Montgomery Cares is a public/private partnership that supports a network of community-based clinics, collectively referred to as the Community HealthLink Clinics, providing primary health care services to uninsured Montgomery County residents. Montgomery Cares is a unique county-funded primary care program. The Primary Care Coalition administers Montgomery Cares and is responsible for coordinating the services of the participating health care providers who share a common mission and work collaboratively toward the goal of providing primary health care services to 40,000 uninsured adults.  These providers include 12 Community HealthLink Clinics and other independent non-profit health care organizations.

The Primary Care Corporation hasedpartners with the RAND Corporation to  evaluate the Montgomery Cares Program over a three year period. According to the mid-term evaluation, uninsured patients receiving primary health care at Montgomery Cares clinics continue to report high rates of satisfaction including the thoroughness of medical care, the ability to communicate well with providers and the feeling that they were treated with respect and dignity.  The report notes significant increases in the number of patients receiving preventive health care services including more regular check-ups, PAP smears, breast examinations and mammograms.

Click here for additional information about Montgomery Cares.  If you are an uninsured County resident without resources to pay for your health care, you may also learn more about Montgomery Cares by calling the Information and Referral Specialist at 301.628.3455.

Health Care for the Homeless is managed by PCC and funded by the Montgomery Cares program and the Federal Bureau of Primary Health Care’s Health Care for the Homeless program.  Working collaboratively with Montgomery County DHHS, Health Care for the Homeless Maryland (in Baltimore), homeless shelter and health care service providers, and other advocates, PCC works to develop comprehensive health care services that increase access, expand the scope of care, improve quality, and enhance continuity of care to the roughly 1,500 homeless adults residing in Montgomery County.

Click here for additional information about Health Care for the Homeless.

Care for Kids provides primary health care services, dental care, optometry, and other specialty services to children of low-income families who cannot afford private health insurance and are not eligible for federal or state health care programs. Care for Kids currently has approximately 2,500 children enrolled during any given month, and the goal is to provide services to all children in low-income families without access to care.

Click here for more information about Care for Kids.

Project Access is a network of private physicians who contribute to the health care safety net by donating their specialty care services to patients receiving health care at the Community HealthLink Clinics.

Click here for additional information about Specialty Care Services.

Oral Health Care for uninsured adults is provided by the Spanish Catholic Center through a pilot project that links dental care to Montgomery Cares primary medical care services.  Patients with oral health care needs are referred for care by their primary care providers.

Click here for additional information about Oral Health Care.

Behavioral Health Services are being integrated into Montgomery Cares primary care settings to address mental health needs identified by primary care providers.  Patients have access to behavioral health assessment, short-term therapy, medication, and psychiatric consultation provided through the collaboration of mental health professionals and their own primary care providers.

Click here for additional information about Behavioral Health Services.

Evaluation for the Montgomery Cares program and its participants is being conducted by the RAND Corporation over a five-year period.  Serving the Underserved:  An Evaluation of the First Year of Montgomery Cares provides baseline data on the quality, efficiency, access, equity, and outcomes of Montgomery Cares. The evaluation identifies opportunities for improvement in the early stages of health system development.  Improvements will be made continuously as the program is developed to ensure that care for vulnerable individuals is high quality, efficient, accessible, and equitable.

Infrastructure Development and Technical Support is provided to improve quality and expand capacity.  Strengthening Montgomery Cares participating organizations is a key strategy for developing a sustainable primary health care system for the uninsured. The Center for Health Care Access is staffed by knowledgeable and experienced health care professionals whose work is supported by expert consultants.

CHCA Program Staff
Sharon Zalewski, Vice President and Director
301.628.3412
Omarlina Marsh, Assistant Director, Administration
301.628.3439
Lisa Wald, Montgomery Cares Coordinator
301.628.3443
Jennifer Pauk, Behavioral Health Program Director
301.628.3451