of B’more For Healthy Babies 6th anniversary, BHB will be hosting a free event for Baltimore’s families on Wednesday, October 14 form 6-8 pm at the National Aquarium

Remember, get there early to tour the Aquarium!

We hope you’ll join us to celebrate 6 years of successes.

Be sure to save the date of Saturday, October 10 for the 11th Annual BARCStoberfest and Ready...Set...Sniff 5K Run/1 Mile Walk at Patterson Park. 

Be sure that you, your friends and family, and your pup, join us for our signature festival and 5K Run that celebrates everything you love about your pet! 

Great food, vendors, pet adoptions, entertainment, our infamous pet costume contests and loads of outdoors fun!