We are dedicated to advancing wellness and achieving health equity for our communities. We strive to support our community’s needs by partnering with local organizations and delivering accessible, evidence-based education and wellness services. Racial justice and health equity serve as the guiding principles of our Community Health Needs Assessment approach, including the implementation of initiatives, partnerships, and methods of evaluation directed at tracking and addressing health disparities in our community.
Our efforts to facilitate community health improvement are centered on our community benefit service area of Southeast Baltimore County. This region was selected based on hospital utilization information, public health data, and our collaboration with the Baltimore County Southeast Area Network.
Community Health Outreach Request
Thank you for considering MedStar Health as your community partner. We truly value the work of community-based organizations to build healthier communities.
If you would like our Community Health team to visit your organization, click here for more information.
Population health
-
Chronic disease prevention and management
-
Behavioral health
-
Maternal and child health
Access to care and services
-
Mental health services
-
Substance use services
-
Social need resources and services
-
Access to health care professionals and affordable health care and insurance
-
Access to transportation
Social determinants of health
-
Employment
-
Housing and homelessness
-
Health disparities - racial discrimination
An implementation strategy is currently being developed to guide the hospital’s use of its resources and partnerships to address these priorities.
For information on previous years, please visit the links below:
2024 Community Health Needs Assessment
2021 Community Health Needs Assessment
2018 Community Health Needs Assessment
Read more:
2015 Community Needs Assessment
2013 Community Health Assessment for Southeast Baltimore County
2012 MedStar Community Health Needs Assessment
Report to the Community
We strive to offer the support our communities need by partnering with local organizations and by delivering the accessible, evidence-based education and wellness services described in our reports and on this page.
Contact us at 443-777-7482.
Children’s Community Health Services Grant Program
MedStar Franklin Square committed $1 million over five years to impact the identified needs with evidence-based services to benefit children. As part of that commitment, partnerships were
formed, and funds were awarded to various non-profit organizations.
Leadership team
Phyllis Gray, MS
Assistant Vice President, Care Transformation
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Lucas Carlson, MD
Medical Director, Care Transformation
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Wendy Zhang, DNP, FNP-BC, CCCTM
Regional Director, Community Health
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Kimberly Floyd MSN, RN, CCM
RN Regional Director, Care Transformation
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Samantha Sailsman, MS, CCHW
Regional Program Manager, Community Health
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Stanley Zheng, MHA
Regional Program Manager, Care Transformation
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Karen R. Polite-Lamma, MSN, RN, CTTS, NCTTP, MCHES®
RN Program Manager
Population and Community Health
MedStar Health, Baltimore Region
Birth and family education
Our birth and family education classes provide the information needed to help prepare you for labor, delivery, and parentings. Classes are taught by nurses who are certified childbirth educators and are available at various times to accommodate a busy schedule. Your growing family is very important to us and we want to help you feel prepared.
Learn more about OBTLC Birth and Family Education classes
Stop smoking today!
Are you ready to QUIT? Our FREE in-person (6-week) or virtual (4-week) Tobacco Cessation program is designed to provide highly motivated adults with practical counseling, support, and the encouragement needed to become tobacco-free. The program is facilitated by trained and experienced Tobacco Treatment Specialists. FREE medication (patch, gum, lozenge, or pill) may be available to participants. Let us help!
Registration is required. Call today! (855) 218-2435.
Diabetes prevention program
Are you at risk for prediabetes? Join our FREE 12-month lifestyle-change program (in-person or online) to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Let our Lifestyle Coaches help you learn to eat healthy, manage stress, stay motivated, become active, and solve problems that can get in the way of making healthy life changes. This program is designed for those 18 years old or older, overweight, at risk for developing type 2 diabetes or have been diagnosed with prediabetes.
Call (855) 218-2435 to register for the next available in-person or online class.
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center’s 340B Program
Congress created the 340B drug savings program to help those hospitals serving vulnerable communities expand access to prescription drugs and support essential services for their communities. The savings generated from the 340B drug discount program are used to help offer needed services to our community such as the ones described below.
Access to care for Vulnerable Populations
MedStar Health is committed to providing care to the communities we serve when they need it most. Hospitals provide pathways for financial assistance for individuals that are unable to afford their treatment services. MedStar Health also provides innovative approaches to support District of Columbia and Maryland health goals.
- Prescription assistance funding and assistance with accessing prescription medications for patients in need are available.
- Patient Financial Services provides financial assistance to uninsured patients who reside within the communities we serve by assisting with enrollment in publicly-funded entitlement programs, refer patients to state or federal insurance exchange navigator resources and assist with securing funding that may be available from other charitable organizations.
- Transportation in partnership with Uber, Medstar has created a convenient program with a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to travel to and from medical appointments and health education activities.
- Physicians in the Community MedStar Health invests in physicians, nurses, specialists and other clinical leaders to provide services in the communities we serve.
Health and Wellness
MedStar Health outreach teams offers classes, events and activities to support a healthy body, mind and spirit. We also recognize that at-risk, high -needs individuals living in our communities need access to peer outreach, chronic disease management, screenings and prevention education.
- Chronic Disease Prevention & Management Programs are offered throughout the year at low or no cost to the participants to influence education, self-management and promote a living healthy.
- Living Well Self-Management Programs offers evidence based six-week workshops for adults who have long lasting health problems with ideas to help them take charge of their health and live active and enjoyable lives. Family members and caregivers are also welcome.
- Diabetes Prevention Programs offers evidence-based year-long programs to help community members prevent diabetes through life balance and weight management.
- Smoking Cessation Programs are offered to provide community members a forum increase awareness and the intention to quit among smokers
- Cancer Screenings MedStar Health recognizes the importance of early detection for cancer and has programs available for those who may not be able to afford these lifesaving screenings on their own. Our community outreach teams focus on empowering the community with information and screenings for the most common types of cancer in the communities we serve.
- Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) a universal screening program for screening and identification of substance use disorder; with a goal of providing referrals for substance abuse treatment. Peer Recovery Coaches provide brief intervention and referrals to community support services and treatment centers.
- The Opioid Overdose Survivor’s Outreach Project (OSOP) a field based initiative, statistics show that those who survive an opioid overdose have a 60% mortality rate unless they are actively engaged in treatment. MedStar Health sends peer recovery coaches in the field to see recent overdose survivors and link them to treatment services, naloxone trainings and provide a consistent point of contact should someone wish to enter care.
- Support Groups MedStar Health offers many support groups for caregivers and the community to support each other and promote health, independence, and well-being.
Social Determinants of Health
MedStar Health invests in programs and partnerships that address the social needs of patients and community members.
- Community Health Workers provides advocates who work with patients to connect them to resources in the community, such as food pantries, paying for prescription medications and transportation assistance.
- Universal Social Needs Screenings MedStar Health’s social needs screening tool helps to identify the social issues that affect individuals health outcomes and facilitate sensitive conversations about nonmedical needs that maybe a barrier to good health.
- Food as Medicine Initiatives address food insecurity and contribute to reducing hunger and improving health through joint programmatic solutions in the communities served by MedStar Health.