Leonardtown, MD (February 27, 2025) – Dr. Boris Lushniak called the Maryland Commission on Public Health to order for its February 20th meeting. The Commission welcomed Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Serena C. McIlwain and heard updates from commission workgroups for Workforce as well as Data and Information Technology.
Secretary McIlwain highlighted her agency’s deep connection to public health, including supporting safe recreational and drinking water, reducing exposure to environmental toxins such as lead and PFAS, and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. She noted that local health departments are critical to this work and identified several examples of state-local partnerships. The Secretary also noted that her agency was committed to addressing long-term environmental challenges that disproportionately impact vulnerable communities. The MDE online Environmental Justice Screening tool, which is currently undergoing improvements, provides a variety of data at the census tract level to help inform MDE initiatives.
Dr. Brian Castrucci, CEO and President of the de Beaumont Foundation, co-chairs the Commission’s Workforce Workgroup along with Carroll County Health Officer Sue Doyle. Dr. Castrucci presented findings from the workgroup’s efforts over the past year, highlighting areas where hiring and retention practices could be improved, as well as partnerships between government and academic institutions to support Maryland’s public health workforce. He noted Maryland’s robust participation in the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, which will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Maryland’s public health workforce challenges.
Dr. Matthew Levy, Prince George’s County Health Officer, and Craigh Behm, CEO of Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP), offered updates from the Commission’s Data and Information Technology Workgroup, which they co-chair. Their remarks highlighted the importance of modern, interoperable systems to connect the variety of enterprise solutions needed in public health. “Public health is a data-driven profession, and accurate, timely data is the foundation of what we do,” Dr. Levy said in his opening remarks.
With the Commission’s “deep dive” presentations concluded, the next several months will be spent developing recommendations to improve Maryland’s public health system and capabilities. The next Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2025, with Dr. Oluwatosin Olateju as presiding Co-Chair. The session will be accessible online and recorded for public review at the Commission’s website with reminders and other important information also shared on social media through LinkedIn (@Maryland Commission on Public Health) and Instagram (@md.coph).
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The Maryland Commission on Public Health was established in 2023 to study and make recommendations to improve Maryland’s public health system. The 16-member body is comprised of local health officers, academic partners, thought leaders, and legislators. The Maryland Department of Health is represented by the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, the Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health, and the Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. Many additional leaders and professionals are contributing to the Commission’s five workgroups. The Commission’s goal is to ensure the public health system is designed to help all Marylanders achieve their best health and a lifetime of wellness. Meetings are held monthly and streamed online. For more information, please visit health.maryland.gov/coph.