My focus area if Women’s Health. Obstetrics and Gynecology. Women present to the clinic for annual cervical cancer screening, pap smears, breast exams etc. Majority of the patient that present to the clinic are of lower income, no income and are affected by social economic disparities. I want to focus on that and cervical cancer screening.
Healthcare Equity and Access in Specialty Areas
Health equity is defined by Healthy People 2020 as the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people.” Despite continued improvements in survival from preventable diseases, such as cervical cancer in women, significant disparities remain. There are many causes, but lack of screening is an important factor. Groups that are less likely to receive preventive screening or to have timely, high-quality follow- include those with limited or no health insurance, limited education and literacy, and no regular source of care, as well as those who are subject to discrimination based on racial, ethnic, or sexual identity. Despite coverage of clinical preventive services under the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, the lower financial burden has not been sufficient to overcome these disparities.
National Youth Screening and Assessment Project, may also be available to support implementation. c. DJS should consider amending its practice of screening all youth who appear at the BCJJC for detention admission using the Detention Risk Assessment Instrument, even youth who will ultimately be diverted prior to DJS referral through the BPD Diversion Program. This will limit young people’s exposure to the detrimental impact and collateral consequences associated with generating unnecessary DJS and court records. d. BPD should develop a training and messaging strategy to increase officer knowledge and understanding of new policies and protocols for interacting with youth, the purpose of the juvenile court system, details of juvenile justice process, and the purpose of secure detention. Clear and consistent messaging for officers will help to mitigate the obdurate frustration that officers reportedly experience when they perceive that young people are not being held accountable by the system. e. Conduct a case processing analysis of adult-charged youth in detention to identify why time spent in detention for these youth has doubled from 2014 to 2018 and develop policies and programs to address the causes of delays. 2. Programs and Conditions a. The City should partner closely with DJS and the Baltimore JDAI Oversight Board to assess the continuum of Secure Detention Alternative established by DJS and the extent to which it meets existing needs. b. The City and its appropriate offices and agencies should partner with DJS to identify additional programs for youth in detention, in particular youth charged as adults, that can help young people build skills and connections that will help them succeed following release and return to their communities. c. To the extent that there are gaps in the existing Secure Detention Alternatives Continuum, the City and DJS should partner closely to identify resources to enhance the Alternative Continuum. As a resource, stakeholders should consult the results of the Youth Service Provider Survey conducted as part of this assessment. 3. Community Engagement and Partnerships