The Healthcare Initiative Foundation of Montgomery County awarded The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) a $400,000 grant, which will be divided into 210 scholarships over two years to support students in the following programs: University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) School of Social Work; University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy, and UMB’s Master’s in Social Work program. The primary goal of the Healthcare Initiative Foundation is to enhance and expand the workforce development in the healthcare field within Montgomery County. The scholarship will create a healthcare workforce pipeline, helping students transition from the classroom into the field work-ready.
In addition, the grant will support four innovative initiatives to help prepare the scholarship recipients to meet the health and wellness needs of the community and connect them with future employers in their professional fields. The first initiative will help 17 students learn interdisciplinary practices, rules, and responsibilities, and gain experience at the Mercy Health Clinic. The Mercy Health Clinic is a free, not-for-profit, non-sectarian, community based primary healthcare provider serving uninsured, low-income adult residents in Montgomery County. The second initiative will place 193 students in clinic rotations at Montgomery County non-profits in the healthcare field which will enhance the students’ knowledge of community health and develop a greater understanding for the community.
In an effort to respond to the pressing need for culturally competent social workers with experience serving children under the age of 12, a cohort of 12 social work scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to complete their field placements with non-profits serving this age group. The third initiative will establish a Bilingual Writing Mentor Program to support the academic success of 20 students whose first language is not English. The fourth initiative will focus on establishing professional mentorships with 10 scholarship recipients to better connect students with local networks and encourage them to work here in Montgomery County after attaining their degrees.
“Montgomery County is an amazingly diverse community and we need to ensure we have a healthcare delivery system that supports the needs of those we serve,” said Crystal Carr Townsend, president of the Healthcare Initiative Foundation. “That’s why our primary goal is to increase the number of culturally competent healthcare professionals that will be well prepared to succeed in settings such as community-based healthcare clinics. We’re excited about the progress we will be able to make through this wonderful partnership with The Universities at Shady Grove.”
“This grant from the Healthcare Initiative Foundation will provide great opportunities for many students at USG who are in these healthcare programs and represent the future of health care delivery in Montgomery County,” said Dr. Stewart Edelstein, executive director of The Universities at Shady Grove and associate vice chancellor for the University System of Maryland. “We’re honored that the Foundation chose to invest in USG and especially in the students that will benefit from these funds.”
About the Healthcare Initiative Foundation
The Healthcare Initiative Foundation is a 501(c) (3) Private Foundation governed by an independent, volunteer board of trustees. Since inception in 1973, the Foundation has distributed more than $78 million to 501(c)(3) healthcare nonprofits that offer solutions for improving the quality and delivery of healthcare for residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, particularly programs and services that protect the safety-net for vulnerable residents.