Montgomery Cares (MCares) is one of PCCs legacy programs that has served residents since 2005. This program operates as a coordinated network that brings different primary care medical providers under one connected health care model. Today, MCares partners with 12 health center organizations and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, collectively serving nearly 25,000 adults annually.
Through Montgomery Cares, uninsured residents have access to a network of providers that include primary care, behavioral health services, specialty care, dental care, and medication.
We have completed reporting on the first half of this fiscal year, and we are excited to share program progress.
Montgomery Cares Behavioral Health Program Challenges & Opportunities
Our Montgomery Cares Behavioral Health Program (MCBHP) utilizes the evidence-based Collaborative Care Model across nine health centers in the county. Through closer collaboration with PCC’s population health team, our behavioral health program is strengthening linkages to disability and social services, improving post-discharge support for uninsured individuals.
Given heightened stress within the communities that our immigrant neighbors live and work in, our behavioral health team is also finding new avenues to support patient mental health. We are actively working to address increased anxiety and fear related to immigration status, reduced service utilization, and family strain resulting from detainments. These external pressures have significantly impacted patient mental health and engagement in care, and the program continues to explore innovative approaches to support affected residents. As shown in the graph below, our behavioral health team noted a trend where more unique patients are receiving behavioral health services this fiscal year compared to the same period in FY25.
Through Montgomery Cares, uninsured residents have access to a network of providers that include primary care, behavioral health services, specialty care, dental care, and medication.
We have completed reporting on the first half of this fiscal year, and we are excited to share program progress.
Montgomery Cares Behavioral Health Program Challenges & Opportunities
Our Montgomery Cares Behavioral Health Program (MCBHP) utilizes the evidence-based Collaborative Care Model across nine health centers in the county. Through closer collaboration with PCC’s population health team, our behavioral health program is strengthening linkages to disability and social services, improving post-discharge support for uninsured individuals.
Given heightened stress within the communities that our immigrant neighbors live and work in, our behavioral health team is also finding new avenues to support patient mental health. We are actively working to address increased anxiety and fear related to immigration status, reduced service utilization, and family strain resulting from detainments. These external pressures have significantly impacted patient mental health and engagement in care, and the program continues to explore innovative approaches to support affected residents. As shown in the graph below, our behavioral health team noted a trend where more unique patients are receiving behavioral health services this fiscal year compared to the same period in FY25.
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.
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.
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.
This article has not been reviewed or approved by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.
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