Hundreds of Voices, One Vision: a Blueprint for a Healthier Maryland

Public health is often most visible during a crisis, but a strong public health system that focuses on preventing disease, developing its workforce and building partnerships helps communities prepare for challenges that arise.

In early 2023, Maryland leaders came together to ask the question: How do we build a stronger, more resilient public health system? They knew answering this question would require more than one agency or profession. For instance, expanding access to maternal and child health involves hospitals, community organizations and state leaders. Preparing for future disease outbreaks depends on coordination between local health departments and emergency responders. Addressing chronic diseases and preventing injury requires consistent messaging across sectors. Building healthier communities often means bringing together people with different expertise, perspectives and resources.

That's exactly what the Maryland Commission on Public Health has made possible. Established in June 2023, the 16-member body, comprised of local health officers, academic partners, thought leaders and legislators, regularly came together through public meetings and closed workgroups to examine every aspect of Maryland's public health system. These workgroups, which evaluated key pillars of public health like governance structures, workforce, data and technology, sustainable funding, communication, community engagement and partnerships, brought together public health leaders, researchers, healthcare providers, community organizations and government officials, ensuring that voices across Maryland contributed.

Over two years, the CDC Foundation, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Kaiser Permanente, the Kaiser Permanente Fund at East Bay Community Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provided coordination and support to the commission to develop a shared vision for the future of public health.

Drawing on the CDC Foundation’s unique strength in convening partners—as hundreds of opinions, experiences and areas of expertise were weaved into a single vision for Maryland—the resulting recommendations will help Maryland strengthen its public health system.

“Unified by a mission to advance the health and well-being of all Marylanders, numerous individuals and organizations—across both public and private sectors—devoted extraordinary time, resources and expertise to the commission’s work,” said Meena Brewster, MD, MPH, FAAFP, St. Mary's County Health Officer and Commissioner with the Maryland Commission on Public Health. “The result is a bold and transformative blueprint for the future—one that reaffirms the vital role of a robust public health system shaping a healthier Maryland.”

This blueprint is now being carried forward. In July 2026, The Public Health Reform Act of 2026 was passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore as Chapter 190. This law recognizes the commission’s final recommendations and requires the commission to oversee implementation, which is an important next step.

The CDC Foundation’s support for the Maryland Commission on Public Health concluded in 2025, and Maryland now moves forward with recommendations created through collaboration across the state and a long-term vision for building a stronger public health system. As a trusted convener, the CDC Foundation was pleased to help bring together local and national partners to shape that vision and strengthen relationships that will continue supporting implementation in the years ahead.