Germantown is a diverse Montgomery County community characterized by rapid population growth and rising poverty rates. Despite the fact that Montgomery County, Maryland is one of the wealthiest counties in the country, 16% of Germantown residents have incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Germantown is a historically under-resourced area of the County lacking community governance, anchor nonprofit organizations, school-based health centers, Linkages to Learning, or other support services. Of its nearly 100,000 residents, 65% are people of color. A significant number of residents are Limited English Speakers.
In response to the increasing economic, health, and social disparities, the Healthcare Foundation Initiative collaborated with the Principal and staff of Captain James E. Daly Elementary School, Holy Cross Hospital, and other non-profit organizations to establish Thriving Germantown, the region’s first Community HUB. Daly Elementary School students face significant challenges; 76% of student households qualify for Free and Reduced Meals; 20% reside in a mobile home community that offers few amenities. There is no recreation facility or even a shelter for children who must wait for their bus alongside a busy highway.
Thriving Germantown is a multi-generational, multi-sector care coordination initiative that connects families with services and resources to benefit them in their homes, schools, and communities. The three primary focus areas of the Community HUB are service linkage, resource development, and community empowerment. Program services are available to all students at Daly Elementary School and their families. Priorities of this initiative include mitigating negative social determinants of health and wellness, addressing adverse childhood experiences, and promoting educational success and positive social outcomes. Services and resources include healthcare, food assistance, workforce development, access to early child care, ESOL classes, and more. The Community HUB utilizes standardized tools and technology to assess and track individual and family risk factors with the goal of establishing pathways for achieving measurable outcomes.
Family Services, Inc., a non-profit behavioral health services provider, operates Thriving Germantown. Family Service Coordinators conduct comprehensive family risk assessments and develop intervention plans using a “pathways” model to track resource linkages and progress with addressing needs and challenges. These Coordinators have a hands-on approach to case management, conducting home visits, regular follow-up with children and their families, outreach, and advocacy to ensure access to services and community resources.
To learn more about Thriving Germantown, contact:
