School of Public Health Co-Sponsors Maryland's 8th Annual Minority Health Disparities Conference

What: A one day conference co-sponsored by the University of Maryland's School of Public Health; the Maryland Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; and the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions will focus on strategies to address health disparities in the state of Maryland. The conference will highlight efforts to promote diversity in Maryland's public health and health care workforce so that it reflects the state's changing demographics, and to prepare for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Who: Officials from federal, state and local agencies, university public health and medical leaders, community advocates and others will speak, including Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; the Honorable Anthony G. Brown, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Maryland; the Honorable Shirley Nathan Pulliam, House of Delegates, District 10, Maryland General Assembly. Stephen B. Thomas, director of UMD's Maryland Center for Health Equity, will give the keynote lecture.

When: Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 8:30 AM-4:00 PM

Where: Marriott Inn and Conference Center, University of Maryland University College

Background:

Maryland's Eighth Annual Statewide Minority Health Disparities Conference will bring together more than 400 academics, health providers, students, community advocates, health departments and other governmental agencies, legislators, non-profit and for-profit entities, and the business community to address strategies to promote health equity in Maryland. The conference theme-"Maryland's Health Workforce: Promoting Diversity and Strengthening the Pipeline"-is designed to highlight partnerships that will reduce socio-economic barriers to training and education, promote diversity in the workforce, and ultimately reduce minority health disparities.

Census data shows that Maryland's combined racial and ethnic minority population is beginning to approach the non-Hispanic white population. As the state's demographics change, it is critically important that the public health and health care workforce reflects the population's diversity. Equally essential is that the workforce be prepared to work effectively with Maryland's citizens in both clinical and public health settings. Training the workforce is also a cornerstone of the state's efforts to prepare for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Dr. Robert S. Gold, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Health, will open the conference with Dr. Carlessia Hussein, Director of Office on Minority Health and Health Disparities in the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Dr. Stephen B. Thomas, director of the school's Maryland Center for Health Equity, will give the keynote lecture inaugurating the Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Lecture Series. This lecture series will recognize and honor Delegate Nathan-Pulliam, who has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 1995 and sponsored the bill that established the Maryland Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities in 2004. Delegate Nathan-Pulliam is recognized for her steadfast commitment to improving the lives of all Marylanders and is credited with developing a number of local intervention programs designed to impact minority adult and infant health outcomes.

School of Public Health faculty members Olivia Carter-Pokras and Bonnie Braun will present their work on developing a primer on cultural competency and health literacy training. Associate Dean Sandra Quinn organized and will moderate a session on the innovative national program, Health Leads, which mobilizes undergraduate volunteers, in partnership with providers in urban clinics, to connect low-income patients with the basic resources that they need to be healthy.

The Maryland 8th Annual Statewide Minority Health Disparities Conference will be held at the Marriott Inn and Conference Center, University of Maryland University College from 8:30 AM-4:00 PM on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. Those interested in attending who are not yet registered may register on-site beginning at 8:00 AM.

Media Contacts

Lee Tune
Associate Director
Office of Public Affairs
University of Maryland
301-405-4679
ltune@umd.edu

Where is the University of Maryland?

11200