In 2020, during the early months of the pandemic, it became evident that the Black community in Montgomery County, Maryland – already suffering from health disparities in chronic disease and mortality – was dying at a higher rate compared to their White counterparts. Data, when mapped by zip code, showed that chronic disease hotspots in areas where Blacks resided were the same areas that had higher rates of COVID infection and lower rates of testing.
In response to this disparate impact, advocates within the Black Diaspora began a remarkable drive for the creation of an emergency public health response to address the obvious need. By August of 2020, the Montgomery County Council approved a special appropriation to fund a targeted COVID response program and selected The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) to address the underlying conditions that were driving the COVID case and death rates within the County’s Black population. The initial plan included targeted testing, resource navigation, community education, outreach, food assistance, mental health supports, and eventually vaccination clinics and education efforts to increase vaccine uptake within the community. Although the initial plan was temporary, the resources were demonstrably needed, wildly popular, and instantly successful in shifting the trajectory of Black Health in the County.
Initial partnerships with local churches and community centers provided immediate intervention into an urgent health crisis in the Black community. It helped to build trust between healthcare providers and the population. As the pandemic progressed, the agenda need to broaden its scope in response to other prevalent health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, and mental health conditions, which disproportionately affect the Black community. By 2022 the program pivoted from a temporary COVID response to the Black Physicians & Healthcare Network (BPHN), a person centered and culturally specific, healthcare, education, and outreach response which fosters integrated wellness and optimal health in the Black community. This model was the first of its kind in our nation.
The BPHN is a one-stop health program, connecting Black residents with a diverse network of Black, culturally and linguistically specific healthcare, and community resource providers to obtain timely, high quality, inclusive and responsive care.
In 2024 alone, BPHN made a profound difference in the lives of almost eighty thousand Black residents. By combining cutting-edge programmatic approaches, the expertise of Black healthcare providers, and the collaborative efforts of cross-sector partnerships, BPHN delivers comprehensive, accessible, and culturally specific healthcare services tailored to meet the unique needs of Black communities today and beyond.
Montgomery County residents should contact BPHN via phone at 301-365-4480 ext. 181 or email at info@bphnetwork.org. Learn more at www.bphnetwork.org.
About The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF)
The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) empowers communities in the National Capital Region to take care of the less fortunate in their midst, transforming and improving their quality of life. Our programs provide comprehensive and tailored services that, while demonstrating cultural humility, help children, youth and families become confident and self-sufficient, leaving trauma and poverty behind.
We fight for the vulnerable and underserved…
Our objective is simple: Value and acknowledge every human being and the community that promotes and fosters their well-being.
For over a century, our organization has been dedicated to serving vulnerable children, youth, and families by providing access to programs and services that inspire their ability to thrive and give back.
NCCF’s expertise is our relationships that model resilience, in the children, youth, and families that we serve. This continues to impress and encourage us.
We carry out our mission in the National Capital Region, by utilizing a four-pronged approach, and a continuum of programs with the following foci:
- Community Based Services
- Adolescent and Youth Development
- Family Support and Housing Services
- Treatment Foster and Kinship Care & Adoption Services
Learn more at www.nccf-cares.org.