Maryland
Multidisciplinary Information Sharing Network
Type of Grant: TOP
Amount of Grant: $480,000
Non-Federal Support: $502,464
Date of Grant: October 2000-September 2003
Project Partners: Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), the Maryland State Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, the Volunteer Citizen Health Advocates of the Baltimore City Empowerment Zone and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Criminal Services
Contact: Ruth Vogel
Phone: (410) 396-4438
Email: ruth.vogel@baltimorecity.gov
The Multidisciplinary Information Sharing Network (MISN) is a joint program of the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), the Department of Public Safety, the Baltimore City Jail Inmate Health Services, and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (JHSPH) that uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping to track and map STD, HIV/AIDS and TB incidences in the city of Baltimore. Funded in part by TOP, the MISN will consolidate data from law enforcement agencies, the Department of Corrections and the City Health Department in order to eliminate duplicative testing, ensure appropriate treatment and follow up, and enable data sharing between agencies.
At the time the project was initiated, Baltimore ranked among the top two cities nationally for incidences of chlamydia, primary and secondary syphilis, and gonorrhea. Testing for at-risk populations consumes a fair share of municipality resources: the BCHD operates two STD clinics and handle about 30,000 patients. In addition, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services annually processes more than 90,000 people, 80% of whom are at-risk for STDs, HIV/AIDS or TB.
Once the existing antiquated databases are replaced, JHSPH will overlay information on crime and housing over disease patterns to give agencies the ability to look at possible correlations. This analysis will also help public health officials in other cities nationwide combat the spread of infectious diseases.
Maryland
Baltimore Urban League Technology Center
Type of Grant: CTC
Amount of Grant: $675,000
Non-Federal Support: $404,000
Date of Grant: 2000-2003
Project Partners: HUD, Lockheed Martin, Baltimore City Detention Center, Bell Atlantic, Communities On-Line, Chesapeake Foundation, Coppin State College, Enoch Pratt Library, IBM, Orchard Mews Management Assoc., University of Maryland, UPS, Park Heights Employment and Literacy Institute.
Contact: Michael Smith
Phone: (410) 523-8150 Ext. 257
Email: msmith@bul.org
The Baltimore Urban League's (BUL) Technology Center, with the support of a CTC grant, offers a wide range of technology classes for children and adults. Children's activities include daily after school programs and summer camps that, among other things, cover robotics, multimedia, math and science. Classes geared toward adults include technology-based adult literacy, basic computer literacy, and job retraining.
BUL's location between a public housing development and an assisted living community plays a strategic role in its community development efforts. Apart from recruiting volunteer teachers from adjoining communities, BUL supplements its $675,000 CTC grant by entering into strategic partnerships. For example, BUL was able to provide computer programming training and certification to young low-income non-custodial fathers via partnerships with the Charles County Department of Social Services and the Responsible Fatherhood Demonstration Project.
Retired schoolteacher and Baltimore resident Shirley Barret has attended five classes at the center and takes every opportunity to encourage friends and family to take part. One friend acquired basic computer skills at the center and made a complete career change, moving into estate planning and insurance. Ms. Barret recently bought a computer from the center and is now using it for everything from managing pension funds to printing travel directions for family visits.
