Family Network presents needs assessment showing housing, school safety, childcare and behavioral health as top local priorities

Julie Moschino, coordinator for the Calvert County Family Network, told the Student Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee that the network's recent needs assessment synthesizes a community survey, key-informant interviews and focus groups and is intended to guide local planning and grant-making.

"We serve as a neutral convener of child-serving agencies," Moschino said, describing the Family Network's role in conducting a comprehensive needs assessment every three to five years and using a results-based accountability framework to allocate the state's annual allocation. She said 102 people completed the community survey and that the full report (about 150 pages) will be shared with committee members.

The assessment identified four recurring priorities: affordable housing, school safety, childcare and behavioral health. Moschino emphasized gaps in early-childhood access and recommended further data collection and outreach to ensure services remain visible and used. "There may be challenges with accessing that resource," she said, urging collaboration to prevent programs from leaving because of underuse.

Committee members asked how the assessment will be used. Moschino said the network is finalizing a three-year strategic plan and will allocate funds according to identified priorities; she also said the assessment is intended as a resource for partners and grant applicants, and will be presented to other community groups and likely to the county commissioners in planned outreach.

The Family Network'coordinated research includes qualitative inputs (focus groups and key informants) and quantitative indicators tied to Maryland's child-well-being metrics. Moschino said the local management board can contract for programs to address gaps but is not generally a direct service provider.