Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services
The mission of the Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services is to assist county residents to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency; provide services to strengthen individuals and families; and, join our community partners in the protection of vulnerable children and adults. The county provides co-located services and linkages to programs that assist low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs and achieve their maximum potential.
The Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services operates two Community Resource Centers (CRC) to provide low-income county residents with access to a range of programs and services. The CRCs are located in our Annapolis and Glen Burnie offices and provide One-Stop services to low-income county residents. The CRCs experience approximately 7,000 visits each month from county residents. The majority of these customers are applying for government benefits, including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and Medicaid. However, a significant number also come into the CRC to access services from one of our numerous partners who are co-located within the CRC. Partners who provide services on site include:
- Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation – AAWDC provides access to the Maryland Workforce Exchange and links job seekers with training opportunities and job vacancies. Primary Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services provided in the CRC focus on targeted populations including veterans, ex-offenders and low-skilled adults.
- The Literacy Council of Anne Arundel County – provides adult literacy services to county residents through volunteer tutors. Visitors to the CRC may meet with a Literacy coordinator who can assess the individual’s needs and match the person with an available literacy tutor.
- Health Choice – assists recipients of Medical Assistance to enroll in an approved Managed Care Organization to receive medical services.
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitative Services – assists county residents with disabilities by providing comprehensive assessments, access to training and employment supports.
- Anne Arundel Community Action Partnership – conducts outreach and provides information regarding Head Start services available to county residents. Head Start enrollment services are provided directly in the CRC. The Community Action Partnership is also the county’s provider of Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program services.
- Organization of Hispanic/Latin Americans of Anne Arundel County – provides information regarding health, employment, housing, immigration and legal services to Hispanic county residents.
- YWCA of Anne Arundel County – provides domestic violence counseling services and referrals.
- Family Support Center – provides holistic services on site to parents with children under three years of age. Services include GED and Adult Basic Education classes, After-School services and homework assistance, summer youth programs, support groups, Young Fathers and Responsible Parent Employment Network services for non-custodial parents, on-site child care services and case management services.
- Jobs Work! Arundel (JWA) – provides specialized workforce development services for families receiving TANF benefits. JWA enrolls TANF recipients and delivers Career Corner, a three-week job readiness workshop. Upon completion of Career Corner, TANF recipients then move into the Placement Phase where they are engaged in employment with jobs developed by JWA staff or into Work Experience Internships and/or training and education activities.
- Kinship Navigator Services –provides information, referral and limited case management services to Kinship Caregivers in the county. The Navigator also runs support groups on a regular basis for these Kinship Caregivers and coordinates with the county’s public schools Pupil Personnel Service and the county’s Department of Aging, among others.