This personal journey ultimately led Anna to change career paths. Her first role in the field was as a Care Coordinator for Care for Kids, where she began in 2011. Later, encouraged by Marisol Ortiz, Primary Care Coalition’s Director of Family Centered Care, she transitioned to working with adults through Project Access, beginning that work in 2012.   

Project Access is a specialty care referral network administered by PCC. The program is supported by a committed group of health care specialists, local hospitals, and diagnostic partners who work together to ensure that low-income, uninsured community members receive access to essential specialty services. “We often work with individuals who clearly need help but don’t always know how to navigate the system—or fully understand the seriousness of their situation,” explains Ana. 

Ana views her work as both meaningful and deeply personal. “It’s a great feeling when you’re able to help someone—whether through guidance, encouragement, or connecting them to the right services. I believe we all have space in our hearts to help others. For me, my career has become a passion because of that belief.”  All this is very much in keeping with her Salvadoran roots. “As a Salvadoran, I was raised with a deep sense of community and strong family values, and it’s natural for us to come together and support one another in times of need,” Ana adds. 

A mother of five, Ana is proud that all of her children have chosen careers related to helping others as well, following in her footsteps. Outside of work, she enjoys singing and dancing—not professionally, but purely for the joy of it—reflecting her free-spirited nature and love of life. As a native of the D.C. area who grew up here, she also finds fulfillment in knowing that her work gives back to the community she has always called home. 

Expanding Beyond Hospitals and SNFs 

​In addition to hospital and SNF collaboration, the Alliance actively engages community stakeholders to broaden the support available to patients. These partnerships enhance both clinical and operational efforts, helping address social needs, streamline processes, and strengthen the overall safety net for our community. “By partnering with community organizations, we’re able to support patients beyond the walls of our facilities. These relationships help us address social needs, reduce barriers to care, and ensure patients have the support they need for a safer, more successful recovery,” sums up Morrison. 

As care continues to grow more complex, the Skilled Nursing Facility Alliance remains a powerful example of what can be achieved through shared accountability, open communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Together, we are building a more connected system of care—one transition at a time. 

Kristine also played a critical role in supporting the Finance and Health Care Access teams. She audited and identified outstanding accounts receivable, tracked corrected invoices for the Maryland Cancer Fund, and worked closely with Maryland Department of Health staff to strengthen relationships and safeguard critical funding streams. During the vacancy of the Senior Program Manager for Montgomery Cares, Kristine seamlessly backfilled responsibilities, ensuring uninterrupted services while maintaining her own workload. She also led the design and implementation of PCC’s site audit process, conducting audits and helping train the incoming Senior Program Manager. 

Known for her positivity, reliability, and commitment to excellence, Kristine consistently strengthens PCC’s internal operations while ultimately improving the experience of providers and patients we serve. “Kristine brings exceptional integrity, care, and leadership to every aspect of her work. Her ability to step in wherever she is needed—while still elevating the quality of our systems and services—embodies the very best of PCC’s mission. We are deeply grateful for her contributions and proud to honor her as our Employee of the Year,” related PCC President Annice Cody. 

Reflecting on the recognition, Kristine expressed her gratitude and appreciation for her colleagues, sharing: “I am very grateful for this recognition, and I know none of it would be possible without my PCC colleagues. This work is truly a team effort, and I am thankful every day to be part of an organization where collaboration, support, and a shared commitment to our mission are so deeply valued.” 

Beyond her role at PCC, Kristine is deeply engaged in community leadership. She mentors emerging leaders through the Healthcare Council’s Young Leaders Mentorship Program and joined the Board of Directors of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), Baltimore Chapter, in March 2026. Committed to continuous professional growth, she also participated in the Leadership Montgomery CORE Program 2025, where she was selected as part of a competitive cohort of senior executives from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Through the program, she developed a strong understanding of Montgomery County governance and built lasting relationships with county and cross-sector leaders to strengthen her leadership and community impact. 

Please join us in congratulating Kristine on this well-deserved recognition and thanking her for the lasting impact she continues to make at PCC. 

While adjusting to more patients being seen, the team is also experiencing staffing shortages and anticipate increases in psychiatry hourly rates, both of which pose risks to timely access and service capacity without additional funding 
Due to the increase in need for a bilingual mental health workforce, MCBHP is actively working on strengthening academic partnerships to grow the behavioral health pipeline. Schools of social work place students with agencies for 1-year internships. These internships allow master of social work students to gain real-world experiences serving patients. Now, more than ever, we need a workforce interested and equipped at serving uninsured patients who face also face economic and cultural, and linguistic challenges when accessing care in traditional healthcare environments.

Specialty Care Improvement Focus Areas  

Project Access has experienced some recent changes, including the loss of two specialty providers in Oncology and Renal Care. While this affected access in the short term, it also created an opportunity to rethink how we engage with providers and strengthen collaboration moving forward. 

Recent surveys and interviews with specialists found that providers felt connected to our mission and 85% were satisfied or very satisfied participation in Project Access. Yet, they also shared that moving forward they would value greater connection with our PCC team managing specialty care. As a result, one priority in quarter two included developing more structured provider engagement plans to nurture strong partnerships with specialists. 

Our team also has spent a significant amount of time understanding how to improve care coordination and maximize timely care. To streamline workflows and boost efficiency, PCC is implementing a new case management system. There will also be a strong focus on ensuring primary care providers receive specialty care consult notes from specialists so they can follow up with their patients after they’ve been seen. Further details of the improvement project can be found in February’s Pulse, and key lessons learned from this project can be found in our recently released edition of Brainwaves. 

Efforts are also underway to expand the Specialty Care Network. We’ve identified high-need specialties and are prioritizing recruitment in Dermatology, Ear Nose and Throat, Hematology, and Oncology. Outreach is already in progress, marking an important step toward improving access and meeting patient needs. 

​As shown in the chart below, FY26 is showing stronger growth in unique patients compared to FY25, with the program reaching more people earlier in the year. By December, we provided 1,093 appointments, a nearly 25% more than last year, reflecting expanded access for patients utilizing Project Access services.  

Return On Investment 

Across the MCares services, we have seen a consistently strong Q2 return on investment (ROI) driven by prevention, care coordination, and leveraged partnerships. Primary care alone has turned an investment of $4,534,460 in 39,997 patient encounters into care valued at $9,999,250.  

Individual service areas offer additional examples of investment impact. The Medbank program delivered $2.4 million in no‑cost medications, easing financial strain and supporting chronic disease management for just over 1,100 active patients at a cost of $203,000. Similarly, Cancer Prevention efforts, such as free Cologuard kits negotiated with Exact Sciences, increased screening rates at a lower screening cost while avoiding higher downstream treatment costs. Together, these examples show how MCares turns strategic infrastructure investments into high-impact outcomes. 

​Overall, Q2 results show that MCares ROI is also reflected in real patient impact—more people accessing care earlier, navigating services more smoothly, and receiving support during a challenging time. These results reinforce MCares’ role as a reliable safety net for uninsured residents. 

PCC’s cancer prevention and detection program leverages multiple funding sources and partnerships to provide screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal  cancer. Among them is the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP), which provides direct screening for breast and cervical cancers through a combination of state and federal funding. Funds for BCCP come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Award – 93.898 Cancer Prevention and Control for State, Territorial, and Tribal Organizations and MDH Center for Cancer Prevention and Control. Although it is currently the most resourced program within PCC, BCCP operates at only two partner health centers, with participation fluctuating due to its administrative requirements.
 
Across cancer screening types and funders, there are persistent challenges. Many of them are structural: patients need more navigation support across a fragmented service landscape and social access barriers, Montgomery Cares mammogram eligibility has not kept pace with US Preventive Services Task Force screening guidelines, and funding is insufficient for the administrative and operational responsibilities across screening programs.
 
Even in the face of these challenges, PCC continues to make meaningful strides. The program team established a partnership with Exact Sciences to provide free Cologuard colon cancer screening tests and supported rollout across five partner health centers . This reduced barriers for Montgomery Cares patients and brought more than $120,000 in donated testing capacity to uninsured residents in just the first half of this year. A state audit commended strong PCC program performance in breast and cervical cancer screening services.
 
Better early detection is crucial amid a rising overall cancer burden among Montgomery Cares patients. Since 2021, the number of cancer care patients has more than doubled, from 114 to 264, and the number of hematology and oncology appointments required to support these patients has more than tripled. In FY25, PCC coordinated 450 cancer care appointments, up from 139 in 2021. Where possible, PCC leverages grants from the Maryland Cancer Fund, a program of the MDH Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, to support treatment costs. An additional 31 colonoscopies were coordinated for patients who could not be served by the State-funded Cancer Crusade program, which was temporarily closed to new patients. While absolute numbers remain modest, the impact of access to cancer care for each patient is substantial.
 
“A dedicated navigator would ensure timely treatment for all patients and  support patients moving from diagnosis to treatment,” explains Vela. “Currently this work is absorbed by the Project Access Clinical Lead, which takes time away from reviewing specialty care referrals for the broader Montgomery Cares population, slowing down access to specialty care for other patients.” 
 
Given these obstacles, PCC has identified priorities to strengthen the continuum of cancer care for uninsured resident, including securing funding for program management, expanding breast cancer screening eligibility to women ages 40–44, and establishing patient navigation as a core program service.
 
PCC’s cancer prevention and screening program remains a vital resource for uninsured and underserved communities. “Despite funding gaps, fragmented services, and systemic barriers, PCC remains committed to early detection, equitable access, and continuous improvement,” says President and CEO Annice Cody, “ensuring every patient has the opportunity for timely, lifesaving cancer care.”