Faculty and Staff Attend Governor's Forum on Children and Health

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown convened hundreds of leaders from across the state in a call to action designed to improve the health of the state's population at a Forum on Children and Health on Monday, Jan. 10. University of Maryland School of Public Health faculty and staff took part in the forum, based around the state's new plans to improve the health of children in Maryland.

The plans call for the reduction and elimination of health disparities through the exploration of financial, performance-based incentives. At the forum, a number of goals for the future of child healthcare in the state were discussed. Some goals have a more long-term reach, like ending child hunger in Maryland by 2015. However, the governor is hoping for more immediate changes by reducing infant mortality in the state by 10 percent by 2012, expanding access to substance abuse services in Maryland by 25 percent by 2012, and establishing best in the nation statewide health information exchange and electronic health records adoption by 2012.

“The University of Maryland School of Public Health is central to the success of this ambitious plan designed to move Maryland forward as a national model for addressing Healthy People 2020 Goals,” said Dean, Robert S. Gold. “We are fortunate to live in a state where our highest elected officials have embraced the challenge and opportunity to eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity.”

Above: Wesley Queen, Karoline Mortensen, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, Stephen B. Thomas and Carolyn C. Voorhees at the Governor's Forum on Children and Health on January 10.