Maryland Funds Youth Safety Program in Three Cities
Young people and families in Hagerstown, Salisbury and East Baltimore will see the program continue after its two-year pilot.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Child Care
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Maryland has invested an additional $500,000 in Safer Stronger Together, a cross-agency community safety initiative, following a two-year pilot in three communities. The funding will support Hagerstown, Salisbury and East Baltimore as the program continues, which matters for families in those areas and across the state.
Why it matters
The program brings state agencies and community partners together to coordinate services for families, a model aimed at keeping young people connected to support rather than to crisis services. The announcement comes as the state moves from a pilot phase to ongoing operation in the three communities.
The figures come from state-reported program counts across three sites rather than a controlled comparison study. They show how many young people were served and which services they used, but the reported data does not establish whether safety or academic outcomes changed relative to similar communities.
The players
Maryland Department of Human Services
The state agency that oversees family assistance, child welfare and social services, and is a partner in the Safer Stronger Together initiative.
Maryland Department of Juvenile Services
The state agency responsible for youth in the juvenile justice system, providing rehabilitation, supervision and prevention programs, and a partner in Safer Stronger Together.
Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
The state agency that manages prisons, parole and probation, and reentry programs, and a partner in the Safer Stronger Together initiative.
The details
Safer Stronger Together is a cross-agency initiative involving the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, and the Department of Juvenile Services. It uses family navigators to coordinate services for households, and local community action boards to direct public funding toward neighborhood safety priorities. Programs reported by the state include community mentoring, workforce and cloud certification coursework, after-school programming, and mediation of youth conflicts.
Timeline
A two-year pilot ran in three communities before the new funding was announced.
The additional $500,000 investment was announced on November 3, 2026.
Health Landscape
Community-based programs that combine mentoring, after-school activity and family-level service coordination are part of a broader state approach to youth wellbeing that treats violence prevention and child development together. Evidence on these multi-service models is still developing, and Maryland's pilot results are reported as service counts rather than long-term outcomes.
Families in Hagerstown, Salisbury and East Baltimore may find family navigators and youth programs available as the initiative continues after its pilot phase. Parents of school-age children may find it worth asking local community organizations or schools whether mentoring, after-school or workforce programs are open to their children.
The takeaway
Programs that link young people to mentors, after-school activity and family support may offer protective structure during childhood and adolescence. Families who want to know whether a local program is available can ask their child's school or community center for referrals.
Further reading
For more on how families in the state find support, see Child Care coverage on We are Healthy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Salisbury Daily Times.
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