In an effort to understand and quantify homelessness in the County, the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services (PGCDSS), in collaboration with the County’s Continuum of Care partners and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, conducted a one-day Point-In-Time (PIT) count to survey sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness across the Washington metropolitan area. The PIT count took place on January 23, 2019.
The annual PIT count is a one day snapshot that captures the characteristics and situations of people living in Prince George’s County without a home. It helps the County’s Continuum of Care system determine the extent of homelessness in the County and to:
- Identify and immediately assist unsheltered residents found living on the street during the day of the count;
- Effectively plan and make necessary adjustments to the homeless system of care based on the ever-changing needs of persons experiencing homelessness;
- Evaluate progress toward the goals outlined in the County’s Ten Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness;
- Meet federal requirements for continued funding and document the need for new funding; and
- Prioritize new services based on the quantitative and qualitative data collected.
“The snapshot from the PIT count provides an important look at our homeless at one point in time; allowing the County to continuously monitor demographics and needs of those experiencing housing instability and to realign our programs and services to ensure that homelessness in this county is rare, brief and one-time only,” said Gloria Brown Burnett, Director of the PGCDSS.
Participants enrolled in the Housing Authority of Prince George’s County Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program can now receive home modifications for persons in the home with disabilities. The Modification Fund is available to address the needs of individuals with various disabilities, including but not limited to: individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, individuals who are blind or have limited vision, and individuals with psychiatric or mobility disabilities.
The Modification Fund is intended to assist HCV participant families with making modifications to meet the disability related needs of a family member. All modifications must have the landlord’s permission prior to any work being done to the rental unit. Modifications may include:
- Installation of Grab Bars
- Hand Held Shower
- Raised Toilet Seat
- Fire Alarm
- Stair Glide
- Motion Sensor
- Wheelchair Lift /Ramp
- Widened Doorway
- Curb Cut
- Tub Seat
For more information, call (301) 883-5576 or e-mail: dhcd-504@co.pg.md.us
On National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11, 2019, members of the Prince George’s County Human Trafficking Task Force met with Senator Ben Cardin and the Howard County Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council. The roundtable discussion with Senator Cardin focused on national human trafficking awareness, intervention and response initiatives. Those in attendance included Executive Director of the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission (PGCHRC) and Chair of the Prince George’s County Human Trafficking Task Force Renée Battle-Brooks, PGCHRC Investigator and Task Force Administrator V’Hesspa Glenn, Task Force committee chairs and representatives from county, state and community partners.
 Renee Battle-Brooks, Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission’s Executive Director (Chair of the Prince George’s County Human Trafficking Task Force) and Jackie Scott, Director of Howard County’s Department of Community Resources and Services
The Prince George’s County Health Department wants to ensure residents who are furloughed federal government employees and contractors know they may be eligible to participate in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) assistance program.
Individuals from families with adult members who are furloughed may be eligible based on income during the period of unemployment if the loss of income causes the current rate of family income to be within the income guidelines for program eligibility.
If you are a father, mother, grandparent, foster parent, or other legal guardian of a child under five years of age, you can apply for WIC for your child or for yourself if you are pregnant or postpartum. WIC benefits are not limited only to food. Participants have access to other resources, including health screenings, immunizations and referrals to health services including links to primary care, mental health, substance misuse/abuse providers and more.
We want to make sure furloughed Prince Georgians have as many financial safety nets as possible while they anxiously wonder when they will receive their next paycheck. Please know that while things may have grinded to a halt in Washington, we are continuing to fight and serve on your behalf.
For more information about WIC benefits, please visit www.mdwic.org or call 1-800-242-4942 to be connected to a local WIC office.
 Wet season percolation (PERC) testing for Prince George’s County began January 16, 2019. PERC testing is required for any property that is not going to be served by a public sewer and before any septic system or on-site sewage disposal system can be installed. If you plan to build on undeveloped property in Prince George's County and your property is unable to be served by a public sewer, you must apply to the Prince George's County Health Department to conduct PERC testing.
Application processing is handled on a first-come, first-served basis. In order for a percolation test to be conducted, an application and the associated $267.75 per lot fee (this includes the $255.00 application fee plus a $12.75 technology fee) must be submitted to the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement located at 9400 Peppercorn Place, Largo, MD, 20774 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
If you have previously applied for a percolation test, reapplication is not needed unless additional lots are being tested that were not included in the previous application. Percolation testing must be conducted in the presence of a Prince George’s County Health Department representative. Please note that obtaining a satisfactory percolation test is not the only requirement in the process of developing a piece of land. Other county zoning and building requirements must be met as well.
To obtain an application to perform PERC testing, please download the form Percolation Testing Application (PDF).
If you have questions or to schedule a percolation test, please contact the Prince George's County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health/Disease Control at 301-883-7681, weekdays between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For more information about PERC testing, visit the Health Department’s PERC webpage.
 The Health Department's Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program wants to remind everyone -- especially parents of younger children, those who are elderly or care for an elderly person, and those dependent on medication -- to be prepared to ensure your health and safety during winter snowstorms and frigid temperatures.
It's important to know the signs and symptoms of hypothermia, one of the serious health problems that can be caused by exposure during cold weather. We recommend residents without heat, or those in need of relief from the cold temperatures, utilize one of the county’s local warming centers. If a person’s body temperature drops below 95 degrees, immediately seek medical attention.
The signs and symptoms of hypothermia include:
- Pale and cold skin
- Uncontrollable shivering
- Confusion or sleepiness
- Poor control over body movements
- Shallow breathing
- Slowed speech
- Stiffness in the arms or legs
- Weak pulse
In the case of serious symptoms, contact the victim's doctor or call 911. In either case, until help arrives or the person is seen by a doctor, move the person to a warm room, warm the body with dry layers of blankets or clothing, and give warm beverages. Do not attempt to give beverages to an unconscious person. Remember, hypothermia should not be treated at home
 The Prince George's County Department of Environment (DoE) will hold a public informational meeting for County citizens and stakeholders to learn about the Draft Western Branch Restoration Plan on Monday, January 28, 2019 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. It will be held at the DoE office building, 1801 McCormick Drive, 1st Floor Conference Room, Largo, MD 20774. The key goal of this plan is to reduce the impact of stormwater pollution.
Public involvement is a key component of the implementation process. Under the County’s NPDES permit, the County is required to control pollutant discharges to the storm drain system using a multi-faceted approach. This includes developing and implementing a restoration plan that will serve as a blueprint to improve water quality and meet pollutant reduction goals called for in approved total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). At the meeting, DoE will explain the draft plan and describe on-the-ground practices and programmatic strategies that will need to be implemented to meet pollutant reduction goals.
The meeting will include a brief presentation and question-and-answer session. Residents in the Western Branch watershed are encouraged to attend. For additional information and updates, please visit the DoE’s Restoration Planning website at http://pgcdoe.net/pgcountyfactsheet/.
On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 21st, the Community of Hope AME Church under the leadership of Pastor Tony Lee (pictured facilitating the Townhall Meeting), in partnership with the Prince George’s County Office of Community Relations, held a Federal Government Furlough Townhall meeting to listen to and further assist residents impacted by the Federal Government Shutdown.
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 Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair, Rodney Streeter, Prince George’s County Council Member-at-Large, Calvin Hawkins were in attendance along with Acting Director of the Office of Community Relations, Euniesha Davis.
250 county residents were in attendance. Congressman Anthony Brown, Prince George’s County Council members Monique Walker, Rodney Streeter and Calvin Hawkins were in attendance, as well as School Board members Edward Burroughs and Paul Monteiro. State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy and Acting Director of the Office of Community Relations Euniesha Davis also joined the event to give their support. Agencies that were represented at the event included the Department of Social Services, WSSC and the State of Maryland DLLR. Radio station WPGC 95.5 FM was also there to lend their support. Local franchise Tropical Smoothie provided meals for all who attended.
The Prince George’s County Local Development Council (PGCLDC) has announced the release of the FY 2019 Local Impact Grant application. The Local Impact Grant Program is for non-profits that serve Prince George’s County in the defined impact area around MGM National Harbor.
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