"DIRECT CONNECTION" IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

>> Jeff: GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT, FREE PERSONALIZED MEDICAL INSIGHTS IN A NEW STUDY WE WILL FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.

THAT'S COMING UP.

BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A NEW EFFORT TO REDUCE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN DRIVERS AND SQUEEGEE PEOPLE A BALTIMORE INTERSECTIONS.

JOINING US TONIGHT IS DEPUTY MAYOR FAITH LEACH.

MS. LEACH, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> TELL US, IF YOU WOULD, BUT SQUEEGEE COLLABORATIVE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

SO THE SQUEEGEE COLLABORATIVE IS A CROSS-SECTION OF LEADERS ACROSS BALTIMORE, FROM BUSINESS LEADERS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SQUEEG ERNLINGS WORKERS THEMSELVES.

WE HAVE COME TOGETHER OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO REALLY IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO A CHALLENGE THAT'S THE CITY HAS BEEN GRAPPLING WITH FOR MULTIPLE DECADES.

AND SO THIS CROSS-SECTION OF LEADERS REPRESENTS THE BEST OF BALTIMORE, AND WE BOUGHT OUR BIG IDEAS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A SET OF COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT JUST TO MOVE THIS ISSUE FROM VISIBILITY BUT TO REALLY TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT DRIVES ONE PEOPLE TO CORNERS TO SQUEEGEE, AND SO WE RELEASED A PLAN THAT TACKLES THIS ISSUE OF SQUEEGEEING ACROSS THREE MAIN AREAS, ONE BEING SERVICES.

SO WE KNOW SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SQUEEGEE WORKERS FACE THAT DRIVE THEM TO EXPOARNTION SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO RESOURCES SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THE OTHER SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEED, BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE NEED TO DO ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO WE DEVELOPED A ROBUST SET OF ENFORCEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING DISALLOWING SQUEEGEE ACTIVITY ALONG MAJOR HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS, AND THEN WE ALSO SPENT SOME TIME LOOKING AT DATA GOVERNANCE AND MEASURE ANEURISM AND DEVELOPED A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT AREA AS WELL.

>> FAIR IT'S TRYING TO THREAD THE NEEDLE THAT THERE ARE LAWS AGAINST THIS ACTIVITY THE ON BOOKS AND THEY'RE NOT BEING ENFORCED AND THOSE WHO SAY THESE ARE LARGELY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST TRYING THE BEST WAY THEY CAN TO MAKE A BUCK.

>> YEAH.

SO I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES.

I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN LAWS ON THE BOOKS FOR DECADES, AND YET THIS ISSUE PERSISTS.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN LAWS ON THE BOOKS AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT WON'T ALLOW AFRICAN AMERICANS TO PURCHASE PROPERTIES IN PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE DON'T ENFORCE THOSE.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME FLAWS WITH THAT PARTICULAR ARGUMENT.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK WHAT WE DID WITH THIS APPROACH IS WE WERE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE IMPLEMENTED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

RIGHT?

AND SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE -- THAT W ENFORCEMENT ALONG WITH THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE NEED.

WE KNOW WHAT DRIVES ONE PEOPLE TOTE CORNERS.

WE WA TO GET TO THE ROOT COUGHS THOSE ISSUES AND NOT JUST OVERPOLICE OR OVERENFORCE OUR WAY INTO WHAT WE BELIEVE OR INTO WHAT OTHERS MAY BELIEVE TO BE A SOLUTION.

WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE THOUGHTFUL IN OUR APPROACH AND WE COMBINE THOSE SERVICES ALONG WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES AND ENFORCEMENT THAT WE KNOW OUR CITY DESERVES.

>> THE PROBLEM WITH REALLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SQUEEGEE PEOPLE WORKING IN BALTIMORE IS THAT IT IS PRETTY LUCRATIVE, ISN'T IT?

I MEAN, YOU DO NOT NEED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

YOU'RE GETTING PAID IN CASH.

IT'S HARD WORK, BUT THERE'S MONEY TO BE MADE.

>> YEAH, THERE'S MONEY TO BE MADE, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE PLAN THAT WE PUT FORWARD DISRUPTS THAT ECONOMY.

IT DISRUPTS THAT ECONOMY, BUT IT ALSO OFFERS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR SQUEEGEE WORKERS, AND SO WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, IT IS ABOUT CONNECTING WITH THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SQUEEG OH CORNERS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL OR THERE MAY BE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEY FINISHED SCHOOL BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH EMPLOYMENT, AND SO WE WANT TO PUT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE ON A POSITIVE CAREER PATHWAY OR IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WE WITH AN TO BE ABLE TO CULTIVATE THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HELP THEM SEE SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY SEEING AND DOING ON THE CORNER.

>> REMIND OUR VIEWERS IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, GIVE US A CALL AT THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN OR SEND AN EMAIL TO LIVEQUESTIONS@MPT.ORG.

ONE OF THE LIGHTNING ROD PARTS OF THE PLAN IS THE IDEA OF PAYING SQUEEGEE PEOPLE TO NOT SQUEEGEE.

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DOES THAT HAPPEN?

AND HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> YEAH, WELL, THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE PLAN, QUITE FRANKLY.

SO I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT PAYING SQUEEGEE WORKERS NOT TO SQUEEGEE.

THAT'S SIMPLY INACCURATE.

IT'S SIMPLY UNTRUE.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING IS SQUEEGEE WORKERS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO THERE ARE PAID EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT SQUEEGEE WORKERS THROUGH OUR HIGH HIRE-UP PROGRAM IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT.

WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER THEM PAID IT'S MUCH LIKE AN PRA APPRENTICESHIP OR ON THE JOB TRAINING.

ITS IT IS A WORLD CLASS, QUITE FRANKLY, EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT MODEL TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN PEOPLE WHILE THEY ARE LEARNING THE JOB.

IT IS EARN AND LEARN OR OJT OR FOLKS MIGHT KNOW IT AS AN APPRENTICESHIP, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE WE'RE OFFERING JIG.

THERE IS NO PAYMENT WITHOUT WORK.

>> YOU WORKED IN DC GOVERNMENT I BELIEVE.

IS THIS A BALTIMORE THING?

I DON'T RECALL SEEING IT, AT LEAST NOT TO THIS SCALE, IN OTHER CITIES.

>> WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS EVERY COMMUNITY HAS THEIR UNIQUE CHALLENGES, RIGHT?

AND SO YOUTH PANHANDLING IS A THING AND HAS BEEN A THING IN OTHER CITIES, IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

I THINK THERE WAS A STORY THAT HUTT THE NATIONAL MEDIA SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE SELLING WATERS DOWN BY THE NATIONAL MALL, AND SO I THINK IT TAKES ITS FORM IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN DIFFERENT CITIES.

WATER BOYS IN ATLANTA AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I DESCRIBED IN DC WHERE THERE ARE YOUNG MEN PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN WHO TELL SELL WATERS AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS.

ATLANTA IS STILL GRAPPLING WITH THAT CHALLENGE.

WE HAVE SEEN NEW YORK HAVE A SQUEEGEE WORKER ISSUE PF WE'VE SEEN PHILADELPHIA WHERE THERE WERE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WOULD OFFER TO PUMP YOUR GAS.

AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS JUST A BALTIMORE THING.

I THINK IT TAKES DIFFERENT FORMS IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

>> THE INTERSECTION OF CONWAY AND LIGHT WAS THE FLASHPOINT FOR CONFRONTATION THAT LED TO A FATAL SHOOTING.

I'VE SEEN -- I'VE BEEN THROUGH THERE A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH.

THERE'S ALWAYS A POLICE CAR, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE SIX TARGETED INTERSECTIONS.

EXPLAIN HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK.

>> YEAH.

SO THE WAY THE FORM WILL WORK IS -- ENFORC THAT THE BPD WILL ENGAGE WITH SQUEEGEE WORKERS ON THE CORNERS WHERE THEY SQUEEGEE AND THEY WILL PROVIDE THEM A WARNING.

WE CURRENTLY OF SIGNS THAT ARE INSTALLED AT EACH OF THE SIX DISLOUDLY INTERSECTIONS MAKING SOLICITORS AND PANHANDLERS AWARE OF THAT BEING A DISALLOWED ZONE, AND SO IF BPD IDENTIFIES SOMEONE THAT IS IN VIOLATION OR IN THE TRAFFIC VIOLATION, THEY BE THEY WILL APPROACH THAT PERSON, THAT EDGEEY WORKER.

THEY WILL WARN THEM.

AFTER THE FIRST WARNING THERE IS A SECOND WARNING AND A REFERRAL FOR SERVICES.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUTREACH PARTNERS THAT WILL BE OUT ON CORNERS ACROSS THE CITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED.

WE HAVE ALL SEEN SQUEEGEE WORKERS AS YOUNG AS TEN YEARS OLD OUT ON THOSE CORNERS.

SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH THEM.

THE THIRD TIME THAT SOMEONE, A SQUEEGEE WORKER HAS BEEN CLIEWMENTD BY BPD, THEY WILL THEN RECEIVE A CITATION, AND THEN FROM THERE THAT WILL THEN GO TO THE STATE'S ATTORNEY AND HE WILL PROSECUTE FROM THERE.

>> HOW DO WE JUDGE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PLAN?

THIS STARTS TOMORROW.

THE NEXT WEEK WE SEE PEOPLE, SQUEEGEES ALL OVER THE PLACE, IS IT A FAILURE?

>> SO THIS IS THE THING I WANT THE COMMUNITY THE KNOW.

OUR PLAN SON-IN-LAW AS STRONG IS ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

THIS WAS A CITYWIDE PLAN.

WE BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 150 PEOPLE THAT CAME TOGETHER, AND THIS IS ABOUT THE BEST -- THE BEST OF OUR COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND SO IT'S NOT ABOUT A FAILURE IN A WEEK.

IT TOOK US 40 YEARS, 40 YEARS PLUS TO GET INTO THIS PREDICAMENT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE FIXED OVERNIGHT.

BUT WHAT YOU DO HAVE IS MY COMIEMENT AS THE CO-CHAIR AND LEADER OF THE SQUEEGEE COLLABORATIVE TO DO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO PUT THE MOSTLY YOUNG MEN ON THOSE CORNERS INTO A PRODUCT OF PATHWAY.

BUT THE WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUDGE US ON THE SUCCESS OF THIS WORK IS A PART OF THE PLAN TALKS ABOUT US PUBLICALLY SHARING DATA ON THE RESULTS OF -- ON THE RESULTS OF THE PLAN THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, AND SO BY THE SPRING WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS A PUBLIC DASHBOARD WHERE WE'LL BE TRACKING THINGS LIKE 311 CALLS FOR SERVICE AS IT RELATES TO SQUEEGEE WORKERS.

SO WE PLAN ON SHARING DATA AND MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING THE PUBLIC ALONG IN THIS PROCESS.

>> WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR MOTORISTS WHO JUST DON'T WANT TO ENGAGE, DON'T WANT TO BE APPROACHED, DON'T WANT TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW, DON'T REALLY WANT ANYBODY SQUEEGEEING THEIR WINDSHIELD?

>> AND SO I THINK -- SO MY ADVICE TO THOSE MOTORISTS IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO ENGAGE, RIGHT?

I THINK WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TRYING TRYING TO INTERRUPT THE ECONOMY AND REALLY GET THOSE SQUEEGEE WORKERS ON A POSITIVE PATHWAY, AND A PART OF IT IS AS THE MONEY DRIES UP WE WANT TO BE THERE AS THAT SAFETY NET TO SAY NOW WE WANT TO PUT ON YOU A PRODUCTIVE PATHWAY.

SO FOR THOSE MOTORISTS THAT DON'T WANT TO ENGAGE, THEY SHOULD NOT ENGAGE.

AND WE WILL HAVE BPD OUT, WE'LL HAVE OUR OUTREACH TEAMS HOW THE WHO ARE EVER WHO ARE THERE TO INTERVENE SO WE START GETTING THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE ON PRODUCTIVE PATHWAYS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

>> I THINK I SAW NEWS REPORT THAT INDICATED THAT THE MOTORISTS, THERE WOULD BE A SITUATION WHERE MOTORISTS COULD BE PENALIZED FOR A BIG A SQUEEGEE PERSON.

CORRECT THAT ONE IF YOU WOULD.

ALSO I SAW A 23450U6R7 HEADLINE THAT SAID "THE SQUEEGEE BAN IS APPROACHING."

THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BAN.

>> YEAH, WELL, I THINK WHEN YOU DISALLOW SOMETHING, YOUR BANNING IT, RIGHT?

>> BUT DID YOU DISALLOWING IT AT JUST THESE SIX CORNERS?

BALTIMORE'S GOT A LOT OF CORNERS.

>> YEAH, BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE SQUEEGEE CORNERS, AND SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS ABOUT DISRUPTING THE ECONOMY, AND SO IT'S ABOUT DISRUPTING THE ECONOMY BUT THEN IT'S ALSO ABOUT SAFETY.

IT'S ABOUT THE SAFETY MOTORISTS.

IT'S ABOUT THE SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE SAFETY THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE VISITING INTO OUR CITY.

SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THOSE SIX DISALLOW ZONES, THOSE ARE THE MOST LUCRATIVE ZONES P S. THAT IS YOUR GENERALLY SEE LARGER NUMBERS OF SQUEEGEE WORKERS THAT ARE IN THOSE PARTICULAR ZONES.

THE THING ABOUT THIS PLAN, AND I TALKED ABOUT LOOKING AT DATA, IS THAT WE ARE NIMBLE.

LIKE WE CALL IT A WORKING ACTION PLAN BECAUSE WE ARE USING DATA TO DRIVE OUR DECISION MAKING.

IF OUR DATA TELLS US THAT WE NEED TO EX MANNED OUR ZONES OR WE EADE -- EXPAND OUR ZONES OR GO TO DIFFERENT TEARS AREAS THEN THAT IS WHAT WE WILL DO.

WE ARE BEING INTENTION AT WITH THIS SIX BUT WE ARE LOOKING CITYWIDE AT THE IMPACT THIS IS HAVING.

>> FAITH LEACH IS THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF BALTIMORE CITY.

GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US TONIGHT.

>> OF COURSE.

>> Jeff: AND JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HEALTH ARE DR. ALLEN SHOALDIN DINER THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR PERSONALIZED AND GENOMIC MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR FOR THE MARYLAND PRECISION MEDICINE RESEARCH STUDY.

THANKS TO BOTH YOU OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

DOCTOR, YOU'RE THE CO-LEAD ON THIS STUDY SO TELL US ABOUT IT.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THIS IS CALLED THE MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PREDICTION SESSION MEDICINE RESEARCH PROGRAM, AND IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST IF NOT THE LARGEST STUDY EVER DONE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND MAYBE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE U.S.

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF MARYLANDERS ALL OVER THE STATE, AND TO DO THAT THROUGH RESEARCH AND ULTIMATELY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRECISION MEDICINE INTO RUE SEEN TEEN HEALTH CARE IN OUR ROUTINE HEALTH CARE IN OUR STATE.

>> PRECISION MEDICINE SOUNDS PAINFUL.

THERE'S NO PAIN INVOLVED IN THIS, RIGHT?

>> NO PAIN.

IN FACT IT'S ONE OF THE EASIEST STUDIES THAT ONE CAN ENROLL IN.

WE HOPE TO END VOLE UP TO 250,000 MARYLANDERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS SO, OF COURSE,IT HAS TO BE RELATIVELY PAINLESS IF WE'RE GOING TO ENROLL THAT NUMBER INDIVIDUALS.

AND AS YOU'LL HEAR, THIS CAN ALL BE DONE ONLINE OR WITH A MOBILE PHONE, AND ULTIMATELY WE HOPE THAT THESE 250,000 INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ENGAGED AND AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH FOR YEARS TO COME.

>> MS. ANWANT A, WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

AND HOW CAN SOMEONE PARTICIPATE?

>> SO ANYONE HOSE A WHO IS A MARYLAND RESIDENT OVER THE AGE OF 18 CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY, AND SO THE STUDY CONSISTS OF GOING ONLINE AND CREATING AN ACCOUNT AND DOING THE.

IT'S SELF-PACED.

AND THERE ARE A FEW SURVEYS TO COMPLETE AS WELL, AND THEN WE ALSO ASK FOR A SAMPLE, WHICH IS A CHEEK SWAB SAMPLE.

>> AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT THROUGH YOUR PHONE.

HOW IS THAT TRANSPORTED?

>> SO OUR RESEARCH TEAM WILL SEE WHO HAS COMPLETED CONSENT AND COMPLETED THEIR SURVEYS, AND THEN WE WILL MAIL OUT A SAMPLE COLLECTION KIT TO THE PARTICIPANT.

>> YOU KNOW, MINORITY GROUP MEMBERS ARE OFTEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN A VARIETY OF MEMORABILIA STUDIES.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO AVOID THAT IN THIS CASE?

>> WELL, WE DO KNOW THAT HISTORICALLY THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF TRUST OF MEDICAL RESEARCH IN MINORITY POPULATIONS, AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO REBUILD RELATIONSHIPS IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES BY JUST BEING VISIBLE.

PLACES LIKE HEALTH FAIRS, FARMERS MARKETS, CHURCH-DESPOND EVENTS, IN ORDER TO BUILD RAPPORT AND TRUST.

FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT GIVES US GREAT SURPRISE ADVICE ON WAYS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.

>> DOCTOR, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE?

>> WELL, AS I MENTIONED, IN MY HEALTHY MARYLAND STUDIES ONE OF THE LARGEST EVERY CONDUCTED, IN SOME WAYS IT'S THOUSANDS OF STUDIES ALL IN ONE.

RATHER THAN RESEARCHING ONE PARTICULAR DISEASE AND HAVING ANOTHER STUDY THAT RESEARCHES ANOTHER DISEASE, THE MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PROJECT IS WHAT AWAY CALL DISEASE AGNOSTIC.

ANYONE CAN JOIN, EVEN HEALTHY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ANY HEALTH ISSUES OR HEALTH PROBLEMS.

AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL ENGAGE IN RESEARCH, AND ARE THERE A CERTAIN ALTRUISTIC NATURE TO KNOWING THAT YOU'RE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG.

>> OF COURSE.

>> AND HELPING MANKIND.

IN ADDITION, THOUGH, AS WE GATHER MORE AND MORE INFORMATION AND MORE AND MORE DATA AS THE MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PROJECT PROCEEDS, WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BACK TO PARTICIPANTS INFORMATION ABOUT GENERAL HEALTH AS WELL AS AT THE END OF THE DAY INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR INDIVIDUAL HEALTH, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, GENETIC INFORMATION OR OTHER INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP THEM PREVENT OR BETTER TREAT DISEASE.

>> WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

ARE THERE CERTAIN GENES WHEN THE SWAB COMES IN THAT YOU'RE MOST FOCUSED ON?

>> WELL, MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PROJECT IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST GENES AND GENETICS.

IN FACT, PRECISION MEDICINE IS A FIELD WHERE YOU TAKE ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION AND COMBINE THAT INFORMATION IN VARIOUS WAYS, ANALYZE IN IT VARIOUS WAYS TO BECOME SMARTER ABOUT HOW A PARTICULAR PATIENT MIGHT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO A DISEASE SO THAT IT CAN BE PREVENTED OR DIAGNOSED EARLIER, AND, OF COURSE, TREATED MORE EFFECTIVELY.

SO WE WILL UTILIZE SURVEY INFORMATION SUCH AS THE ONLINE SURVEYS ABOUT HEALTH THAT DeVON MENTIONED.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO UTILIZE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA úFROM THE PARTICIPANTS.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS.

AND ALSO FROM THE CHEEK SWAB WE WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN GENETIC INFORMATION AND COMBINE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE AND ALSO IN A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL THEIR SUSEPTIBILITY TO DISORDERS, TO MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH.

ALSO INFORMATION THAT POTENTIALLY CAN ALLOW US TO PREDICT WHICH MEDICATIONS WOULD BE BEST FOR A GIVEN INDIVIDUAL.

>> DO I EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE TO SAY, WE NOTICE SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR LIFESTYLE.

WE LOOKED AT YOUR MEDICAL RECORD.

WE LOOKED AT GENETIC EXAM.

AND THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT NEEDS ATTENTION.

IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> YES, IT WILL.

THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE MY HEALTHY MARYLAND PROJECT, IS TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS OVER YEARS AND EVEN DECADES TO COME.

PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STUDY, SO IT'S TOTALLY IN THE HANDS OF PARTICIPANTS AS TO WHETHER THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN, SAY, A DIABETES STUDY OR A CANCER STUDY OR OTHER STUDIES, AND WHETHER THEY REALLY WANT THAT INFORMATION RETURNED TO THEM OR NOT, SO IT'S ALWAYS A CHOICE OF THE PARTICIPANT AS TO WHAT INFORMATION THEY WOULD HAVE RETURNED.

>> I WORN IF THE GENETIC COMPONENT TO IT MIGHT GIVE SOME PEOPLE PAUSE.

I MEAN, THERE'S FEAR ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO INFORMATION.

IF SOMEBODY HAS THE THE BREARNS GENES ARE WELL-KNOWN AND I DON'T KNOW -- BREAST CANCER OF SAY A HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY, A LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, DISABILITY, TO LOOK AT THAT DATA AND RERATE SOMEBODY, TO CHARGE THEM MORE OR DENY COVERAGE BASED ON THE GENE.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT CONCERN?

>> WELL, FOR ONE THING, THIS IS A RESEARCH STUDY AND THE DATA THAT WE PRODUCE, INCLUDING THE GENETIC DATA, IS KEPT IN VERY SECURE ENVIRONMENT, COMPUTER ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE PASSWORD PROTECTED, DUAL AUTHORIZATION AND THE LIKE, SO THERE IS ALWAYS THAT VERY SMALL RISK THAT A DATABASE, ANY DPAIT BASE CAN BE HACKED AND THAT THE DATA CAN FALL INTO THE HANDS OF OTHERS.

BUT A VERY LOW RISK SINCE WE HAVE VERY TIGHT DATA SECURITY MEASURES IN PLACE.

AND IN TERMS OF KNOWING OR LEARNING ABOUT A GENE THAT MAY PREDISPOSE YOU TO DISEASE, IT'S A RISK/BENEFIT PROPOSITION, ISN'T IT?

IF WE CAN LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT OUR GENES THAT WILL HELP US PREVENT OR DELAY DISEASE, OF COURSE, THAT'S A BIG POSITIVE.

AND THERE ARE LAWS ACTUALLY, FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT GENETIC INFORMATION FROM BEING USED INCORRECTLY.

THOSE LAWS CANNOT BE -- A STATE THAT GENETIC INFORMATION THAT CANNOT BE USED, FOR EXAMPLE, TO DENY A PERSON FROM GETTING HEALTH INSURANCE.

IT FALL SHORT OF SOME OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS LIFE INSURANCE, AS YOU MENTIONED, BUT THERE ARE FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT INDIVIDUALS FROM, AS IT'S CALLED, GENETIC DISCRIMINATION.

>> DeVON, WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, WHAT SORT OF CONCERNS HAVE YOU HEARD?

AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THOSE?

>> SO I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR GENETIC INFORMATION, AND WE DO LET THEM KNOW, IT'S SPELLED OUT IN THE CONSENT, THE WAYS THAT WE TRY TO PROTECT PARTICIPANTS' CONFIDENTIALITY.

WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF CONFIDENTIALITY THAT WE HAVE OBTAINED FROM THE NIH, AND AS THE DOCTOR SAYS, WE HAVE ALL OF OUR INFORMATION VERY SECURE DATABASES, SO WE TRY TO REDUCE ANY CONCERN IN THAT WAY.

>> WHAT ARE YOU ASKING IN TERMS OF LIFESTYLE INFORMATION?

EXERCISE, DIET, THAT SORT OF THING?

>> YES, THAT SORT OF THING.

YOU KNOW, SMOKING HISTORY, JUST BASIC LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS THAT MAY OR MAY NOTE HAVE INFLUENCE ON HEALTH OUTCOMES.

>> DOCTOR, THE COOL THING HERE IS THAT THIS IS A WINDOW INTO WHAT MEDICINE MIGHT LOOK LIKE A GENERATION FROM NOW.

ISN'T IT?

>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS DRIVING UP HERE FOR THIS INTERVIEW TODAY, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT DR. SPOCK IN STAR TREK, AND AS YOU KNOW, WHEN A PERSON WAS ILL -- >> YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU WERE IN TRAFFIC ON THE BELTWAY THINKING I WISH I COULD BEAM MYSELF INTO THE STUDIO.

>> IT'S NOT THE BEAMING PIECE BUT DR. McCOY HAD A TRANSDUCER OVER A PERSON AND WITHIN A FEW SECONDS WOULD KNOW AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL.

I WOULD GUESS THAT THAT TRANSDUCER WAS A SUPER COMPUTER THAT HAD AND WAS OBTAINING ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT NOT JUST THAT INDIVIDUAL, ALL OF THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA OF THOUSANDS, EVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS.

AND IT'S THAT INFORMATION THAT THAT TRANSDUCER WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS AND PRECISION TREATMENT.

>> WHERE WILL THAT HAPPEN FIRST?

WHAT FIELD OF MEDICINE DO YOU THINK THAT VISION WILL FIRST BE REALIZED?

>> YES, IN SOME WAYS PRECISION MEDICINE IS ADVANCING AT DIFFERENT RATES IN DIFFERENT FIELDS, AND I WOULD SAY THAT PROBABLY IS FIELD OF CANCER IS NOW THE MOST ADVANCED IN APPLICATION OF PRECISION MEDICINE.

AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN BE SCREENED FOR GENES THAT MIGHT PREDISPOSE THEM TO THINGS LIKE BREAST CANCER OR COLON CANCER, AND ALSO FROM BOYS.

Y BIOPSY THE ISSUE FROM THE CANCERS 53 PHYSICIANS CAN PREDICT WHICH MEDICINE MEDICATIONS MIGHT BE BETTER FOR A GIRCH CANCER IN A GIVEN INDIVIDUAL.

WE HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT OR ALL DISEASES IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY.

>> AND EVEN WITH WHERE WE STAND IN MEDICINE TODAY, YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT KNOWING IS BETTER THAN NOT KNOWING.

IF YOU GET SOME GENETIC INFORMATION THAT MAYBE FLFERS A COLON CANCER RISK, YOU CAN AFFIRMATIVE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> WELL, THAT'S CORRECT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS THE CHOICE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL AS TO WHETHER THEY WANT THAT INFORMATION OR NOT.

I PERSONALLY WOULD OPT TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT INFORMATION CAN BE VERY USEFUL.

IT'S VERY ACTIONABLE.

AND IT'S MORE IMPORTANT, IN MY VIEW, TO PREVENT DISEASE OR AT LEAST DELAY DISEASE SO THAT THE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY, PARTICULARLY OF CHRONIC DISEASES THAT OCCUR LATER IN AGE, CAN BE CURTAILED.

>> DeVON, IF PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, THEY WANT TO CONSIDER ENROLLING, I HAVE A WEB ADDRESS OF MY HEALTHY MARYLAND.ORG.

HOW CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE?

>> SO THE WEBSITE IS MARYLANDPRECISIONHEALTH.

P.ORG, AND WE CAN -- WE HAVE FLYERS THAT WE POST ALL AROUND.

WE HAVE TIESMENTS -- ADVERTISEMENTS THAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO PUT ON FACEBOOK.

WE HAVE A WEBSITE, OF COURSE, THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE A LINK TO THE FULL CONSENT SO YOU CAN ABLE TO SEE THE CONSENT, SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR COORDINATORS AS A RESOURCE WHO CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SO ANY OF THESE WAYS WORK OUT.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, SO IF YOU SEE US, THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> AND WE ALSO HAVE AN APP.

>> OF COURSE.

>> MY HEALTHY MARYLAND.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE APP FROM THE APPLE STORE OR ANY OTHER STORE THAT YOU DOWNLOAD APPS FROM.

>> PERFECT.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE MOST WELCOME, THANK YOU.

>> AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE," THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS, INCLUDING THE BEGINNING OF THE 2023 SESSION OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

TOMORROW AT 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN DELIVERS A FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE CITIZENS OF MARYLAND.

WE WILL BROADCAST THAT ON MPT AND WE WILL HAVE COVERAGE ON "STATE CIRCLE" ON FRIDAY.

NOW FOR ALL OF US AT MPT, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.