Bmore Healthy Newsletter: March 8, 2019
Friday, March 8, 2019 12:35 PM
For five years, the Baltimore City Health Department has partnered with Baltimore Corps to place Fellows with strong interests in public health into various areas of the Department. Baltimore Corps was founded in 2013 by Baltimore natives, Fagan Harris and Wes Moore, to find the most talented people to work on solving the City’s most important problems. Every year, Baltimore Corps recruits professionals from around the nation to work directly with leaders in the City to make an immediate positive impact. Fellows are placed in a variety of work environments including the nonprofit, public, and private sectors to contribute to meaningful change across areas such as education, public health, and workforce development.
Baltimore Corps Fellow pictured left to right: Vijay Ramasamy, Joy Barnes, and Kabir Hossain.
Baltimore Corps Fellowship provides the recruits with a structured program designed to help them continue their work. They have an increased understanding of equity and racial justice, and have access to resources, trainings, and tools to better combat inequity and disrupt structural racism within their own organizations. The Fellowship also supports individual growth by providing customized opportunities and resources to support each recruit's professional development. Most importantly, they create a lasting and collaborative network amongst each other and City leaders to continue to drive change in Baltimore after their tenure.
This year, we have three Baltimore Corps Fellows: Vijay Ramasamy, a 2018 graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Health Studies; Joy Barnes, a 2018 graduate of Morgan State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology; and Kabir Hossain, a 2016 graduate of Franklin and Marshall College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Government. Each Fellow will spend one year with the Health Department (September 2018 through August 2019).
Mr. Ramasamy serves as a Special Assistant. He supports the Accountable Health Communities project, BCHD's trauma work through the Promoting Student Resilience grant, the telemedicine initiative, legislative affairs, and the Chief Medical Officer. Ms. Barnes serves as the Behavioral Health Fellow for the Opioid Intervention Team. She assists with the implementation of the Overdose Response program, naloxone distribution and presentations, and community outreach projects. Mr. Hossain serves as the Special Assistant to the Chiefs of Staff. He supports the Vision for Baltimore program, legislative review and policy monitoring, and ad-hoc projects in senior administration.