Maryland Department of Health Maryland Department of Health deputy secretaries for behavioral and public health named Health Care Power Players for 2021

April 30, 2021

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Maryland Department of Health deputy secretaries for behavioral and public health named Health Care Power Players for 2021

Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health Dr. Aliya Jones and Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan selected for The Daily Record’s Power 30 Health Care list

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced that The Daily Record is recognizing Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health Dr. Aliya Jones and Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan as Health Care Power Players for its inaugural Power 30 Health Care list. The list comprises influential and respected leaders in the state’s health care industry and related professions, according to The Daily Record.

“Both Dr. Jones and Dr. Chan demonstrate invaluable leadership, not only for MDH as an institution, but for Maryland as a whole,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “They are on the front lines building new systems, coordinating partnerships and making decisions to help improve the lives of all Marylanders every day—we are so fortunate to have them at the helm of their respective administrations, especially during such an extraordinarily challenging time.”

The Power 30 Health Care list is one of a series of inaugural lists that The Daily Record is releasing this year, following its broader Power 100 list announced in February. The publication’s editorial team, in consultation with people in the community, created the lists to showcase the work and talent of the most influential figures in Maryland.

Dr. Jones joined MDH as Deputy Secretary for the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) in January 2020, only 10 weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic was present in Maryland. With nearly two decades of experience in the medical field, Dr. Jones previously served for seven years as Chief of Psychiatry and Chair of Behavioral Health at Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore, where she led 19 service programs, including the nation’s first court-involved diversion program.

Serving approximately 278,000 individuals and 3,500 providers throughout the state, BHA has oversight responsibility for publicly funded inpatient and community behavioral health services to help individuals with substance-related, mental health and co-occurring disorders. BHA programs and services promote recovery, resiliency, health and wellness for individuals who have or are at risk for emotional, substance-related, addictive or psychiatric disorders.

“I’m honored to serve BHA’s mission and share in this recognition with all of my colleagues,” said Dr. Jones. “Our team is working tirelessly to provide a robust system of behavioral health care, so that all individuals in Maryland can access the health, wellness and quality of life they deserve—even during the most challenging times.”

Dr. Chan was appointed Deputy Secretary for Public Health in April 2021, after serving as Acting Deputy Secretary for the past nine months. She is leading the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts and oversaw the establishment and expansion of the state’s COVID-19 Testing Task Force. Dr. Chan served for 12 years with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, including five years as the county’s health officer, before joining MDH.

The Public Health Administration (PHA) oversees the state’s public health and public health service operations, including infectious disease control, environmental health, maternal and child health, food safety, health care quality, vital records, the State Public Health Laboratories Administration, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the State Anatomy Board and Maryland’s 24 local health departments. PHA also coordinates programs to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes and provides guidance for the state’s school health services, in cooperation with the Maryland State Department of Education.

“I am honored to be recognized, but my effectiveness as a public health professional comes from the combined forces of many professionals at MDH and in local health departments across Maryland,” said Dr. Chan. “We are still facing the greatest public health challenge of our lifetimes, and the work that my colleagues have done, alongside health care workers of every kind, has been nothing short of heroic. I share this honor with them.”

To view both Dr. Jones and Dr. Chan’s profiles on The Daily Record’s Power 30 Health Care list for 2021, visit: thedailyrecord.com.

For more information about the Behavioral Health Administration, visit: bha.health.maryland.gov.

For more information about the Public Health Administration, visit: health.maryland.gov/pha.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.