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Executive Update

July 2009

County Executive James T. Smith Jr.
400 Washington Avenue
Old Courthouse Mezzanine
Towson, Maryland 21204
410-887-2450
E-mail Address: jimsmith@baltimorecountymd.gov

Dear Friends of Baltimore County,

In Baltimore County government, we understand that if we are to build successful, lasting communities, we are only as strong as our weakest link. We have no greater responsibility than helping those who need that help the most. Our new web tool, “A Helping Hand in Hard Times,” is a tangible demonstration of that commitment. 

Economic Crisis Every Day

There are mountains of data and statistics that quantify the impact of this economic recession on the people of our communities, but last year the men and women in Baltimore County government did not need to wait for those facts and figures to be compiled, because they saw the effects of the economic crisis up close everyday.

They saw the mothers and fathers who worked day and night just to get by and couldn't afford to have anyone to watch their children. They saw unemployed homeowners unable to find work facing foreclosures on their family homes. They saw senior citizens cutting their pills in half to make their prescriptions last just a little longer. And as more and more people found themselves in crisis, the need for the services of our County agencies expanded to unprecedented levels.

But Baltimore County is fortunate to have some of the most skilled, qualified, and caring public servants in the nation. The support they have been able to provide to the people of our County has done nothing less than save lives. Unfortunately, this recession has placed many of the individuals seeking assistance in situations where their needs go beyond the specific area of expertise and resources of any single agency.

Workgroup Formed

That is why, in November of last year, Barry Williams, our Director of Workforce Development, convened a meeting of the heads of Baltimore County’s numerous human services agencies, including the Office of Workforce Development, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Health. The outcome of the meeting was the formation of Baltimore County’s Human Services Workgroup which tasked itself to develop a way for the various County agencies to address the most frequent, critical and urgent needs of the people of Baltimore County.

A Helping Hand in Hard Times 

The committee consulted staff on the front line in the various County agencies to identify the most frequent problems encountered. After carefully analyzing their feedback, the Workgroup created a web-based tool called “A Helping Hand in Hard Times,” which identifies and explains how to access resources available to address the most frequently occurring problems. Accessible through the Baltimore County web site, this tool is an invaluable resource that assists people in understanding which of our agencies or programs are appropriate to meet their particular and various problems.

This web site addresses specific crises in the 16 categories that our work group found to be the most frequent and urgent: aging, adult care, animal rescue, business owners, child care, crime and safety, employment, finance, food, general health, mental health, housing, legal, replacing lost identification (a particular problem for former inmates looking for work), transportation, and utilities. Thanks to this web site, citizens will be able to identify quickly which of our many outstanding agencies and programs are best able to address their specific needs. Even if one does not own a computer or have access to the Internet at home, this web tool can be accessed at any of Baltimore County’s 17 public library branches.

While it is important that County citizens have direct access to the agencies of Baltimore County government that can meet their needs, it is equally important that there be no agency wrong door or phone number to get government assistance. That is why this web site will also help the helpers, those who work in our many County agencies. If anyone calls any of our human service agencies with a problem that that agency cannot address, employees of that agency will now be able to use this web site to put the caller in touch with the agency or program that will be able to help them, and this may be a number of different agencies to meet a number of different problems.

Visit Our Web Tool

This is a web tool that will assist our citizens in getting the vital services that they need at the time they need them most. If you are in need of assistance in this economic recession, I urge you to visit “A Helping Hand in Hard Times”. 

Best wishes,

Jim Smith
Baltimore County Executive

Revised June 29, 2009