Calvert County programs outline home‑visiting, Judy Center expansion to Saint Leonard

Representatives for Calvert County’s home‑visiting and early‑childhood programs told the Student Safety & Well‑Being Advisory Committee on Sept. 17 that services for children prenatal to age 5 remain active countywide and that the Judy Center network will expand to Saint Leonard this school year.

Diana Adams, program coordinator for HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) and related home‑visiting services with Calvert County Public Schools, said the county’s home‑visiting programs have operated for more than 25 years and will resume visits “in a little less than 2 weeks.” She described the HIPPY/Healthy Families/Parents as Teachers continuum as providing weekly visits early in enrollment and tapering to twice monthly once a trusting relationship is established, and said the program builds home libraries and delivers books to families (“we make it our business so that at least 1 thing parents don't have to go out and buy…is a book for their kid”).

Karen Jordan, program coordinator for the county’s Judy Centers, said Judy Centers provide site‑based family resource services, developmental playgroups and emergency supports and that the program reports to the Calvert County Public Schools grants administrator and the site principal at each location. Jordan said the county’s Judy Center team will open a Saint Leonard site after a multi‑year effort and that, as of the Sept. 17 meeting, “we already have 25 families signed up for the Saint Leonard Judy Center and an additional 15 families who are interested in the HIPPY program.” She also described Judy Center services that include a diaper bank hub, donated clothing distribution (“Judy’s closet”), activity packs for families who cannot attend in person, and a summer program braided with Title I that provides meals.

Nadia Gray, Head Start education and program specialist, summarized Head Start operations and eligibility. Gray said Head Start operates site‑based pre‑K and 3‑year‑old classes across the county and also offers a 3‑year‑old home‑visiting program; participation in the 3‑year‑old program supports admission priority for the 4‑year‑old Head Start classroom when families meet income eligibility. She said Head Start provides full‑day preschool with meals included and that behavioral support is available through a contracted behavior specialist and parent coach. Gray listed the Head Start office phone as (443) 550‑8062 for enrollment questions.

Program capacity and staffing were a recurring topic. Adams said the HIPPY program “currently are able to serve 69 families” and that the new Judy Center site should allow serving roughly 10 to 13 more families. She said average tenure for home visitors in the county is about seven years and that staffing levels have fallen as funding declined. Jordan said Judy Centers are site specific (tied to Title I catchment areas) and that some children with disabilities can be served countywide through partner referrals. Gray said Head Start’s home‑visiting caseloads are capped and that the program maintains a target home‑visitor caseload of about 11–12 families.

Speakers and staff described referral procedures and early identification: programs use standardized screening tools (for example, Ages & Stages Questionnaires) and obtain parental consent before referring families to partners such as infants & toddlers, WIC, McKinney‑Vento liaison services, or community behavioral contractors. Adams said staff act as “the conduit” to subject‑matter experts and that families may decline referrals.

Program leaders framed the work as part of a countywide early‑learning continuum. Jordan noted Judy Centers are an “early intervention” model and said the state keeps longitudinal data tied to program participation and kindergarten readiness assessments. Adams and Jordan both highlighted partnerships with Calvert Library and community agencies to reduce barriers to participation.

Plans and near‑term next steps announced at the meeting included staffing and hiring for the Saint Leonard Judy Center (Jordan said staff hires were expected by November–January) and continued coordination with the McKinney‑Vento liaison and other county partners to reach families experiencing housing instability.

Contact information and enrollment notes provided during the meeting: HIPPY/HIPPY‑affiliated family inquiries at (443) 550‑8050 (as stated by presenters); Head Start inquiries at (443) 550‑8062. Presenters also urged families to consult the Calvert County Public Schools website for program information.

The committee took no formal policy votes on program funding or authorizations; presentations were informational and staff and program leaders left the committee with outreach and follow‑up actions on hiring and enrollment.