Howard County Multiservice Center Partnership Connects Students and Families with Support Services

April 26th, 2017

The Howard County MultiService Center, under the Department of Community Resources and Services, and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) are partnering to help families obtain the resources they need to become self-sufficient. The longstanding partnership will be formalized with an official partnership signing on Thursday, April 27, at the Sheraton Columbia Waterside Restaurant in Columbia, Maryland.

Under the terms of the partnership agreement, the MultiService Center will work with school staff to inform students and families about the suite of services available through the MultiService Center. MultiService Center staff will provide resources to help meet the emergency needs of students and their families through programs such as the cold weather shelter and energy assistance program.

The MultiService Center will offer HCPSS families an opportunity to participate in the Getting Ahead program, which helps individuals in poverty build resources for a more prosperous life for themselves and their families. This program also incorporates the R-rules course for middle school students, which teaches students to manage their academic plans and develop life skills.

MultiService Center staff members will also provide professional development for HCPSS staff by training school staff as Getting Ahead facilitators and providing training for staff members working with people in poverty. Aligned with Vision 2018, this government and community partnership enhances services that support the well being of students and families, and strengthens professional learning in safeguarding students’ social and emotional safety.

Howard County Board of Education Member Sandra French, HCPSS Executive Director of School Improvement and Administration Frank Eastham, Title I Program Specialist Cassandra Miller, Lake Elkhorn Middle School Principal Marty Vandenberge and Oakland Mills Middle School Principal Megan Chrobak will join Howard County Government Department of Community Resources and Services Director Steven Bullock, Deputy Director Jacqueline Scott, Office of Community Partnerships Administrator Kathleen Swanson, Howard County MultiService Center Manager Quinton Askew, Getting Ahead Coordinator Valerie Mathis and Lead Family Stability Case Manager Aisha Masood to sign the formal partnership agreement at the April 27 event.

The Howard County Government Department of Community Resources and Services provides vital human services through its offices of ADA Coordination, Aging and Independence, Children and Families, Community Partnerships, Consumer Protection, Local Children’s Board, and Veterans and Military Families. The offices serve multiple generations in the community and promote full inclusion and community engagement for persons with disabilities.

The Howard County MultiService Center enriches the lives of community residents by offering ready access to human services and supports for becoming self-sufficient. Partnering agencies provide an integrated human service system of resources for those in need of immediate crisis assistance.

The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office has united schools with more than 1,000 businesses and community organizations to enhance the educational experience of Howard County students. Partnerships benefit schools, businesses and the entire community by leveraging the resources of all participants. Partners may commit human or financial resources or other support.

For more information, contact Partnerships Office Manager Mary Schiller at 410-313-6655 or mary_schiller@hcpss.org.