The North Laurel-Savage Multiservice Center

The North Laurel-Savage Multiservice Center joins the resources of the Community Action Council of Howard County, MD, Inc. (CAC) with other agencies to provide one-stop human services for people in the North Laurel and Savage areas of Howard County. The partnership allows clients to access a comprehensive mix of services close to their homes and address multiple problems in one location.

The Multiservice Center offers the following services:

Community Action Council (CAC)- Provides programs and emergency services for low-income residents to alleviate the effects of poverty and promote self-sufficiency. Services include Eviction Prevention, First Month's Rent, Energy Assistance, Food Bank and Head Start.

Family & Children Services (FCS) - Provides case management services, counseling for individuals, couples and families. Family & Children Services also offers in-home assistance for the elderly or adults with disabilities on a sliding scale fee.

Domestic Violence Center (DVC) - Provides services to families impacted by domestic violence: 24-hour hotline, emergency and transitional shelter, legal assistance counseling, education and outreach.

Foreign Born Information and Referral Network (FIRN) - Provides services to immigrants as they bridge into the American culture. Services include immigration counseling, interpreters, consumer counseling, adult and student literacy, job counseling and crisis counseling. FIRN is an accredited immigration agency.

Howard County Department of Social Services (DSS) - Services promote family stability, employment, self-sufficiency, and a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults. At the Multiservice Center, DSS provides assistance to low-income families through the Temporary Cash Assistance grant (assistance grants for families without income), Food Stamp (asssistance in purchasing food) and Medical Assistance (assistance in paying cost of health care).

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Inc. - Provides crisis intervention for families and individuals. Most services are follow-up services to families who made contact with Grassroots through the 24-Hour Crisis Hotline, Mobile Crisis Team or backup counseling services for mental health agencies.

Legal Aid Bureau - Provides free legal services to low-income persons. Accepts cases in the area of family/domestic, housing, income maintenance (public benefits) and elder law and consumer/finance. Also provides specialized representation to vulnerable populations such as senior citizens, immigrant workers, nursing homes and assisted living residents.

Howard County Workforce Development - Provides access to job databases for Howard County and the surrounding area. The agency assists with job searches, creating resumes and accessing the Columbia Workforce Center.

Women, Infant & Children's Program (WIC)- This federally funded education nutrition program helps families buy healthy supplemental foods at local grocery stores with WIC checks. It provides services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children under the age of five.

Parents as Teachers Program (PAT) provides developmental screenings for children ages 0 to 5 and information concerning basic parenting skills, child development, and age-appropriate school readiness activities.

The North Laurel-Savage Multiservice Center partners with the Howard County Circuit Court as the host site for the Supervised Visitation and Monitored Exchange program between parents and children living in the Howard County area.