Last month HealthCare Access Maryland (HCAM) concluded its final installment of the three-part “Making Maryland Healthier” Speaker Series. This year’s Speaker Series focused on the core of HCAM’s mission: Making Maryland Healthier. During the three-part series, Maryland leaders and decision-makers joined HCAM’s CEO, Traci Kodeck, for one-on-one conversations about the issues affecting the health of our communities. Our distinguished speakers, Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates, journalist Jayne Miller, and University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay Perman, MD, discussed what makes a community healthy, and the strategies and solutions being implemented to improve the health and well-being of every Marylander.
Our featured speakers offered their unique perspectives – in the criminal justice system, media, and higher education – on the most significant issues impacting the health of Maryland’s communities. In each session, CEO, Traci Kodeck asked these three esteemed leaders how they define a healthy Maryland.
The first installment of the Speaker Series took place in November 2022 and featured Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates. Bates, who took office in January 2023, defined his role as State’s Attorney and his approach to achieving accountability and justice. He described a healthy community as one where people’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs are met, and where members of the community feel safe and supported. Bates shared, “From my standpoint, making sure that the individual is healthy and also protecting the citizens of Baltimore City so that they can be healthy. So that if they want to walk somewhere, they don’t worry about crime in their neighborhood, and they can go out and enjoy the safe green spaces. We are looking to make sure we do the right thing within the [criminal justice] system but we’re also making sure if we do our job, citizens will feel that it’s a safer city, a healthier city.
In March 2023, the second Speaker Series installment featured a conversation with Retired Broadcast Journalist, Jayne Miller. During this session, Jayne discussed her perspective on what defines a healthy Baltimore and Maryland based on her 40 years of experience in journalism covering our community. “A healthy Baltimore would have economic opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds. As a start, a healthier Baltimore would have a more equal and equitable opportunity pipeline for young people. A healthier Baltimore would have a more positive attitude about it from people from the outside.” In this conversation, Jayne also addressed efforts to improve public safety and reduce violence. A large portion of the conversation also covered changing the conversation around mental health and the importance of having accessible mental health services.
The third and final installment of the “Making Maryland Healthier” Speaker Series concluded at the end of May 2023 and featured Dr. Jay Perman, who assumed the role as the 5th Chancellor of the University System of Maryland in January 2020. Chancellor Perman discussed the importance of addressing social determinants of health to improve health outcomes. “A healthy Maryland looks like a place where all children go to good schools. Where all children are acculturated to the idea of getting an education. A healthy Maryland is a Maryland where families earn a living wage. Where people have access to high quality healthcare. Where we make investments in communities so that housing is better and environmental issues are minimal so that communities are strong.” Chancellor Perman’s emphasis on health literacy and education were key themes throughout this conversation and keystones of the work he does in his role at the University System of Maryland.
Stay tuned for more information on HCAM’s next Speaker Series installment, kicking off in the fall of 2023. Follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) to stay up to date on our upcoming events.
Thank you to our sponsors! The Making Maryland Healthier Speaker Series is generously supported by our partners TriBridge Partners and Window Nation. We thank them for supporting our work to make Maryland healthier.
