Horowitz Center for Health Literacy

Monday, October 5, 2026 @10 AM EST | Webinar - Advancing Health Literacy in Maryland with the Health Literacy Organizational Seal Program Part 2

Join the Maryland Hub team during Health Literacy Month for a discussion of the application process and the lessons learned about the Health Literacy Organizational Seal.

Dr. Cynthia Baur, Director of the Horowitz Center, and Lindsay Rosenfeld, PhD, consultant on the seal program, will review what the Hub team has learned from organizations participating in the pilot Seal program, the updated application process, and how your organization can implement health literacy in your organization, even if it’s not ready for the full Seal.

Register now!

Plain Language and Clear Communication | University of Maryland | School of Public Health Download our essential tools: the Maryland Plain Language Checklist and our Web Content Review Tool. The resources on this page will help you plan, assess, and revise your communications using science-based and best practices approaches to plain language and clear communication.

Online Training for Community Health Workers - English and Spanish

Sign up for the Health Literacy for Community Health Workers training in Spanish or English on the University of Maryland Open Learning Platform. This self-paced training introduces CHWs to the fundamentals of health literacy and supports them in applying these strategies in their everyday work. Please share this widely with your networks!

https://umd-sph-train.catalog.instructure.com/courses/health-literacy-for-chws

Capacitación en línea para Trabajadores de Salud Comunitarios (CHWs, por sus siglas en inglés) – Disponible en inglés y español

Inscríbase en la capacitación de Alfabetización en Salud para Trabajadores de la Salud Comunitarios, disponible en español o en inglés en la Plataforma de Aprendizaje Abierto de la Universidad de Maryland. Este curso, a su propio ritmo, presenta a los promotores de salud los conceptos básicos de la alfabetización en salud y les ayuda a aplicar estas estrategias en su trabajo diario. ¡Por favor, comparta ampliamente esta información con sus contactos!

https://umd-sph-train.catalog.instructure.com/courses/health-literacy-for-chws-spanish-external

Description of the photo: Community members attend the training led by a presenter.

New Research on Clear Communication

Horowitz Center Director Dr. Cynthia Baur and UMD colleagues analyzed and published results of the availability, clarity, and actionability of web-based information about Ultraviolet-C (UVC) for preventing airborne respiratory infections. This research is part of a broader agenda on making indoor air safer and a new UMD Grand Challenges grant. (https://research.umd.edu/grand-challenges-grants/grand-challenges-2/team-project-grants-2.0/air-we-share)

Read the full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/php.70135

Ultraviolet‐C light for prevention of airborne infection: A baseline analysis of web‐based public information This study assesses whether online public information about UVC for airborne infection prevention is clear and actionable. Using the CDC's Clear Communication Index, we found that most health organiz...

Monday, October 5, 2026 @10 AM EST | Webinar - Advancing Health Literacy in Maryland with the Health Literacy Organizational Seal Program Part 2

Join the Maryland Hub team for a discussion of the application process and the lessons learned about the Health Literacy Organizational Seal. Dr. Cynthia Baur, Director of the Horowitz Center, and Lindsay Rosenfeld, PhD, consultant on the Seal program, will review what the Hub team has learned from organizations participating in the pilot Seal program, the updated application process, and how your organization can implement health literacy in your organization, even if it’s not ready for the full Seal. Register now!

Registration Link:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: October Hub Webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: October Hub Webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Updated Health Literacy Organizational Seal Directions and Forms

We have updated the Health Literacy Organizational Seal application! The revised packet features clearer instructions and easy-to-use, fillable forms to guide your organization through the process. The Seal recognizes state and local agencies that prioritize clear communication and go beyond basic requirements by integrating health literacy into their work.

Apply for the Organizational Seal today!

Hub_Seal Document_071026.pdf | Powered by Box

Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub Annual Report Submitted!! 📣

We’re proud to share our third Hub Annual Report to the Maryland General Assembly!

Since 2022, the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the University of Maryland has served as Maryland’s official Consumer Health Information Hub, helping Maryland organizations advance plain language, language access, and health literacy into their communities.

Thank you to all the Hub partners across the state for these first three incredible years. The Hub continues under a new 2026 law that maintains health literacy as a state priority. The Horowitz Center will continue to support organizations in their progress to provide Marylanders with accessible, accurate, and easy-to-understand health information.

Read our Annual Report:

Hub Impact | University of Maryland | School of Public Health Download our essential tools: the Maryland Plain Language Checklist and our Web Content Review Tool. New to health literacy? Start with the basics.

The Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub enters Phase Two! 🎊

The Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub concluded Phase One on June 30, 2026. From 2023-2026, the Maryland General Assembly funded the UMD Horowitz Center for Health Literacy to build and implement the Hub, creating a statewide initiative to advance plain language, language access, and health literacy. We are also pleased to note that Governor Wes Moore signed HB0882 into law, ensuring that plain language remains a state priority and that the Horowitz Center will continue to help organizations provide Marylanders with accessible, accurate, and easy-to-understand health information.

Congratulations to our newest doctoral degree graduates!

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Omobolanle Mary Kushimo and Dr. Katherine Raymond on earning their doctoral degrees and making meaningful contributions to health literacy research.

Dr. Omobolanle Mary Kushimo’s dissertation, titled The Development of Health Literacy Among Second-Generation Nigerian Americans, interviewed young adult Nigerian American residents to understand how they navigate health systems and understand health information.

Dr. Katherine Raymond’s dissertation, titled A Multidimensional Analysis of eHealth Literacy Skills and Chronic Disease Self-Management Behaviors Among U.S. Adults with Chronic Conditions, used national data to understand how adults use eHealth literacy skills to manage their chronic diseases.

Together, their work advances our understanding of how people access, understand, and use health information across diverse populations and contexts. We are excited to see where their research journeys lead next!

Photo 1: Dr. Omobolanle Mary Kushimo (left) and Dr. Cynthia Baur (right) at the University of Maryland doctoral hooding ceremony

Photo 2: Dr. Cynthia Baur (left) and Dr. Katherine Raymond (right) at the University of Maryland doctoral hooding ceremony

Interested in Plain Language Training in 2026-2027? Don't wait!

From July 2026 to June 2027, the Hub will offer two plain-language training slots per month. If your organization is interested in learning how to create clearer, more accessible communications, we encourage you to submit your request early to secure your spot! These sessions are great “train the trainer” opportunities so that your organization builds its own plain language expertise.

Complete the interest form today, and our team will follow up with the next steps.

Request for Plain Language Training

Big News: Hub continues in Maryland

We are excited to share that Governor Wes Moore signed HB0882, the new law to continue the Consumer Information Hub. This will ensure that plain language continues as a state priority, and the Horowitz Center will help organizations provide Marylanders with accessible, accurate, and easy-to-understand health information. We are grateful to our partners for their continued support in advancing health literacy across Maryland!