Six Unforgettable Moments from 2023

Through education, research, and practice the Bloomberg American Health Initiative community continued to improve health and save lives nationwide in 2023. While it is impossible to capture all of the positive change led by Bloomberg fellows, faculty, and alumni, here is a list of six unforgettable moments of 2023:

2023 Bloomberg American Health Summit

On November 7, 2023, the Bloomberg American Health Summit convened public health practitioners, policymakers, community organizations, and Bloomberg Fellows from around the country in Baltimore to explore uncommon connections and partnerships that are advancing health and equity across the country. If you missed this year's Summit, check out the highlights here. 

 

New High Impact Project on the Impact of Travel Lane Widths on Safety

In an NPR interview, Shima Hamidi, PhD Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health and project lead, shared more about the findings of her new high impact project. The research, supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, found that traffic lane widths between 9 and 11 feet decreased the risk of accidents while simultaneously improving access for pedestrians and bikes. The researchers analyzed 1,100 street sections to better understand the relationship between lane width and the number of crashes that occurred in each road section from 2017 to 2019. Their findings help inform a set of policy recommendations for possible lane-width reduction projects and their benefits with a focus on urban settings.  Learn more.

The Intersection of White Supremacy and Firearms

In February, the Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, and the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health co-hosted a virtual symposium on the deadly intersection of white supremacy and firearms. The merging of white supremacy, political violence, guns, and the Second Amendment is both deadly and complex. Expert panelists and presenters broke down the problem and discussed evidence-based solutions that can have an impact on the local, state and federal levels. The event was co-moderated by Michelle Spencer, deputy director of the Initiative. Learn more.

A Call to Action for Missing and Murdered Black Women

In September, a group of civil rights leaders, social justice advocates, and academics came together in Washington, D.C. to discuss the epidemic of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. The event was convened by Tiara Willie, PhD, Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health in the Department of Mental Health at the Bloomberg School, and Kamila Alexander, associate director of PhD and postdoctoral programs at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. The event featured Lakeisha Lee, co-founder of the Brittany Clardy Foundation, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Colman (D-NJ), who announced the introduction of the Brittany Clardy Act. Read more and hear more from Lakeisha’s panel at the 2023 Bloomberg American Health Summit. 

Bloomberg Fellows Continued to Impact Change

Bloomberg Fellows continue to make a huge impact in their communities. This year, Bloomberg Fellow Melanie Racine and her team at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program developed and implemented a plan which will allow them to offer treatment for opioid use disorder to those who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Under SAMHSA's 72-hour rule, the team is now able to get people started on methadone upon arrival and offer a three day prescription while also connecting them to a longer-term Opioid Treatment Program. Learn more. 

The Health Resources Services Administration recently awarded a $350,000 grant to Partnership Health Center to expand current school-based mental health service offerings at four schools in Missoula County, Montana. The grant, led by current Bloomberg Fellow Amy Kryzek, provides students with on-site access to mental health services, substance use prevention services and support to address health-related social needs such as access to food, housing, and assistance in signing up for health insurance. Learn more. 

Helping Communities Identify and Implement Long-Term Solutions to Reduce Violence

At the 2023 Bloomberg American Health Summit, we announced a new project led by Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, assistant professor and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and Mallory O’Brien, PhD, associate scientist in Center for Gun Violence Solutions. This project, funded by the Initiative, will help empower communities to develop and implement Violence Reduction Councils through training and toolkits. Learn more.