BALTIMORE, MD (October 21, 2008) – On behalf of Governor O’Malley, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) Secretary John M. Colmers today accepted an award from the March of Dimes for the state’s excellence in newborn screening. The recognition was made during a one-day Babies Born Healthy Leadership Forum sponsored by DHMH at the BWI Marriott in Linthicum. 

“Newborn screening can discover a number of genetic conditions in which early treatment prevents serious illness or mental retardation” said, Secretary Colmers.  “High quality testing guarantees that Maryland newborns are given the best opportunity to grow and lead a normal and productive life.”

Department leaders, who developed the Babies Born Healthy forum to take a general look at infant health with specific focus on infant mortality, welcomed the award acknowledgment.

“Infant health involves many aspects of public health,” Secretary Colmers said.  “The newborn screening award highlights years of hard work and advocacy for this level of testing; the Forum focuses on ways to prevent avoidable deaths.”

Secretary Colmers, as the Forum’s keynote speaker, kicked off the Babies Born Healthy Leadership Forum event named after the two-year old initiative launched by DHMH designed to combat infant mortality. Infant mortality rates in Maryland disproportionately affect African Americans and remain a serious public health problem.  During the past two reporting years, there has been an increase of 9.6 percent after a decline of seven percent over the previous 10 years.  There is a need for prevention services and quality improvements to ensure that all Maryland babies are born healthy and have the chance to grow and flourish. 

“Our long-term progress has stalled,” said Sec. Colmers. “We have to reduce racial disparities in birth outcomes – it is an area where we can and must do better.”

The day’s activities provided more than 100 health care leaders with an opportunity to share ideas and develop an action plan to enhance healthy birth outcomes. Part of the plan revolves around the Babies Born Healthy project and its quest to improve infant health using a comprehensive, multifaceted approach with families, communities and providers. The initiative also advances patient safety for mothers and infants and establishes standards for obstetrical and neonatal care in Maryland hospitals.

Provider capacity and expertise for high-risk pregnancies has been increased through telemedicine consultation and a training partnership with Maryland’s academic medical institutions.  

The Babies Born Healthy initiative enables seven Maryland jurisdictions to split $1.8 million in prevention initiatives that target community-based primary prevention services.  Baltimore City will receive $800,000 and Prince George’s County $600,000.  Baltimore, Caroline, Charles, Somerset and Wicomico counties will divide $400,000.  Support is also provided to the Maryland Newborn Hearing Screening Program.