The Power of Partnerships
Our Goal
Partner to protect the population’s health and advance equity and social justice worldwide, with a special commitment to Baltimore.
To continue to be a leading partner promoting global and local health, we proposed to 1) expand our efforts to improve health and well-being in Baltimore; 2) enhance our cross-sector collaborations to improve health and advance health equity and social justice; and 3) connect our global and local partners to have a greater collective impact on health.
Reflections on the Changing Landscape
The School’s response to COVID-19 highlighted our deep and ongoing commitment to the practice of public health and the cultivation of cross-sector partnerships at home and around the world. Despite making enormous strides in understanding the virus and developing and sharing interventions to mitigate its impact, there is no substitute for effective implementation. We learned yet again that collaborations between the public and private sectors are key to ensuring that evidence-based solutions are taken to scale and reach those most in need.
This has also been a moment of reckoning for our field and our society. Now more than ever, conversations about equity, racism, and social justice are front and center in public health. We must build on this momentum and work across sectors to end inequities in health.
Our commitment to Baltimore and to local communities throughout the country remains a critical priority for the School. At the same time, we are reminded that our health as a nation is inexorably interconnected with our global environment. We share common vulnerabilities across borders. Unprecedented global cooperation will be critical for a healthy future for all. We must work together to share data, build a robust public health system including a global early warning system, and develop common, evidence-driven polices to protect all interests. These priorities are important not only for preparedness but for responding to the growing burden of noninfectious diseases and addressing the social, economic, environmental, commercial, and political drivers of health.
Our authentic, mutually beneficial partnerships with communities enhance our impact — we achieve much more by working together.
Mindi B. Levin, MS, CHES®
Founder and Director, SOURCE
Associate Practice Professor, Health, Behavior and Society; and Health Policy and Management
