All participants will be required to agree to the AMS Meeting Commitment to Care Policy and Waiver before completing their registration. Any attendee who is not able to adhere to the in-person guidelines set forth in that Policy and Waiver should plan to participate in the robust virtual options we are offering during our fully hybrid meetings.

We believe a large part of wellness at our meetings is to ensure our attendees work together to promote a professional and respectful environment for everyone. By registering for our meetings, you are agreeing to adhere to the Professional and Respectful Conduct at AMS Meetings Policy. We encourage all participants to follow these guidelines.

If you are the subject of unacceptable behavior or have witnessed any such behavior, please immediately either:

• Text AMS at (617) 606-4369 or 
• Email [email protected] 
• If you witness or experience behavior that constitutes an immediate and serious threat, please call 911.

Members of the response team: 

• Stephanie Armstrong, Associate Executive Director
• Brian Papa, Associate Executive Director
• Jen Ives, Director of Meetings

AMS is committed to creating an environment for meetings that “embraces diversity through the inclusion of individuals across age, gender, race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, physical ability, marital status, sexual orientation, body shape or size, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, and other facets of social diversity” (see: Diversity and Inclusion at AMS).

Special accommodations, such as real-time captioning [communication access real-time translation (CART)], special printing needs, or reserved seating, necessary in order for any individual to participate in an AMS meeting, can be requested. Four weeks advance notice is recommended to ensure seamless action. We ask the participant to communicate such needs in advance by:

• Registering early for the meeting
• Checking the appropriate box in the registration process
• Contacting AMS staff by email ([email protected]) or by phone (857-930-7492)

Further information on accessibility at the meeting can be found here. 

AMS is pleased to offer a variety of wellness rooms and resources at the 104th Annual Meeting.

• A meditation room is located in Room 334 of the Baltimore Convention Center
• A quiet room is located in Room 335 of The Baltimore Convention Center.
• A lactation room is available at the Baltimore Convention Center.
• A game room is available in the Blake room at the Hilton.
• Multiple water stations are found throughout the convention center to stay hydrated.
• Increased lunch break durations intended to ensure participants have time to eat and recharge.

The health of our meeting participants is very important.

As a reminder, COVID-19 vaccinations as defined by the CDC are recommended for all in-person attendees. While masks will be optional at this meeting, we encourage all to wear a mask should they choose to do so.

Please note that a healthcare partner is available onsite to address the healthcare needs of attendees who become ill at the Baltimore Convention Center. Attendees who become ill outside of the Baltimore Convention Center should not attempt to enter the AMS meeting space and should visit a nearby healthcare facility. We encourage you to participate in the meeting virtually until your symptoms have resolved. If you need care, please see a list of hospitals, urgent care facilities, and drugstores below.

During a medical emergency, those who are in a position to safely communicate should call 911. However, the venue may have an emergency internal number based on the situation.  Proper emergency numbers are  posted on or near each meeting room. 

Should a medical emergency occur, you should follow the guidelines as follows: 

• Remain calm
• Keep the injured/ill person lying down and covered to keep them warm
• Do not move him/her 
• Do not administer first aid techniques in which you are not trained
• Locate the nearest phone and dial the venue’s safety/security number, notify them of location of the person requiring medical attention, along with a description of injury and the person
• Return to the individual
• Reassure the individual and try to keep him/her as comfortable as possible
• Stay with the individual until emergency personnel arrive. 

Safety Tips:

• While off-site meeting grounds, remove your badge or tuck it into your clothing so it is not visible.
• Do not leave your badge unattended at any time. In addition, do not let anyone have access to your badge for any purpose.
• Never give a stranger your hotel room number.
• When out in an urban area, travel in groups or pairs.
• Plan your route ahead of time so you don’t get lost
• Remain in well-lit, high traffic areas
• Stay alert to your surroundings
• Keep your valuables out of sight.
• Know how to get help if you need it. 
• Do not leave valuables in your hotel room. If you must, please use the safe in your room.
• Remember to lock the deadbolt in your room when you are inside your room.
• Check the lock on any rooms connecting to yours.

See Something, Say Something:

• For emergencies call 9-1-1
• To file a conduct complaint, or report non-emergency incidents, text AMS at (617) 606-4369
• Don't want to walk alone? Call (410) 802-9631 (10:30am-7pm) and (443)401-3156 (7-10:30pm) to request a Security Escort through the Downtown Baltimore Guides by Baltimore Downtown Partnership (“DBGs”)

Examples of security issues, which include ANY unsafe, unruly, or disruptive behavior in the Convention Center or AMS HQ Hotel, include:

• Disruption of a session or presentation
• Any filming in a session room
• Filming without permission in Exhibit Hall
• Altercation of argument of any kind

If you witness or experience behavior that constitutes an immediate and serious threat, please call 911.

The Downtown Baltimore Guides by Baltimore Downtown Partnership (“DBGs”) serve as goodwill ambassadors, information sources, and positive welcoming advocates. Their many responsibilities include:

• Hospitality: Creating a hospitable presence on the streets.
• Safety Patrols: Patrolling designated areas on foot as “eyes and ears” of the community.
• Emergency Assistance: Assisting with emergency situations.
• Crime Monitoring: Monitoring criminal incidents but not physically engaging. If they witness criminal or unsafe activity, DBGs contact the Police and follow up with victims.
• Homeless Assistance: Assisting homeless individuals and others in need and attempting to connect such persons to services or housing.

You can request a free security escort to-and-from Downtown destinations by filling out a service request form. Or call (410) 802-9631 (10:30am-7pm) and (443)401-3156 (7-10:30pm)

You can also visit the Baltimore FAQ page for more safety information.

Click here to view a safety video message from Baltimore City Police Commissioner and Visit Baltimore President & CEO.

To increase overall wellness at our meetings, we encourage attendees to connect with each other both on-site and virtually at our meetings.

We're excited to announce that AMS is providing a Slack Workspace for attendee-to-attendee communication during the 104th Annual meeting. Please note: Slack is being used for social messaging. All questions during live sessions should be asked in-person or via Zoom chat.

In-person attendees can:

• attend networking or icebreaker events.
• use our provided Slack channel to post pictures from the conference.
• talk about how many steps they got in during the day

Virtual attendees can:

• use the attendee Slack channel to message their questions they didn’t get a chance to ask during a session
• share a PDF of their virtual poster to gain a larger audience and promote their science

Our host cities have a lot to offer, and, in your downtime, we encourage you to explore safely. This may mean utilizing Slack to set up a group outing or walking with a friend around the city.

AMS Meetings is committed to providing you information on local restaurants, with a focus on lgbtq+ owned and/or friendly dining options.