National Public Health Week (NPHW, April 3-9, 2023) is celebrated every year during the first full week in April. This year’s theme, “Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health,” acknowledges that feeling that we belong and are a part of our communities, helps to foster the cultural connections that support our health and quality of life.
April is also National Minority Health Month (NMHM, April 1-30, 2023), which raises awareness about the health disparities that affect people from racial and ethnic minority groups and encourages action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications. Throughout April, the Maryland Department of Health, Caroline County Health Department, and their partners will host and participate in events including community walks for state employees, a digital ad campaign to promote and celebrate the contributions of public health workers, and a networking event for state employees exhibiting culturally-diverse MDH programs and services.
Watch Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman kick off the celebration!
Residents and CCHD team members are invited to join in the variety of activities being held to celebrate National Public Health Week and National Minority Health Month.
March 30, 2023, Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health
Governor Wes Moore proclaims April 3 – 9 as Public Health Week in Maryland.
April 3, 2023, MDH celebrates National Public Health Week and National Minority Health Month
MDH issues a press release celebrating NPHW and NMHM.
April 5, 2023, Focus on Community
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Community Walk
Kick off the month’s programming with a walk in the community led by the MDH Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. The State Center Walk begins with a short presentation in front of the State Office Building #2, 300 West Preston Street, followed by a walk around the State Center complex. Click here to register, then go to “Walking Group” and select “State Center – National Public Health Week Walk – Wednesday, April 5, 2023”. It’s okay to show up even if you don’t register! Add this event to your calendar.
April 6, 2023, Focus on Reproductive and Sexual Health
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | APHA WEBINAR – HIV Prevention
Join the American Public Health Association for a webinar to learn about HIV prevention tools and programs from community and public health leaders. Participants can earn one continuing education credit in CHES, MCHES, CME, CNE, CPH, and OP (other professional). This is a free event but space is limited; sign up here.
April 7, 2023, Focus on Violence Prevention
Anytime | CDC “Connecting the Dots” Injury Prevention & Control Program
Different forms of violence are often interconnected, sharing the same risk factors and leading to related health consequences. Using a public health approach to address the shared risk and protective factors can prevent multiple forms of violence, and simultaneously improve a variety of health outcomes. Click here to learn about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cross-cutting approach to violence prevention.
April 11, 2023, Focus on Rural Health
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | WEBINAR – Sara Seitz, MDH State Office of Rural Health, Centering and Celebrating: Rural Maryland
Who and where is “rural” in Maryland? This presentation will answer that question, as well as discuss why centering our focus on “rural” matters, and how to best celebrate the 25 percent of Marylanders who live outside of urbanized areas. Hear more about State and Federal resources available to improve the health of rural Maryland. Share your public health experiences in rural communities. Add this event to your calendar.
April 12, 2023, Focus on Violence Prevention
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. | Virtual Journal Club – Katherine Feldman, DVM, MPH
Join a discussion about Emergency Department Visits for Firearm Injuries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January 2019 – December 2022, a recent article published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Add this event to your calendar and come ready to engage on this important topic. It’s okay to show up even if you don’t register!
April 13, 2023, Focus on Community
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Community Walk
Stretch your legs with a walk in the community led by the MDH Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. The State Center Walk begins with a short presentation in front of the State Office Building #2, 300 West Preston Street, followed by a walk around the State Center complex. Click here to register, then go to “Walking Group” and select “State Center – National Public Health Week Walk – Thursday, April 13, 2023”. It’s okay to show up even if you don’t register! Add this event to your calendar.
April 14, 2023, Focus on Food and Nutrition
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | WEBINAR – Leslie Jackson-Vallade, Pantry Staples To Create Healthier Meals
The goal of this talk is to have an interactive conversation that focuses on heart-healthy eating and its role in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease. To accomplish this, Ms. Jackson-Vallade would like to have 3-5 volunteers share a favorite dish or snack for discussion. Healthy eating does not have to be about exclusion. Moderation is key. Add this event to your calendar.
April 17, 2023, Focus on Community
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Community Walk
Stretch your legs with a walk in the community led by the MDH Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. The State Center Walk begins with a short presentation in front of the State Office Building #2, 300 West Preston Street, followed by a walk around the State Center complex. Click here to register, then go to “Walking Group” and select “State Center – National Public Health Week Walk – Monday, April 17, 2023”. It’s okay to show up even if you don’t register! Add this event to your calendar.
April 18, 2023, Focus on Food and Nutrition
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | WEBINAR – Dr. Kendall Bustad, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Presentation on Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition
Explore cultural aspects of food and nutrition with a leading expert on health education, nutrition, the built environment, and vulnerable populations. Add this event to your calendar.
April 19, 2023
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | In-person event in the Lobby and L-1, 201 West Preston Street
Learn about the many ways MDH touches the lives of Maryland residents. Gather with colleagues for remarks from MDH senior leadership, hear presentations by experts in their fields, and browse displays sponsored by MDH programs.
| 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks (Lobby) | Dr. Katherine Feldman, Chief Public Health Scientist, Public Health Services |
| 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Live and virtual webinar (L-1) Cultural Acceptance of Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders | Dr. Aliya Jones, Executive Medical Director of Behavioral Health, Luminis Health |
| 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Browse displays (Lobby) | |
| 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. | NPHW / NMHM Comments (Lobby) | Dr. Laura Herrera Scott, Secretary of Health Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Mark Martin, Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities |
| 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. | Live and virtual webinar (L-1) Celebrations: Science, Health Equity, and Us! | Dr. Cassandra Okechukwu, Vice President of Health Equity Research, UnitedHealth Group & Adjunct Associate Professor, Harvard University |
April 21, 2023, Focus on Mental Health
Time TBA | WEBINAR – Dr. Maggie Brewinski Isaacs, HHS Administration of Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR Refugee Mental Health Program. Information about this presentation coming soon! Add this event to your calendar.
April 27, 2023, Focus on Accessibility
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | IN-PERSON TRAINING – Equal Access Language Services Training – Carol Velandia This half-day training in L-1 at 201 West Preston Street is intended for public health practitioners to learn how critically important it is to ensure language access for Maryland residents accessing public health services. At the end of this training, participants will understand how language access can result in improved health outcomes and a reduction in health disparities; participants will also understand the legal basis for providing language access. The training will be experiential and participants will practice skills such as working effectively with interpreters. Availability is limited; sign up as soon as possible. Given your supervisor’s approval to participate in this training, register here.