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Davidson Medical Ministries outlines DC Connect referral program, seeks mentors
Summary
Janice Hurley presented DC Connect to the commission, describing a centralized referral system that served nearly 3,000 clients (system outage noted), returned over $2 million to the county via tax-assistance (VITA), recorded 74 Lexington referrals Jan–Aug, and asked for volunteer mentors.
Janice Hurley, executive director of Davidson Medical Ministries, presented the DC Connect referral program to the Lexington Human Relations Commission on Oct. 7, describing how the program connects residents to food, housing, health and benefits services across Davidson County.
“DC Connect is a community based centralized referral program where we work with organizations in Davidson County to provide assistance to those experiencing some kind of need,” Hurley said. She listed services the program helps people access, including SHIP senior-insurance counseling, VITA tax preparation for low-income households, Medicaid assistance, LIEAP energy help and partnerships such as mobile mammogram units.
Hurley said DC Connect served “just under 3,000 clients” from Sept. 2023 to Sept. 2024 and noted a four-month system outage likely undercounts actual service volume. She reported that the program’s VITA work brought more than $2,000,000 back into Davidson County and that DC Connect received 74 referrals from the city of Lexington between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31.
Hurley described reentry work with the county jail to restore benefits and connect people to medication-assisted treatment and detailed the 18-week Getting Ahead class, which pairs participants with mentors and provides supports such as childcare and $25 gift cards to reduce barriers to attendance. She closed by asking commissioners and community members to consider volunteering as mentors for program participants.
