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Support for Students and Families Experiencing Homelessness in Howard County

Howard County Public Schools (HCPSS) is committed to ensuring that all children and youth have equal access to educational programs and school-related activities provided for through the federal McKinney-Vento Act. To that end, HCPSS seeks to eliminate all barriers to the enrollment of children and youth who are homeless and eligible to attend public school in Howard County.

Pupil Personnel Workers help all schools identify and address barriers in school, at home, and in the community that interfere with academic and social achievement of all students.

  • Matt Deyton, Resource Pupil Personnel Worker and Howard County Homeless Education Liaison – 410-313-6650, McKinneyVento@hcpss.org
  • Kimberly McCauley – Technical Assistant, Homeless Education Assistance Program – 410-313-5343, McKinneyVento@hcpss.org
  • Melissa FitzGibbon – Technical Assistant, Service Navigator for Homeless Support – 667-257-7786, McKinneyVento@hcpss.org

If you are experiencing homelessness, please contact your school’s PPW or the Homeless Education Liaison.

Know Your Rights

If you are staying in temporary housing, your children may have special rights at school and are protected under the
McKinney-Vento Act. Those rights include:

  • Staying in the same school even if you move, and receiving transportation to that school, as long as it is in your child’s best interest
  • Enrolling in school immediately without the documents schools usually require
  • Receiving free school meals
  • Getting help with school supplies and other needs

Learn more and determine if you qualify for help.

HCPSS Homeless Advisory Committee

It is the mission of the HCPSS Homeless Advisory Committee (HAC) to ensure that children and youth who are experiencing homelessness are identified so that McKinney-Vento protections are put in place to provide access to available resources and support to promote hope and resilience.

HAC draws members and collaboration from the organizations listed on this webpage.

Several HCPSS offices are also actively involved in the HAC, including:

Bridges to Housing Stability, Inc.

Bridges to Housing Stability, Inc. is a non-profit provider of services to the Coordinated System of Homeless Services (CSHS). Bridges provides intensive case management focused on re-housing and stability support for formerly homeless households. Bridges also provides some transitional housing. All services are accessed through CSHS single point of entry.

Contact: 410-312-5760

Family Home Start Program

Family Home Start Program is a collaboration with the Howard County Executive Office, Bridges to Housing Stability and HCPSS that provides housing assistance to families that are experiencing homelessness and that have children in Howard County public schools. The program provides qualified families with a security deposit and the first month of rent.

This program does not:

  • Provide a housing voucher or other long-term housing subsidy
  • Provide assistance for a move outside of Howard County

To be eligible for the Bridges to Stability Family Home Start Program, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You have one or more children enrolled in Howard County Public School System.
  • You meet the definition of homelessness as defined by HCPSS in Policy 9300 – Homeless Children and Youth. Briefly, under this definition, you are considered to be experiencing homelessness if you do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Examples: you are sharing a home due to economic hardship or living in a motel, emergency shelter, or unsheltered place such as a car.
  • You earn between 40-60% of Howard County median income. (We’ll verify your income for you after you submit the application form.)

For More Information:

Apply for Family Home Start 

Judy Center

The Judith P. Hoyer Early Learning Hubs serves children ages 0-5 from the districted areas of Cradlerock Elementary School and Stevens Forest Elementary School. Children living in Howard County with an IEP or IFSP are also eligible. The Judy Centers help parents prepare their children for success in school through referral services, interactive and educational playgroups, family engagement activities, child development and parenting classes, and professional development for teachers.
For more information, please contact your local Judy Center at:

  • Contact: Stevens Forest Elementary School – 410-313-8245
  • Contact: Cradlerock Elementary School – 410-313-8224 or judycenter@hcpss.org

Community Action Council

Community Action Council provides programs and emergency services for low-income residents including housing assistance (eviction prevention, first month’s rent, one month’s rent, energy assistance and food bank).

Contact: 410-313-6440

Head Start, which is part of the Community Action Council of Howard County, provides free preschool to eligible 3- to 5-year-old children. Head Start provides family support services, and the part-day and full-day programs.

Contact: 410-313-6440

Coordinated Entry System of Homeless Services

Howard County’s Coordinated Entry System of Homeless Services (CES) is a network of community services and supports that organizes efforts to end homelessness in Howard County.The goals of the system are to reduce the number of homeless families and individuals, reduce the number of newly homeless, shorten the length of homeless episodes and reduce the number of returns to homelessness. Individuals and households should contact the Grassroots single point of entry hotline for more information on services.

Contact: Grassroots Crisis Hotline 410-531-6677

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center operates a 24-hour crisis intervention and counseling hotline and free walk-in counseling. The hotline and walk-in program serves as the single point of entry for the Howard County Coordinated Entry System of Homeless Services. There is also a mobile crisis team that responds with the police to psychiatric emergencies, family crises, and other traumatic events.

Grassroots provides 24-hour access to quality behavioral health, crisis intervention and homeless services to individual and family consumers in need.

Grassroots hotline and walk-in program serves as the single point of entry for the Howard County Coordinated Entry System of Homeless Services and operates Howard County’s emergency shelter.  The program includes a 33-bed Family Emergency Shelter for parents and their children and an 18-bed Individual Emergency Shelter for adults experiencing a homelessness. In December 2024, Grassroots added 20 beds to support the Cold Weather Shelter program.

Contact: Grassroots Crisis Hotline 410-531-6677

Grassroots manages other emergency shelter programs within Howard County in order to support those who are most vulnerable during the coldest months of the year. The Cold Weather Shelter, located at Grassroots, provides consistent overflow shelter from November through March in partnership with Howard County Government and the faith community.

Code Blue Shelter is activated during extreme weather nights, when temperature reach 26 degrees or below, and provides nightly shelter for homeless Howard County residents.

To access support, individuals should call the Grassroots crisis line at 410-531-6677 or walk in to the Grassroots Crisis Center at 8990 Old Annapolis Road, Suite A, in Columbia to complete a Housing Assessment. This process can also connect individuals with additional resources throughout the county.

Additionally, the Route 1 Day Resource Center operates three days a week and provides meals, showers, laundry, and social services to the homeless. They are located at 10390 Guilford Road, Suite A, in Jessup, MD.

Howard County Department of Human Services

The Howard County Department of Human Services, through its 24 local departments of social services, aggressively pursues opportunities to assist people in economic need, provide preventive services, and protect vulnerable children and adults in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.

Contact: 410-872-8700 and make selections.

Springboard Community Services

Springboard offers comprehensive support in mental wellness, case management, and housing, serving a broad range of individuals in need. Let us be your partner in creating a brighter future.

Contact: 410-669-9000

Howard County Office of Children and Families

Howard County Office of Children and Families promotes the well-being of children birth to five years old by providing services and supports to their families and caregivers and supports the initiatives of the Early Childhood Advisory Council. The Office offers a wide array of services and resources to promote healthy development, school readiness and strengthen families.

Contact: 410-313-1940

Department of Community Resources & Services

The Department of Community Resources & Services (DCRS) addresses the needs of multiple generations, tailor services to different cultural values, and promote full inclusion for individuals with disabilities. The mission is to ensure Howard County residents have the resources they need to grow, thrive and live with dignity.

Contact:410-313-6400

Howard County Health Department

The Health Department bureaus and programs strive to make Howard County a community in which health equity and optimal wellness are accessible for all who live, work and visit.

Contact: 410-313-6300