www.jhsph.edu/practice
Public Health in Practice
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The Office of Public Health Practice and Training Spring 2012
Associate Dean’s
message
W
elcome to the inaugural edition
of Public Health in Practice. This
newsletter spotlights and promotes
public health practice happenings at the
Bloomberg School. The impetus began with
the establishment of my
position as Associate
Dean for Public Health
Practice and Training
and the simultaneous
opening of the Office of
Public Health Practice and
Training, which is profiled
in our cover story.
Other stories feature a variety of activities.
Student groups have traveled near and far
for professional development and hands on
experience. In the community our faculty
and students worked with the Baltimore City
Health Department to develop Neighborhood
Profiles to further inform residents about the
health status of their neighborhoods. At home,
our monthly podcasts take listeners to the
frontlines, exploring how the practice of public
health affects every area of our daily lives.
The interview in this issue is with two Health
Policy and Management assistant professors,
Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, and Keshia Pollack,
PhD, who volunteer during the legislative
session to assist Maryland Delegate Dan
Morhaim, MD.
We hope you enjoy this inaugural edition. We
look forward to your feedback and continued
contributions to Public Health in Practice.
Thomas A. Burke, PhD, MPH
Associate Dean for Public Health Practice and
Training
The Office of Public Health Practice
and Training: Who We Are
By Sarah Evans
T
he Bloomberg School’s Office of Public
Health Practice and Training was
established in September 2008, with
the appointment of Thomas Burke, PhD,
MPH, as the School’s first Associate Dean
for Public Health Practice and Training.
Burke’s extensive public health experience
in academia and in the New Jersey public
health system was ideal preparation for a
leadership role promoting the application of
research to practice at the School. The Office
of Public Health Practice and Training was
founded in response to Burke’s desire to
foster interconnectedness among researchers
and practitioners. He explained, “If
practitioners and academics can successfully
work together, we strengthen our research
and advance the practice of public health
to ultimately improve the health of our
communities. At the same time we can
enrich our academic training and groom
continued on page 5
Public Health Practice in D.C.
By Amy Quan
T
hirty Master of Public Health (MPH)
students from the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health
(JHSPH) participated in a professional
development field trip to Washington,
D.C., on October 21, 2011. The JB Grant
International Health Society and Anna
Baetjer Society for Public Health Practice
co-sponsored the trip, which included visits
to the headquarters of four organizations
dedicated to public health issues: Pan
American Health Organization, Advocates
for Youth, United States Agency for
International Development, and Amnesty
International. The students met with agency
representatives, leadership, and staff members
at each organization. First on the agenda
was the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO). Students learned about the history
of the organization and its many ongoing
projects promoting health in the Americas,
especially among marginalized groups such
as women and children. In addition to
learning about PAHO’s specific initiatives,
students explored international public career
possibilities.
Next, students visited Advocates for
Youth, an organization dedicated to
continued on page 6
Faculty Q&A
on any given public health–related issue. We
have worked on a wide range of topics from
Lyme disease, to pharmacy benefit managers,
to medical marijuana, to physical education
in schools. Although the topics may vary, we
always base our work on the best available
scientific evidence. One thing that we do not
do is advocate for a position on any issue; that
is not our job.
By Melissa Habedank
Keshia Pollack and Shannon Frattaroli with Delegate Dan Morhaim
Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department
because we each value connecting research and
practice to inform policy.
of Health Policy and Management
KP: I was one of those PhD students that
Keshia Pollack, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department
of Health Policy and Management
S
hannon Frattaroli and Keshia Pollack
are passionate about translating public
health research into public health
practice. For the past four years they have
volunteered as health policy advisers for Dan
Morhaim, MD, who serves as a delegate
and deputy majority leader in the Maryland
General Assembly, representing the 11th
District, Baltimore County.
MH: How did your partnership with
Delegate Morhaim evolve?
SF: Ten years ago I began taking groups of
Health and Public Policy PhD students to
Annapolis annually to shadow Delegate
Morhaim. Annapolis is right down the road,
and Delegate Morhaim—who’s an adjunct
faculty member in HPM—really values the
role of public health research in policymaking.
It was an organic partnership that evolved
2
Shannon took to Annapolis! I was very
intrigued after the visit, and one year later I
worked as an intern for Delegate Morhaim.
When I joined the faculty in 2006, both
Shannon and I expressed an interest in being
engaged in the policymaking process, so we
contacted Delegate Morhaim and asked if we
could assist him in Annapolis during Session.
Delegate Morhaim was an obvious person for
us to partner with because of his active role in
public health policy and his strong connections
to the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
MH: What kinds of work do you do for
Delegate Morhaim?
KP: We do it all! We conduct research, meet
with advocates and constituents, and translate
science into policy. Other elected officials
view Delegate Morhaim as a resource for
health-related information because he is the
only physician in the Maryland General
Assembly, and he often turns to us to help
research the answers to these questions.
Delegate Morhaim values our ability to
critically read studies, understand strengths
of associations, and synthesize the key issues
SF: Johns Hopkins faculty and students often
take for granted their ability to interpret
scientific studies, but that’s not a common skill
in Annapolis. Being able to access, interpret,
and translate the scientific literature into plain
English for policymakers adds information
to the decision-making process. If legislation
is informed by the scientific literature,
that contributes to a more evidence-based
policy debate. These skills are valuable to
policymakers because they help to move their
legislative decisions beyond “this sounds good”
to “this is good” because the science supports
it. I like to think that our work has meant
that there have been more informed debate
and decision-making processes about healthrelevant policy in the state of Maryland, and
that’s a good thing for the public’s health.
MH: What are the challenges in translating
public health science into public health
practice via policymaking?
KP: Conducting research takes a long time,
but policymakers often need information right
away. We have similar goals, but are operating
under very different timelines and constructs.
For example, the scientific community is
cautious about stating causality especially in
the face of scientific uncertainty, but Delegate
Morhaim will ask us what we know about an
issue right now. Legislators need to make a
continued on page 3
Public Health in Practice is published by the
Office of Public Health Practice and Training,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Editors: Beth Resnick, Lainie Rutkow and Kacey Wulff
Faculty Q&A
continued from page 2
decision regardless of how much uncertainty
exists; researchers tend to be more reserved.
SF: Delegates are working in a different
universe. At many different times during
a day, Delegate Morhaim needs to push a
button indicating how he will vote—yes or
no. The scientific process is more nuanced. It’s
a different way of operating.
MH: What advice do you have for Hopkins
students or others who wish to engage
in public health practice through the
policymaking process?
KP: The policymaking process is very
accessible in Maryland. Residents have access
to hearings in person and online. Go see it
and experience it! Shannon said that to me
when I was a PhD student, and her advice set
me down the path to where I am today.
SF: In Maryland, anyone can have two
minutes to speak their mind at hearings
on the issues that members of the General
Assembly are considering. Our elected
officials have an open-door policy. You can
engage with representatives here; all you
have to do is ask. It’s not hard to get on
their calendar. It’s democracy in action; take
advantage of it! It’s so valuable to actually be at
the front lines because these are skills that you
cannot learn from a textbook.
MH: How have you been able to juggle both
your work at Hopkins and your work for
Delegate Morhaim?
SF: I feel very fortunate to have this experience
as a faculty member here at the School. Both
Deans Klag and Burke have been incredibly
supportive, as is our chair, Dr. MacKenzie.
This is not a traditional faculty activity, but
the leadership here has embraced it as a way
to constantly be evolving and engaging in the
field of public health. It’s one of the things that
makes me proud to be a part of the School.
KP: When I’ve talked to colleagues at other
academic institutions, they find it hard to
believe that we have the institutional support
to do this sort of work. The unprecedented
institutional support for this venture translates
into making a meaningful difference—it truly
is public health in action.
Practice Integration Committee:
Across the School
T
Podcast Series Shines
Spotlight on Public
Health Practice
By Beth Resnick
A
podcast series exploring the world of
public health practice was initiated in
summer 2011. Each month, Public
Health: On the Inside takes listeners to the
frontlines and explores how public health
impacts our daily lives.
The podcasts focus on the question of,
“What am I going to do with a public health
degree?” Moderated by Associate Dean
Thomas Burke, they inform listeners about
areas of public health outside teaching and
research. The practice of public health touches
nearly every aspect of our lives, from what we
eat, to what we do, to the air we breathe. With
Public Health: On the Inside, listeners can get a
feel for what’s really going on out there.
Faculty, alumni, and public health partners
share their stories in the podcasts. Tune in
to hear about the front lines of public health
from a broad spectrum of practitioners,
including disease detectives, advocates, and
policymakers.
Online:
he Bloomberg School’s Practice Integration Committee was established in spring 2011.
With representation across the School’s departments, the committee meets bimonthly
and aims to build a stronger sense of community for those actively involved in practice
throughout the School. Goals include providing guidance on practice-related issues such as
developing practice-focused courses and practica and improving faculty and student incentives
and recognition for practice-related projects and research. Additionally, the committee will
play a key role in the School’s upcoming reaccreditation process with regards to expanding
student practica opportunities and increasing practitioners’ active involvement in the School’s
educational and research efforts.
The committee’s current work is focused on the following three activities: 1) inventory
practice-related activities throughout the School; 2) formalize and enhance recognition of
practice-related work in the School’s appointments and promotion process; and 3) highlight and
acknowledge student and faculty practice-related efforts and collaborations.
Members include Thomas Burke, Jaqueline Agnew, Pierre Alexandre, Marie Diener-West, Sara
Bennett, David Jernigan, Mindi Levin, Laura Morlock, Lainie Rutkow, Beth Resnick, Clive Shiff,
Stephen Teret, Jonathan Links, Holly Grason, Carlos Castillo-Salgado, Catherine Klein, and Robin
Dranbauer.
New episodes of Public Health: On the Inside are
available each month at http://www.jhsph
.edu/public_health_on_the_inside/index.
3
Public Health in Practice: An Overview of the Anna Baetjer Society
By Kacey Wulff and Lainie Rutkow
F
or nearly two decades, the Bloomberg
School’s MPH program has
housed two student societies: the
Anna Baetjer Society for Public Health
Practice and the J.B. Grant
International Health Society.
They were formed to give
students professional homes
within the broader MPH
program. The Anna Baetjer
Society serves as a hub
for students interested in
translating their classroom
educational experiences into Anna Baetjer
“real life” public health
practice. Its mission statement includes the
following goals:
“To enhance our educational experience
through extracurricular experiences;
to foster relationships with current
practitioners of public health; to work for
constructive change in our world on the
local, regional, national, and international
level; and to enhance the health of the
community in which we live and work, East
Baltimore, through service.”
Each year, the Society plans
extracurricular events that focus on getting
students “outside the walls” of Hopkins to
engage with public health practitioners,
including field trips, panel discussions,
lunchtime seminars, and community
engagement activities. A volunteer board
of current MPH students runs the Society,
with assistance from faculty adviser Lainie
Rutkow and MPH Program Office liaison
Becky Newcomer. The Society’s members
benefit from the group’s close relationship
with the JHSPH Office of Public Health
Practice and Training and the JHU Student
Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE), as
these offices provide suggestions for events,
opportunities for co-sponsorships, and
access to the practitioner community.
The Society is named for Anna M.
Baetjer, ScD, who was a legendary faculty
4
member at JHSPH from 1924 to 1970.
During her initial years at the School,
Baetjer was one of only a few female
members of the faculty. For more than
60 years, Baetjer engaged
in teaching, research,
and practice activities,
influencing countless
JHSPH students. Even
after becoming a professor
emerita in 1970, she
remained active in many
aspects of the School,
including the mentoring
of students. She was a
pioneer in the areas of industrial hygiene
and occupational health, and created one
of the country’s earliest environmental
toxicology programs. Baetjer’s career and
legacy serve as an inspiration to today’s
Society members as they strive to emulate
her integration of teaching, research, and
public health practice.
This year, the Society has grown to a
record size, reflecting students’ growing
interest in public health practice. With
17 officers, the Anna Baetjer Society
continues to build on its strong record
of seminars, panel discussions, and
The Anna Baetjer Society, 2011–2012
community engagement. This year’s
events have featured speakers on topics
ranging from health care reform to the
“how-to’s” of starting a nonprofit. The
Society co-sponsored an mHealth (mobile
health) symposium in February, featuring
emerging mobile technologies to promote
health. Community efforts this year have
included a service day at Moveable Feast,
a local organization that provides meals
to individuals in Maryland living with
serious health conditions. The Society
recently traveled to Washington to network
and discuss critical health issues with
representatives from the Pan American
Health Organization, Advocates for Youth,
Amnesty International, and USAID.
Additionally, Society members have
begun to explore how social media can
be used as a public health tool to rapidly
disseminate information. The Society is
working to build its alumni network and
hopes to engage students throughout the
School in its practice-oriented events.
To learn more about its work, visit
the Anna Baetjer Society for Public
Health Practice on Facebook, twitter
(@HopkinsABS), or on the School’s
website: www.jhsph.edu.
MPH Students in the Field
By Madeleine Schlefer
Mae Sot, which is located on the Burmese
border and is home to many Burmese
migrants, but it is accompanied by a sense
of urgency and a need for action. And there
is a lot of action in Mae Sot, including the
work of an organization called Social Action
for Women (SAW). With funding from
the MPH Field Experience Award, MPH
students Rehana Gubin, Melissa Habedank,
Dina Maron, and Madeleine Schlefer spent
the winter intersession assisting in the
formative research phase of a collaborative
study between SAW and Courtland
Robinson, PhD, and Michelle Decker,
ScD, from the School of Public Health.
The study seeks to establish a definition of
human trafficking appropriate for the area
and develop a survey to assess the prevalence
of human trafficking in the Mae Sot area.
The results of this study can provide the
Thai government and the international
community with research-based evidence of
the need for further funding and policies to
protect the rights and health of trafficking
victims in the area. Additionally, SAW staff’s
active involvement in the study will allow
them to better tailor their services to meet
the needs of trafficking victims.
sessions, programs, internships, and other
activities in the School, the community,
and online that promote interaction and
collaboration between the School and the
practice community. The office plans to
continue and expand upon these varied
initiatives to bridge the gap between research
and application.
Two weeks sounds like a short time, but we quickly formed lasting bonds with the SAW staff.
T
hailand is often referred to as the
“Land of Smiles,” which feels like
an appropriate moniker when you
experience the hospitality that accompanies
most interactions. This warmth is not lost in
Who We Are
continued from page 1
future public health leaders.
Over the last three years, the Office
of Public Health Practice and Training,
directed by Beth Resnick, MPH, has
engaged students and faculty in professional
practice and worked closely with the
greater practice community. The office
collaborates with other practice-focused
entities at the School, including the Student
Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE), the
MidAtlantic Public Health Training Center
(MAPHTC), and the Maryland Association
of County Health Officers (MACHO).
In carrying out Burke’s vision, the office
strives to improve and advance the skills of the
next generation of public health professionals,
as well as the current public health workforce,
through practice-based courses, training
Beth Resnick, Director of the Office of Public Health Practice and Training; Thomas Burke, Associate
Dean for Public Health Practice and Training; and Robin Dranbauer, Administrative Assistant
5
Public Health Practice in D.C.
continued from page 1
family planning strategy and opportunities
for youth to converse more freely about their
sexuality and issues such as abortion. “We
were impressed and inspired by the work of
a group of young public health professionals
at Advocates for Youth, working at grassroots levels, reaching out to the youths
domestically, as well as internationally. This
could certainly be a career option for some
of us,” noted MPH student Ik Lin Tan.
After lunch, the group crossed town to
the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). A panel of current
employees, including two recent JHSPH
alumni, highlighted opportunities to conduct
evidence-based public health programs both
domestically and abroad. “It was valuable
to learn how each of the panelists was able
to channel his or her creative energy toward
the development of public health programs,
within such a complex organizational
Hopkins students meet with leaders of the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, D.C.
structure as that of USAID,” commented
MPH student Andrew Marsh.
The students ended the day with a visit to
Amnesty International, where they learned
of current human rights efforts such as the
Serving Meals—Hundreds at a Time
Four hundred meals down, only 100 to go! Hopkins students partner with SOURCE and the Moveable
Feast to make meals for HIV-positive residents of Baltimore City.
6
death sentence abolition movement and
the Development, Relief and Education
for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. They also
learned about how they could get involved in
these initiatives. The discussion ended with
an emphasis on civic activism and a reminder
that contacting one’s elected officials, a
seemingly small act, can result in significant
improvements.
Reaction to the trip was overwhelmingly
positive. MPH student Melissa Habedank
says, “The field trip was both fun and
informative. I enjoyed connecting with
people who work at well-respected public
health organizations and contribute to putting
public health into practice daily. It was also
interesting and inspiring that some of the
public health professionals we met that day
had received their Master of Public Health
degree at Hopkins.” Fellow classmate Ritika
Goel adds, “The D.C. trip allowed students to
see a mix of organizations: a bilateral agency
(USAID), a multilateral agency (PAHO), and
two advocacy-focused NGOs (Advocates for
Youth and Amnesty International) with both
domestic and international goals. This breadth
of exposure allowed students to see the
wide potential for application of our MPH
degrees in the future.” To encourage further
professional development, the J.B. Grant
Society and Anna Baetjer Society are planning
a field trip to New York City.
Partner Spotlight: SOURCE, MAPHTC & MACHO
Student Outreach Research Center
(SOURCE) is the community
service and service-learning center
for the JHU Schools of Medicine,
Nursing, and Public Health. Here,
student volunteers work on the
garden at Amazing Grace Church
in East Baltimore while speaking
with JHU President Ron Daniels
and Pastor Gary Dittman.
The MidAtlantic Public Health
Training Center (MAPHTC)
provides training for public
health professionals in Maryland,
Washington D.C., and Delaware.
Trainings are Web based as well as
face-to-face, such as this session
in Baltimore on practical grant
writing.
Members and representatives
of the Maryland Association of
County Health Officers (MACHO)
meet in Annapolis at the Maryland
Association of Counties office for
their monthly meeting. MACHO
is the professional association for
the 22 Health Officers who lead the
state’s 24 local health departments.
7
How Healthy Is Your Neighborhood?
By Beth Resnick and Benjamin Batorsky
Do you ever wonder how where you live
might impact your health? If you live in
Baltimore City, it just got a lot easier to find
out. The Baltimore City Health Department
(BCHD), in a collaborative effort that
included the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health, has compiled
health profiles for 55 neighborhood areas in
Baltimore City.
health, the 2011 Profiles
were expanded to contain
information on social
determinants of health, such
as food environment, housing
conditions, the number of
stores that sell liquor and
tobacco, and the community
built and social environment.
How can the Neighborhood Profiles be
What role did Hopkins
accessed?
faculty and students play?
The Profiles are available through one
user-friendly interactive map at www
.baltimorehealth.org/neighborhoodmap
.html. Click on the neighborhood of interest
for an easy-to-read Neighborhood Health
Profile that includes indicators for health
outcomes and social determinants of health,
such as income, housing, and education. The
Profile highlights the neighborhood status
alongside the city average, as well as how the
neighborhood compares to other Baltimore
City neighborhoods, with rankings and health
scores across all of the indicators.
Johns Hopkins faculty
and students worked with
BCHD and other partners to
develop the 2008 and 2011
Neighborhood Profiles. The
2008 Profiles were largely
developed by a group of
Sommer Scholars, as part of
their community volunteering project under
the direction of Dr. Caroline Fichtenberg,
who served as both BCHD’s Chief
Epidemiologist and an Assistant Scientist in
the Epidemiology Department.
“The 2011 Profiles would not have
been possible without the hard work and
dedication of students Mark Evans (MSPH
’12) and Adam Milam (PhD ’12),” said Laura
Fox, BCHD project manager. Dr. Carlos
Castillo-Salgado, faculty in the Epidemiology
Department, guided the students in their
efforts and described the Profiles as “an
important building block of epidemiological
information needed for recognizing the
impact of the social determinants of health at
the neighborhood level.” Dr. Castillo-Salgado
emphasized that the “Profiles have been an
important collaborative effort between the
School and the BCHD. The partnership
of professional epidemiology and public
health practice sets a milestone for sustained
collaboration for improving the health of the
different population groups and communities
of Baltimore City.”
Why were the Profiles developed?
The first iteration of the Neighborhood
Profiles was developed by the Baltimore
City Health Department in 2008 in
response to the need for data about health
and health determinants at the community
level and to highlight the inequities that
exist in Baltimore and help spur action
to address those inequities. “We expected
to find differences between different city
neighborhoods, but we were surprised
that the Profiles revealed such a large
gap in life expectancy (20 years) between
neighborhoods that were just a few miles
apart,” notes Caroline Fichtenberg, BCHD’s
Chief Epidemiologist in 2008.
To help communities better understand
the reasons for these disparities and identify
opportunities for action to improve
8
How can the Neighborhood Profiles be used?
Information is key to action. “Not surprisingly,
communities with residents who have higher
incomes and a higher percentage of residents
with a college education or greater fared
much better in nearly every category studied,”
Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Baltimore City Health
Commissioner, said. “This is important
information for communities to have and
will enable them to decide where to take
action.”
BCHD is distributing the Profiles to each
neighborhood and will work with community
organizations to answer questions and
help develop strategies for change. “These
presentations are intended to show how our
built environment—the places where we live,
learn, work, and play—has as much to do
with making us sick as it does with keeping us
healthy,” said Dr. Barbot. “Ultimately we hope
communities will use the information presented
to take action in designing new strategies and
interventions for tackling the top priorities
they identify for creating health- promoting
environments.”