{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-cardin-announce-key-committee-passage-of-over-25-million-for-maryland-health-care-education-and-workforce-training-projects", "Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Key Committee Passage of Over $25 Million for Maryland Health Care, Education, and Workforce Training Projects", "2024-08-09", "2024", "2024-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "MD", "Chris Van Hollen", "V000128", "www.vanhollen.senate.gov", "vanhollen", "https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee (both D-Md.), announced the inclusion of $25,572,000 in key Senate Committee legislation providing direct federal funding for community-led projects throughout Maryland. These community projects, funded at the Senators\u2019 request, are within the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies\u2019 (LHHS) proposed funding legislation for fiscal year 2025. The projects seek to expand access to health care, education, and job opportunities across Maryland, with a focus on underserved communities. This subcommittee legislation, released as part of the annual Congressional Appropriations process and approved August 1 in a bipartisan vote by the full Senate Appropriations Committee, will proceed to consideration before the full Senate. Funding is not finalized until the Appropriations bills are passed by the full Senate, reconciled with the House of Representatives, and signed by the President.\n\n\u201cWhen we invest federal dollars in our communities, we\u2019re able provide greater opportunity to Maryland students, families, job-seekers, and more. These funds will empower our partners across the state to better serve Marylanders \u2013 providing everything from youth after-school programs and educational opportunities to job training to medical and behavioral health care. Within this bill, we\u2019ve also boosted investment in Maryland-based institutions that serve millions of Americans like the Social Security Administration, National Institutes of Health, and our HBCUs, which in turn continue to drive jobs and opportunity in our state. We\u2019ll keep working to deliver these investments to build an even stronger Maryland for all,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cCommunities thrive when they have access to great health care, education and economic opportunities. This bill will invest federal funds to address critical needs across our state, including early childhood education, substance use disorder treatment, apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities, and so much more. This federal funding represents Team Maryland\u2019s ongoing commitment to investing in community-led programs that bring greater resources to every corner of the state and improve the quality of life for all Marylanders,\u201d said Senator Cardin.\n\nThese projects were included in the Senate Appropriations LHHS FY2025 funding legislation.\n\nProject Name: Academic Success for Transfer Students\n\nApplicant: Salisbury University\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to provide supportive services and counseling to students transferring from community colleges to pursue their 4-year degree at Salisbury University in order to better facilitate the students\u2019 transition.\n\nProject Location: Wicomico County\n\nAmount Included: $65,000\n\nProject Name: Anne Arundel County Food Bank Refrigerated Vehicle\n\nApplicant: Anne Arundel County Food Bank\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to strengthen food and nutrition security in the community by facilitating food donation pick-ups, safe and efficient transport, and expanded service capacity across the county for low-income families.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County\n\nAmount Included: $173,000\n\nProject Name: Apprentice Maryland Expansion\n\nApplicant: The Patuxent Partnership\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand the Apprentice Maryland Program in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary's Counties and meet the demand for a robust STEM/skilled trades pipeline at local sites, including the Naval Surface Warfare Center.\n\nProject Location: Calvert County, Charles County, St. Mary's County\n\nAmount Included: $575,000\n\nProject Name: BACH Adult Apprenticeship Program\n\nApplicant: Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to launch an adult apprenticeship program for adults with a high school diploma or GED that are in underserved Baltimore communities and interested in health care. Participants will receive job training at partner hospitals, health facilities, and long-term care institutions.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $579,000\n\nProject Name: Ballet After Dark Comprehensive Fellowship for Girls & Youth\n\nApplicant: Ballet After Dark, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for a comprehensive program for girls and young women focused on wellness, health education, mentorship, and leadership training.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County\n\nAmount Included: $1,071,000\n\nProject Name: Baltimore City College Persistence Program for Single Moms with Young Children\n\nApplicant: Jeremiah Program\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand student support for single mothers pursuing a college degree or advanced post-secondary education while raising young children.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $139,000\n\nProject Name: Baltimore Urban Leadership Foundation - Serving the East Baltimore Community\n\nApplicant: Baltimore Urban Leadership Foundation, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand access to wraparound services, including direct employment placement and application assistance, wellness programming, counseling, and other youth-focused programs to address violence, trauma, and academic performance.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $50,000\n\nProject Name: Bellevue Passage STEAM Labs\n\nApplicant: Mid-Shore Community Foundation - Bellevue Passage Museum\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to develop labs to increase access to high-quality, year-round STEAM education with hands-on learning opportunities and exposure to diverse careers.\n\nProject Location: Talbot County\n\nAmount Included: $90,000\n\nProject Name: Building Bridges\n\nApplicant: 2nd Lt. Richard W. Collins III Foundation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for collaborative programming between West Point and Bowie State University ROTC cadets, students, and faculty to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion with education opportunities including cooperative research, coursework, internships, and more.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $50,000\n\nProject Name: Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation STEM Center Statewide Initiative\n\nApplicant: Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to equip 27 centers in schools across six counties in Maryland to expand the STEM skills of students and prepare them for careers in these fields.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Calvert County, Queen Anne's County, St. Mary's County, Washington County\n\nAmount Included: $1,000,000\n\nProject Name: CASA Technical Institute - Green Workforce & Vocational Training\n\nApplicant: CASA, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to establish the CASA Technical Institute, offering vocational training to prepare underserved workers for jobs in the growing clean energy economy.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $1,000,000\n\nProject Name: CCYSB Building Expansion Project\n\nApplicant: Carroll County Youth Service Bureau\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand mental and behavioral health and substance use disorder services provided at the Carroll County Youth Service Bureau to meet the community\u2019s growing needs.\n\nProject Location: Carroll County\n\nAmount Included: $1,000,000\n\nProject Name: Character Development and Social/Emotional Learning Programs for Baltimore Students\n\nApplicant: Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for an educational program that will serve 800 students in Baltimore with social-emotional learning through outdoor experiences.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $40,000\n\nProject Name: Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School: Serving Baltimore City Youth\n\nApplicant: Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to provide experiential outdoor learning opportunities for high-need youth across six Baltimore City schools.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $250,000\n\nProject Name: The Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health: Expanding Capacity to Serve Young Patients, Supporting NIH Pediatric Research\n\nApplicant: The Children's Inn at NIH\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to construct a community kitchen as well as a dining and lounge area in a new residential wing for young patients from underserved communities who are participating in clinical research studies on rare diseases at the NIH Clinical Center.\n\nProject Location: Montgomery County\n\nAmount Included: $1,155,000\n\nProject Name: Community Mobile Health Clinic\n\nApplicant: Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will support the expansion of the Community Mobile Health Clinic to provide high-quality primary care and case management services to individuals and families in West and Southwest Baltimore City.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $212,000\n\nProject Name: Cradle to Career Pipeline\n\nApplicant: Ministers Conference Empowerment Center CDC, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: The requested funds will support the implementation of tech centers instituted by the Ministers' Conference Empowerment Center CDC, Inc. in communities across Baltimore City.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $600,000\n\nProject Name: Culinary Program Training and Support\n\nApplicant: End Hunger in Calvert County\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand the Culinary Program in Southern Maryland with work-based learning opportunities, job placement, coaching, and support services for students and individuals with disabilities.\n\nProject Location: Calvert County\n\nAmount Included: $275,000\n\nProject Name: D.C. Regional Early Learning Center\n\nApplicant: D.C. Regional Early Learning Center\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to equip the D.C. Regional Early Learning Center with improved technology and classroom resources, including smart boards, software, and associated teacher training.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $100,000\n\nProject Name: Douglass Scholars Summer Institute for College Application Assistance\n\nApplicant: University of Maryland\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for a two-week program designed to provide Prince George\u2019s County and Baltimore City high school students the support they need to apply to and be successful in college and gain early career counseling.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $225,000\n\nProject Name: Empowering Families to Thrive & Promoting the Healthy Development and Wellbeing of At-Risk Children, Youth, Homeless, Low-Income Families and Seniors\n\nApplicant: EP International Ministries, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to better address food insecurity by increasing mobile access to healthy meals and services for at-risk youth, low-income families, and seniors living alone in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $97,000\n\nProject Name: Engaging Baltimore City Students in Conservation\n\nApplicant: The National Aquarium\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to support formal and informal education programs for K-12 students in Baltimore City that promote conservation and expand students\u2019 understanding of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $215,000\n\nProject Name: Enhancing CDL Training at Cecil College\n\nApplicant: Cecil College\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to purchase a commercial truck driving simulator for the truck driver training program, which will provide a realistic, risk-free environment to hone commercial driving skills and navigate weather and traffic conditions while training for an in-demand career.\n\nProject Location: Cecil County\n\nAmount Included: $109,000\n\nProject Name: Expand Art and Design College Accelerator Program in Baltimore City\n\nApplicant: Maryland Institute College of Art\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand MICA's Arts and Design College Accelerator Program that helps build college pathways for Baltimore City students through targeted, integrated, and comprehensive art and design education.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $400,000\n\nProject Name: Expanding Access to Mental Health and Victim Support Services\n\nApplicant: For All Seasons, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand access to comprehensive behavioral and mental health care and victim support services, particularly for low-income, rural, and underserved Maryland communities.\n\nProject Location: Caroline County, Dorchester County, Kent County, Queen Anne's County, Talbot County\n\nAmount Included: $1,000,000\n\nProject Name: Expanding Literacy Equity Among Youth\n\nApplicant: Reading Partners\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand the Reading Partners literacy tutoring program to help more students in underserved areas of Baltimore City and Baltimore County enhance their reading proficiency.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City and Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $800,000\n\nProject Name: Expansion of the Youth Climate Institute (YCI)\n\nApplicant: Howard County Conservancy\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for a climate leadership program for high school students seeking to expand its reach in Maryland. This extracurricular, chapter based program certifies and empowers youth to become effective environmental stewards, pursue related jobs, and combat the climate crisis.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $50,000\n\nProject Name: Family Connects Maryland\n\nApplicant: The Family Tree\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand the reach of The Family Connects Maryland Home Visiting Program, which provides educational and support services to new parents and their newborns, including screenings, comprehensive assessments of the family's needs, and referral services.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $300,000\n\nProject Name: Global Refuge - Economic Empowerment\n\nApplicant: Global Refuge\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand this economic empowerment program in Maryland offering career counseling, support services, and workforce integration for refugees and immigrants. The funds will help newcomers obtain skills and credentials that will benefit the local workforce.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $300,000\n\nProject Name: Harford Community College Regional Workforce Center\n\nApplicant: Harford Community College\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to acquire equipment and technology for Harford Community College's Regional Workforce Center. This Center will provide training for in-demand industries in Northeast Maryland like automotive servicing, advanced manufacturing, data science, construction, and welding, among others.\n\nProject Location: Cecil County, Harford County\n\nAmount Included: $329,000\n\nProject Name: Health Care Communities of Practice, Talent Pipelines\n\nApplicant: Health Tech Alley\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to accelerate apprenticeship programs in Southern Maryland and on the Eastern Shore to address workforce shortages in the health care sector.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $300,000\n\nProject Name: Historic Trades Apprenticeship Expansion\n\nApplicant: Preservation Maryland\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand training opportunities in historic restoration trades with a new Registered Apprenticeship Program designed to improve the efficacy and long-term sustainability of new apprenticeships.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $970,000\n\nProject Name: HIV Patient Support\n\nApplicant: Three Lower Counties Community Services, Inc. D/b/a Chesapeake Health Care\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for the renovation of a Salisbury medical facility that will treat the vast majority of HIV patients in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties, including patients with high risk factors.\n\nProject Location: Wicomico County, Worcester County\n\nAmount Included: $90,000\n\nProject Name: Hon's Honey Workforce Development\n\nApplicant: Drink at the Well, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to employ and train at-risk individuals and provide wraparound services, including child care, case management, and counseling to ensure the success of these recovering women.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $190,000\n\nProject Name: Hyattsville Enhancing Aging and Wellness Initiative\n\nApplicant: City of Hyattsville\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to strengthen older residents' resiliency, social inclusion, and independence by providing a range of class series on caregiver support, creative art, multigenerational mural and quilting, and digital literacy.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $106,000\n\nProject Name: Increasing College Access and Affordability for Low-Income Students in Maryland via School Support\n\nApplicant: Collegiate Directions, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to hire and train staff, expand services to five additional high schools, and help low-income students and their families navigate complex college admissions and financial aid to further close the opportunity gap.\n\nProject Location: Montgomery County\n\nAmount Included: $65,000\n\nProject Name: Indian Head School Based Health Center\n\nApplicant: Charles County Department of Health\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to support the school-based health center in increasing access to urgent and preventive care services including well child visits, immunizations, nutrition, and physical activity counseling during school hours.\n\nProject Location: Charles County\n\nAmount Included: $36,000\n\nProject Name: JEWELS Community Therapy Clinic\n\nApplicant: Jewels School, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for an accessible pediatric therapy clinic for children with special needs and their families in the Baltimore community.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $350,000\n\nProject Name: Job Readiness for Adults with Autism and Wellness for Underserved Populations\n\nApplicant: Madison House Autism Foundation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand successful job training programs for adults with autism or intellectual/developmental disabilities, and expand wellness programs for the under-resourced community by partnering with organizations that serve vulnerable populations.\n\nProject Location: Montgomery County\n\nAmount Included: $650,000\n\nProject Name: Joshua Homes CDC Harambee House\n\nApplicant: Joshua Homes Community Development Corporation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to establish Harambee House, aiding West Baltimore's underserved with housing counseling and financial coaching to bridge the racial wealth gap for community empowerment.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $513,000\n\nProject Name: Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center Mentoring & Art Therapy Program\n\nApplicant: Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to provide after-school therapeutic mentoring and art therapy services for 200 students in Prince George's County.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $50,000\n\nProject Name: Life Skills Learning Center\n\nApplicant: The Arc of Southern Maryland\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to build out the Arc of Southern Maryland's Life Skills Learning Center to better serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the community. The Center will include a tech lab, a teaching kitchen, and commercial laundry facility.\n\nProject Location: Calvert County\n\nAmount Included: $239,000\n\nProject Name: Lifeline Equine Therapy Services Program Expansion\n\nApplicant: Lifeline Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc., Lifeline Equine Therapy Services (LETS)\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for the expansion of LETS to provide trauma-informed mental health services for veterans, service members, and their families to aid in the prevention of veteran suicide.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $88,000\n\nProject Name: Living Classrooms Mobile Ascend Through Music Program\n\nApplicant: Living Classrooms Foundation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to support operations and purchase equipment for the mobile music lab bus serving under-resourced Baltimore City youth in Baltimore City.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $575,000\n\nProject Name: Maryland Water and Wastewater Training Program Partnership\n\nApplicant: College of Southern Maryland\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to create an employment pipeline in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector through training and hands-on experience at treatment plants across Maryland, addressing projected future workforce needs in the industry.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $732,000\n\nProject Name: Melwood Youth Enrichment Services (YES) Program\n\nApplicant: Melwood Horticultural Training Center, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to provide experiential career exploration opportunities to students from underserved communities and to double the number of students served in the after-school program.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $250,000\n\nProject Name: Meritus Health Hancock Health Care Services\n\nApplicant: Meritus Healthcare Foundation\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand medical services in one of the most rural and underserved parts of Maryland where residents face issues with access to care. [153]\n\nProject Location: Allegany County, Washington County\n\nAmount Included: $215,000\n\nProject Name: Mt. Vernon Center Medical Build Out\n\nApplicant: Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand Chase Brexton's capacity to provide comprehensive primary care services, particularly for underserved communities in Baltimore City.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $944,000\n\nProject Name: Music Education and Enrichment Program for Baltimore Youth\n\nApplicant: Life Through Music\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to purchase instruments, music stands, and music theory and method books to expand access to music education.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $50,000\n\nProject Name: New Ambulance Chassis for Smithsburg EMS Station 79\n\nApplicant: Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to purchase a new ambulance chassis and refurbish an existing ambulance to help support the critical work of Smithsburg EMS Station 79, serving more than five thousand households across 70 miles of rural Western Maryland.\n\nProject Location: Frederick County, Washington County\n\nAmount Included: $250,000\n\nProject Name: Pathways to Economic Prosperity for All in Montgomery County\n\nApplicant: CollegeTracks\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will support CollegeTracks' programming in support of postsecondary admissions advising and degree completion for first-generation and low-income students in Montgomery County.\n\nProject Location: Montgomery County\n\nAmount Included: $300,000\n\nProject Name: Piscataway Indigenous Culturally Responsive Environmental Education Program\n\nApplicant: Accokeek Foundation, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will used to provide an environmental literacy curriculum that includes Piscataway culture and history for students and classroom support for educators in Charles County and Prince George's County Public Schools.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $425,000\n\nProject Name: PIVOT Women's Reentry & Workforce Development Program\n\nApplicant: PIVOT, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to close the investment gap in workforce and reentry services for hundreds of formerly incarcerated women to increase employment opportunities and reduce recidivism.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $350,000\n\nProject Name: Pre-apprenticeship Pathways Model\n\nApplicant: Prince George's Community College\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to develop learning labs and auto repair bays to offer customized workforce training and pre-apprentice pathways for low-income, unemployed, and underemployed residents in trades such as construction, utilities, sustainable energy, and automotive.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $619,000\n\nProject Name: Prince George's County Pediatric Mobile Medical Unit\n\nApplicant: Children's National Medical Center\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand the Children's National Mobile Medical Program to provide comprehensive primary care services for children and adolescents in Prince George's County.\n\nProject Location: Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $600,000\n\nProject Name: Project Restart SUD Treatment Expansion\n\nApplicant: Not My Child, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand services in educational and vocational training for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.\n\nProject Location: Queen Anne\u2019s County\n\nAmount Included: $200,000\n\nProject Name: Seismic Quake Lab\n\nApplicant: SciTech2U, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to purchase equipment for and support the operation of Maryland's first quake lab to provide K-12 students with opportunities to learn about seismology, geology, and structural engineering.\n\nProject Location: Montgomery County, Prince George's County\n\nAmount Included: $159,000\n\nProject Name: SquashWise Center: A Youth and Community Center\n\nApplicant: Baltimore SquashWise, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to support school and community squash programs through field trips and physical education clinics, events, and tournaments at the Center to increase opportunities for physical activity for Baltimore City residents.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $200,000\n\nProject Name: St. Mary's College of Maryland Community Lab Space\n\nApplicant: St. Mary's College of Maryland\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to acquire and equip an on-site computer lab and meeting space for students and community members.\n\nProject Location: St. Mary's County\n\nAmount Included: $114,000\n\nProject Name: St. Michaels Community Center - Enriching Lives\n\nApplicant: St. Michael\u2019s Community Center\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for the Culinary and Hospitality Workforce Development Program, which provides culinary and professional skills training, hands-on experience, and wraparound services to prepare participants for careers in hospitality.\n\nProject Location: Talbot County\n\nAmount Included: $104,000\n\nProject Name: Statewide Pre-K Enrollment System\n\nApplicant: Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to create a statewide, centralized, and user-friendly Pre-K enrollment system so families can enroll their child in the program that best meets their child's needs. This will reduce the administrative burden for local education agencies and early care and education providers.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $500,000\n\nProject Name: Supporting First Generation Student Success at Goucher College\n\nApplicant: Goucher College\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for the expansion of Goucher College's LAUNCH program, which provides wraparound support services for first-generation and low-income students to ensure their timely completion of degrees and ability to join the local workforce.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $200,000\n\nProject Name: The Trust Center for Academic & Social Leadership\n\nApplicant: Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Scholarship Trust\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used for educational programming for at-risk students in the Annapolis Gardens\u2019 community, furthering their academic and personal growth with the goal of increasing their school retention and graduation rates.\n\nProject Location: Anne Arundel County\n\nAmount Included: $200,000\n\nProject Name: Tuerk House at Exeter Street Baltimore East Side Expansion\n\nApplicant: Tuerk House, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand a comprehensive behavioral health facility in East Baltimore that will increase access to substance use disorder treatment and recovery services.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City\n\nAmount Included: $500,000\n\nProject Name: Vehicles for Change Training Programs\n\nApplicant: Vehicles for Change, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to expand automotive training centers in Salisbury and Hyattsville, MD, by outfitting the facilities with tools and equipment, providing workforce development with a focus on returning citizens, and providing refurbished vehicles to low-income families.\n\nProject Location: Statewide\n\nAmount Included: $667,000\n\nProject Name: Voices of Hope Men's Recovery House\n\nApplicant: Voices of Hope, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to renovate and repair one of the Voices of Hope recovery houses, which provides rehabilitation services for individuals on the path to recovery from substance abuse.\n\nProject Location: Cecil County\n\nAmount Included: $107,000\n\nProject Name: Western Maryland Mobile STEM Laboratory Program\n\nApplicant: Learning Undefeated, Inc.\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to bring Learning Undefeated's mobile STEM lab and STEM pathway programming to schools across Western Maryland, preparing more than 15,000 students for STEM careers.\n\nProject Location: Allegany County, Carroll County, Frederick County, Garrett County, Washington County\n\nAmount Included: $500,000\n\nProject Name: Wide Angle Youth Media Creative Pre-Apprenticeship Pilot\n\nApplicant: Wide Angle Youth Media\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to launch a pre-apprenticeship program for media and production careers, providing students with hands-on work experience to develop foundational and technical skills and prepare them for future apprenticeships and employment.\n\nProject Location: Baltimore City, Baltimore County\n\nAmount Included: $649,000\n\nProject Name: Worcester County Dental Center Equipment and Service Expansion\n\nApplicant: Worcester County Health Department\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to improve and expand access to quality oral health care, particularly for underserved children and young adults under the age of 21.\n\nProject Location: Worcester County\n\nAmount Included: $52,000\n\nProject Name: Wor-Wic Community College Culinary Arts Laboratory Upgrade\n\nApplicant: Wor-Wic Community College\n\nProject Purpose: Funds will be used to purchase new equipment for the culinary arts program at Wor-Wic Community College in support of the Eastern Shore's growing hospitality industry.\n\nProject Location: Somerset County, Wicomico County, Worcester County\n\nAmount Included: $214,000\n\nAdditional priorities secured by the Senators in the FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill include:\n\nSocial Security Administration (SSA), headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland\n\nThe bill includes $14.7 billion for SSA\u2019s administrative expenses, an increase of $509 million over FY24. These resources will help SSA address service delivery challenges and improve services for Americans across the country \u2013 from filing for benefits to getting a replacement Social Security card to calling with questions about benefits. Millions of Americans rely on Social Security, have earned benefits through a lifetime of work, and deserve access to timely services. Addressing backlogs in key workloads and wait times will require sustained increases to allow SSA to increase and maintain staffing and make needed IT improvements \u2013 and the new investments this bill delivers are a critical down payment to improve service delivery at SSA.\n\nDepartment of Health and Human Services\n\nThe bill provides $122.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services.\n\nChild Care and Early Learning Programs: The bill provides a $2.3 billion increase for early learning programs within HHS over FY24. It also provides:\n\n$10.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) \u2013 a $1.6 billion or 18 percent increase over FY24 \u2013 which will help more families across the country find and afford the child care they need.\n\n$13 billion for Head Start, a $700 million increase over FY24, which will support Head Start teachers and staff as local programs face ongoing staffing challenges.\n\nSustained annual increases to our federal investments in child care and Head Start are critical in tackling the child care crisis holding back families, businesses, and our economy.\n\nBiomedical Research: The bill provides $50.2 billion in base discretionary funding for the Bethesda, Maryland-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) \u2013 an increase of $2.1 billion over FY24. In addition, it includes $127 million in Cures Act authorized funding for a total of $50.4 billion for NIH to propel life-saving and life-changing cures and treatments across NIH\u2019s 27 institutes and centers and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The bill sustains $1.5 billion for ARPA-H.\n\nThe bill provides targeted increases in areas of promise for scientific advancement and urgency, including a $275 million increase for mental health research focused on developing targeted prevention of and treatment for mental illness; a $275 million increase for Alzheimer\u2019s disease research; a $266 million increase for cancer research; a $50 million increase for diabetes research; and a $20 million increase for the IMPROVE Initiative to combat the alarming rates of maternal mortality.\n\nThe bill also includes $50 million for the continued implementation of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act and encourages the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to continue prioritization of additional research and development of cocaine overdose treatments.\n\nHome Heating and Cooling Assistance: The bill includes $4.125 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a $100 million increase over FY24, to help low-income households heat and cool their homes.\n\nAddressing Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health: The bill includes new investments to address the rising toll of opioid overdoses fueled by fentanyl, improve access to substance use disorder prevention and treatment, and improve access to mental health services.\n\nThe bill includes a combined increase of $215 million for substance use and mental health programs at SAMHSA and HRSA. This includes:\n\n$2 billion, a $40 million increase over FY24, for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant\n\n$1.6 billion for State Opioid Response grants, a $25 million increase over FY24 and\n\n$155 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, a $10 million increase over FY24.\n\nIt protects and builds on key investments in mental health programs and includes:\n\n$1 billion for the Mental Health Block Grant, a $35 million increase over FY24\n\nA $25 million increase for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program to support training and strengthen the mental health workforce through repayment of education loans for those working in either a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area or where the overdose death rate exceeds the national average\n\nA $20 million increase over FY24 for the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, building on the $18 million increase secured in FY24\n\n$400 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, a $15 million increase over FY24\n\n$30 million for Mental Health Crisis Response Grants, a $10 million increase over FY24\n\nEssential Health Care Programs: The bill improves health care access and affordability and strengthens the health care workforce by maintaining investments in core programs, including:\n\n$1.86 billion for Community Health Centers\n\n$1.4 billion for Health Professions Workforce Development, including $18 million to support Public Health and Preventive Medicine\n\n$2.6 billion for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program\n\nA $70 million increase to help better meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid\u2019s (CMS) administrative needs, which includes nursing home inspections and surveys\n\nA $21.3 million increase in rural health programs to boost recruitment of health care providers to practice in rural areas and support rural hospitals\n\nA $10 million increase to promote cybersecurity efforts across HHS.\n\nPublic Health: The bill sustains essential funding and makes new investments to address public health threats and support key public health programs across the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which includes:\n\n$246.5 million to support efforts to reduce tobacco use\n\n$776.3 million for injury prevention and control, including $12.5 million for firearm injury and mortality prevention research and $8.5 million to support traumatic brain injury and concussion surveillance\n\n$195 million for data modernization, a $20 million increase over FY24\n\n$425 million, a $15 million increase over FY24, for cancer prevention and control activities\n\n$365 million to support public health infrastructure and capacity, a $15 million increase over FY24\n\nThe bill includes $613 million for the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, which House Republicans eliminated in their bill. This program provides high-need jurisdictions with prevention and treatment services for people at high risk for HIV transmission. This includes $220 million within the CDC\u2019s Domestic HIV/AIDS Prevention and Research programs to develop and deploy innovative data management solutions, increase access to PrEP, and better detect and respond to HIV clusters.\n\nWomen\u2019s Health: The bill sustains funding for reproductive health programs, including Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, which House Republicans have eliminated in their bill. The bill also increases investments in maternal health across CDC, HRSA, and NIH with a $34 million increase for programs that aim to address maternal mental health, prevent pregnancy-related deaths, and support best practices to improve maternal health outcomes. Additionally, the bill provides a $76 million increase for NIH\u2019s Office of Research on Women\u2019s Health and creates a new Menopause Research to Action initiative within AHRQ to translate research best practices into clinical practice for women.\n\nPandemic Preparedness and Biodefense: The bill includes $3.827 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an increase of $200 million FY24. This includes:\n\nA $55 million increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)\n\nA $10 million increase for Bioshield\n\nA $30 million increase for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)\n\nA $70 million increase for Industrial Base Management and Supply Chain (IBMSC) activities to help ensure that critical resources in the public health supply chain \u2013including raw materials, medical countermeasures, and ancillary supplies \u2013 are manufactured in the United States.\n\nDepartment of Education\n\nThe bill provides $80 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education.\n\nElementary and Secondary Education: The bill strengthens investments in foundational formula grant programs for elementary and secondary education and in public schools, teachers, and students.\n\nTitle I-A grants are boosted by $280 million over FY24, to $18.687 billion, for the more than 80 percent of school districts that receive these funds, and the primary IDEA Special Education State grant program is increased by $295 million, to $14.509 billion. Senator Van Hollen continues to champion full funding for these programs through the Keep Our Promise to America\u2019s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act and the IDEA Full Funding Act.\n\nFunding is protected at $150 million for the Full-Service Community Schools program. Senator Van Hollen co-leads the Full-Service Community School Expansion Act, which seeks to assist schools and districts with planning, implementing, and expanding the community school model. There are more than 450 community schools serving students across 22 of Maryland\u2019s school districts.\n\nThe bill also continues current investments across a range of programs intended to improve teaching and learning in elementary and secondary schools, maintaining significant investments included in the last two fiscal years. This includes $20 million for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers program, which strengthens the relationship between parents and their children\u2019s schools and engages families in students\u2019 education.\n\nAdditionally, it includes approximately $190 million to address the shortage of school-based mental health professionals and services in our nation\u2019s K-12 schools.\n\nCareer and Technical Education (CTE): The bill provides a $35 million increase over FY24 for State Grants for CTE, as well as a $10 million increase for CTE national activities to expand and improve CTE programs.\n\nHigher Education: The bill provides a $100 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award for a maximum award of $7,495 for the 2025-2026 award year. This coming school year, Pell Grants are expected to help over 7 million students at all stages of life pursue postsecondary education and further their careers. The bill sustains funding for Federal Work Study and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant that provide additional need-based aid to students to help afford postsecondary education.\n\nThe bill also supports funding for Maryland\u2019s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions.\n\nStrengthening HBCUs: $406.875 million, a $5.9 million increase over FY24\n\nStrengthening HBCU Masters Program: $20.3 million, a $295,000 increase over FY24\n\nStrengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions: $102.8 million, a $1.5 million increase over FY24\n\nStrengthening Predominantly Black Institutions: $22.7 million, a $300,000 increase over FY24\n\nDeveloping Hispanic-Serving Institutions: $232.3 million, a $4 million increase over FY24\n\nHBCU, TCU, and MSI Research and Development Infrastructure Grants: $51 million, a $1 million increase over FY24\n\nThe bill also includes an additional $100 million for the administration of student aid programs over FY24. This funding will support a wide range of activities, including: implementing the FAFSA; disbursing student aid; ensuring services are available to student loan borrowers; implementing more affordable repayment plans; and fixing longstanding issues in student loan forgiveness programs.\n\nDepartment of Labor\n\nDepartment of Labor: The bill includes $13.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Labor.\n\nWorkforce Development: The bill includes $2.9 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) formula grants, protecting essential investments made in recent years. It provides $290 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $110 million for YouthBuild, and sustains funding for other programs, such as Reentry Employment Opportunities. Continuing funding for these key workforce development programs will help leverage investments made in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act to continue to grow the economy, provide workers the skills they need to secure good-paying jobs of the future and help American businesses compete globally.\n\nWorker Protection: The bill advances key investments in Department of Labor worker protection agencies charged with enforcing requirements for employers to pay workers what they earn and provide safe and healthy workplaces. This includes:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-cardin-announce-key-committee-passage-of-over-25-million-for-maryland-health-care-education-and-workforce-training-projects"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6850130632519722, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}