​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.

Vision

A healthy and thriving Maryland where every community flourishes with equitable access to comprehensive public health services, empowering everyone to achieve well-being and improved health outcomes.

Mission

Through collaborative learning and listening, inclusive decision-making, and strategic recommendations, the Commission helps create sustainable improvements to public health systems that benefit everyone who lives, learns, and works in our state.

Values

The values that influence the Commission’s decision-making and approach to this work are:  communication, equity, inclusion, and innovation.

Communication:  Open, transparent, clear, data-informed, and consistent communication fosters trust and collaboration. We strive to make our work accessible and understandable, ensuring that our messages resonate with and are relevant to all Marylanders.

Health equity:  We value the role that equity plays in public health. We believe that public health systems should lead with health equity values and acknowledge that communities are diminished when individuals are left behind.

Inclusion:  Diverse voices strengthen our efforts. We must prioritize representation from the breadth of Maryland’s communities and demographics, ensuring that those we serve have a meaningful role in shaping and implementing health programs. We believe that inclusion must be reflected in governance through clear lines of authority that lead to effective policies and programs at state and local levels.

Innovation:  We embrace creative solutions and continuously seek out emerging, scientifically sound practices to enhance public health. By fostering a culture of innovation, we aim to position Maryland as a leader in effective and forward-thinking health strategies that achieved improved outcomes.