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Montgomery County HHS Committee hears priorities from advisory boards on aging, children, justice and housing
Summary
At a county Health & Human Services Committee briefing, advisory boards and commissions urged funding for respite and village expansions for older residents, stronger kinship‑care data and recruitment, more behavioral‑health capacity for youth in the juvenile justice system, and actions to buffer immigrant families from federal funding disruptions.
Montgomery County Councilmember Gabe Albernatz convened the Health and Human Services Committee and heard a line of testimony from 10 advisory boards and commissions outlining their top FY26–27 priorities.
Commission on Aging Co‑Chair Linda Brogofsky urged an emergency appropriation in FY26 and sufficient FY27 budget authority to expand in‑home respite services and fund grants to develop four new ‘villages’ in underserved East County and Up‑County areas so older residents can remain in their communities. She also said the county should fund its newly restored authority to inspect nursing homes and fully support the Senior Nutrition Program, which faces demand that outstrips its budget.
Frances Marshall, vice chair of the Board of Social Services, reported five current voting‑member vacancies that the board has been waiting to have publicly posted since June 2025; she said vacancies undermine continuity and institutional knowledge and asked the executive branch to post positions so the board can interview candidates.
The Citizens Review Panel for Children said it is studying supports for youth requiring multi‑complex services and pressing the Department to report kinship‑care versus foster‑care placements separately after new state kinship legislation. The panel described steps to review resource‑home recruitment and retention and the agency’s vetting for emergency placements.
The Commission on Juvenile Justice identified behavioral health as its main priority, pointing to limited local inpatient substance‑use treatment beds (temporary placements out of county) and gaps created when state programs such as evening reporting centers lose funding. Commissioners said those gaps impede preventive work and timely treatment for justice‑involved youth.
The Community Action Board highlighted two county priorities: expanded legal and navigation support for immigrant residents who are avoiding services because of enforcement fears, and concern about federal Community Services Block Grant delays and SNAP and Medicaid eligibility shifts; the board said those federal moves risk increasing local food insecurity and service demand.
Jake Dodinski of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission called for implementing a 2023 workforce report with an implementation manager, and for family advocacy workshops and cross‑system work groups to address IEP problems early.
Michael Wilson, chair of the Commission on Veterans Affairs, asked the county to pursue HUD‑VASH and other supportive vouchers, support a proposed Veterans Treatment Court and expand outreach so veterans know about services.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about geography (noting village deserts in the Ag Reserve, Poolesville and parts of East County), timelines for vacancy postings (executive branch responsibility), volunteer and VITA recruitment and whether kinship metrics are being disaggregated. No formal votes or motions were taken at the briefing; the committee adjourned with plans to continue testimony from additional advisory groups the following day.
