Welcome Message from DHMH Secretary Dr. Sharfstein

Welcome to the website for Maryland’s State Health Improvement Process. Our goal is to provide a framework for accountability, local action, and public engagement to advance the health of Marylanders.

Click here to see a set of 39 critical health measures. Click on any measure to follow Maryland's progress as we seek to extend life expectancy, improve access to health care, reduce childhood obesity, and move the needle on other critical health goals.

The SHIP is all about local action. Through a SHIP-inspired process, 18 Local Health Improvement Coalitions (LHICs) have formed to focus attention on improving the health of communities across the State. Click here for links to action in your community. I thank the Maryland Hospital Association and its members for providing start-up support for these local planning efforts. The SHIP provides local level data on critical health measures by race and ethnicity to allow communities to target key health disparities for action. Click here to access the profile for your county.

I invite you to explore the website and get involved. The SHIP website has abundant tools and resources for action and planning. Each of the SHIP's 39 objectives has a printable tools page from our Toolbox. Click here to see what tools are available for your community. We have also posted tools to help communities with planning and overarching health topics. Click here to find 10 recommendations you can follow to live a healthier and longer life -- along with resources to help you get there. These include a Quitline to help you quit tobacco, tracking tools to help you reach your fitness goals, and a step-by-step guide to maintaining a safe and healthy home. Recently we added access to one-page maps, which display local level data on many of the 39 measures. Click here to access the maps.

To stay informed on all of the Maryland SHIP-related activities and receive a weekly news digest, join our SHIP mailing list. Also, follow us on Twitter and/or Facebook. One person, one community at a time, we will build a healthier State.  

 Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D.
 Secretary, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene