Thrive@25 is Maryland's planning grant to create an approach to preventing and ending homelessness for youth with child welfare involvement.

This two-year planning grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children and Families (awarded in September 2013) is Maryland's opportunity to leverage the work that has been done to prevent and end youth homelessness and ensure that all youth enter adulthood with the necessary skills, resources, and supports to be successful.

Progress through Partnership
Thrive@25 is a partnership led by The Institute for Innovation & Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UM SSW). Partners include the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR; State child welfare & social services agency), the Talbot County Department of Social Services (TCDSS) on behalf of the five local departments of social services (LDSS) on Maryland's rural Upper Shore, and the National Center on Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW).

Our Approach: Planning to bring an end to homelessness among youth
Thrive@25 is designed to allow partners to work together over two years to develop, refine, and test the core components of an intervention model that includes:

• Identification and utilization of screening and assessment tools;
• Use of culturally-appropriate, evidence-based, and effective intervention strategies predicated on risk and protective factors and tailored to meet the individual strengths and needs of particular youth;
• Implementation of trauma-informed care and positive youth development frameworks; and,
• Implementation of practices to improve four core outcomes:
  • Stable housing;
  • Permanent connections;
  • Education/employment; and,
  • Social-emotional well-being.

Thrive@25 will demonstrate key components of DHR's Ready by 21 efforts and develop a comprehensive and coordinated approach to preventing and solving the issue of homelessness among youth in our Upper Shore counties, with a particular focus on youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) and on issues associated with rural homelessness. The efforts undertaken as part of this grant will provide valuable insight into the issue of youth homelessness among those with foster care experiences, informing interventions and ultimately preventing homelessness among youth and young adults exiting foster care throughout Maryland.

Training, Webinars & Events

Communications (Announcements, Newsletters & Blog Posts)

Resources & More Information

Contact Us:
Deborah Harburger, Thrive@25 Project Director: dharburger@ssw.umaryland.edu
Elizabeth Greeno, PhD, Principal Investigator & Lead Evaluator: egreeno@ssw.umaryland.edu
Marcia Soule, Local Project Director: msoule@ssw.umaryland.edu
Ruth White, Technical Assistance Lead, NCHCW: rwhite@nchcw.org
Jill Taylor, Out-of-Home Program Manager & Liaison to Thrive@25, DHR: jill.taylor@maryland.gov
April Sharp, Director & Local DSS Lead on Thrive@25, Talbot County DSS: april.sharp@maryland.gov