Baltimore, MD  (June 1, 2013) –- On Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Government House, First Lady Catherine  O’Malley, Maryland Resource Parent Association and Department of Human Resources (DHR) Secretary Ted Dallas will host foster parents from every jurisdiction in Maryland to thank them for their contributions to children in foster care.

This is the sixth year that the First Lady has opened her home during National Foster Care Month to foster parents and their children

“By opening their homes, these parents are creating a nurturing environment for vulnerable children,” said First Lady O’Malley.  “I am proud to open my home and welcome those families that provide a safe haven during a very unsteady period for these children.”

DHR is actively recruiting foster families so that children in care will have the opportunity to stay closer to their communities, even when they might not be able to live in their own homes. Across Maryland there are more than 6,100 young people in foster care – half of them are 13 years of age or older.

“We know that children do better in family settings,” said DHR Secretary Dallas. “Helping a young person grow into an adult can be an especially rewarding experience for a foster parent.”

The 25 foster families being honored come from each Maryland county and Baltimore City. Even though the honorees are relatively new to fostering children, they have demonstrated an extraordinary willingness to partner with their local department of social services to help children in need.
During the O’Malley-Brown Administration, Maryland has prioritized finding safe, permanent homes for children in care. Since 2008, more than 12,000 children have been reunified with their families, adopted or placed with legal guardians, and there are fewer children in care today than at any time since electronic record keeping began 25 years ago.

“It is heartwarming to know that families continue to step up for the children in their communities. We need everyone to get involved in this massive effort,” Secretary Dallas said.

News media interested in attending the reception should contact the DHR press office. For more information about foster parenting, call 1-888-MD-KIDS2 or visit www.dhr.maryland.gov.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is celebrated on June 15, 2013, a time to raise awareness and educate the public about this growing problem.  Raising awareness is a fundamental prevention strategy and can help change attitudes and behaviors around the issue.

“As the population ages, and families are disconnected by distance, many of our elderly neighbors are suffering in silence,” said Ted Dallas, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources.  “During June, we will join with the Maryland Department of Aging and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to raise awareness of this growing problem.”

In FY 2012, the Adult Protective Services Program received  approximately 6,801 reports of adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults aged 18 years of age and older, representing an increase of over 800 reports from the FY2010 period.  Of the cases reported, 1,932 involved continuing Adult Protective Services case management services to monitor on-going risk factors.

Elder abuse can happen to anyone and can occur anywhere—in a person’s own home, in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, even in hospitals. It affects elders across all socioeconomic groups, cultures, and races. Based on available information, women, elders who are homebound or isolated, and individuals ages 80 and older are most at risk. The mistreatment is most often perpetrated by the individual’s own family members.

Common risk factors for abuse include:

•       The elder is socially isolated or withdrawn

•       The elder is in poor physical health

•       The elder has dementia or mental health or substance abuse issues

•       The perpetrator has mental health or substance abuse issues

Abuse of elders takes many different forms, some involving intimidation or threats against the elderly, some involving neglect, physical, emotional, sexual, t or abandonment by caregivers, financial exploitation, and health care fraud.  Warning signs of some kind of elder abuse may include frequent arguments or tension between the caregiver and the elderly person and changes in personality or behavior in the elder.

The DHR Office of Adult Protective Services works to protect the health, safety and welfare of endangered, vulnerable adults. If you suspect abuse, call our toll-free abuse hotline at 1-800-91prevent (1-800-917-7383). To make a report in person, visit your local department of social services and ask to speak to an adult protective services worker. Health practitioners, police officers, or human service workers are mandatory reporters.

Act to protect seniors by bringing suspected abuse to the attention of the appropriate authorities. For more information visit http:///www.dhr.state.me.us/blog/?page-id=4531.

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BALTIMORE – (May 30, 2013) The Maryland Department of Human Resources  is seeking public comment  on the 2014  Maryland Energy Assistance Program  (MEAP) State Plans.  The Maryland Energy Assistance Program provides assistance with home heating bills. The State Plan outlines strategies to provide services to assist citizens to meet their increasing energy cost. The Integrity Plan outlines  policies and procedures to identify and address fraud.

 To prepare for the 2013-2014 program year, the Department will be conducting two public hearings to garner comment on its proposed state operational plan and its integrity plan.  The proposed annual State Plans are also available for review on www.dhr.state.md.us/ohep.   Public recommendations will be considered in developing the final program plan.

 The two public hearings are scheduled in Baltimore City on June 18, 2013 at Govans – Northern Community Action Center and in Talbot County at Talbot County Neighborhood Service Center on June 20, 2013.  All are encouraged to participate in the public hearing process.

 Public hearing schedule:

Baltimore City

June 18, 2013 10 AM – 12 PM

Govans – Northern Community Action Center

Community Room

5225 York Road

Baltimore MD 21212

410-767-7415

 Talbot County

June 20, 2013 10 AM – 12 PM.

Talbot County Neighborhood  Service Center

Conference Room

126 Port Street

Easton MD 21601-2631

Contact: Cardeaner Robinson 410-763-6745

If participants cannot attend the public hearing, the Department will accept written comments. Send written comments to Greg Sileo, Director of the Office of Home Energy Programs at 311 West Saratoga Street, Room 239, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3521. The deadline for receiving written comments is June 27, 2013.

 The program will start accepting applications for  the 2014 program year on July 1, 2013 and will end May 31, 2014. MEAP plans to serve approximately 123,670 households with an average grant of $496.

 The Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR), the state’s social service provider.  DHR collaborates with 24 local jurisdictions to: provide foster care, adoption, and protective services to children; collect and distribute child support payments; provide protective services, case- management, supportive housing, in-home aide services, and respite care to vulnerable adults; and provide temporary cash, food stamps, and medical assistance to families.  It also funds programs for homeless persons, refugees, and migrant workers.  Last year, DHR served over one million people in need.  In terms of its annual budget, DHR is Maryland’s fifth largest state agency.

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“All of Maryland’s children deserve a safe and nurturing place to grow up,” said Department of Human Resources Secretary Ted Dallas. “These awards will help ensure that children in the Department’s care are served only by the best providers we have in the State.”

The awards follow an extensive request for proposals and competitive evaluation process that began in September 2012. The Department requested 794 beds across the state, a decrease of 41% from the current number of authorized beds. The decrease in the number of beds awarded is due to the success of the Department’s “Place Matters” initiative. Launched in 2007, Place Matters marked a turning point for the Department that reduced the number of children it placed in group homes by 67% percent — from approximately 1,890 to 620 in just five years. These reductions were a big part of the Department’s overall reduction of children in care during the same time period from approximately 10,330 to approximately 6,700 — a reduction of 35 percent.

For the first time in the Department’s history, these contract awards included an evaluation of performance-based measures for each provider to ensure the continued safety and well-being of children in care. The measures were developed with input from key stakeholders and providers to ensure children receive consistent, quality services when placed in a foster care home.

“The transition to performance based awards not only allows providers to understand the Department’s expectations for quality of care but also makes sure that the providers that perform better than their peers are the ones who will serve our kids,” said Secretary Dallas. “Both are critical components of improving the quality of service we provide to the children we serve.”

Contract evaluation included the development of a performance score for all providers that submitted a proposal based on several measures; youth safety, well-being and compliance with the Department’s licensing requirements. Providers who scored well against these standards were prioritized for award.

Residential child care beds in Maryland are allocated within six program types: developmentally disabled; diagnostic evaluation and treatment; group homes; high intensity group homes; medically fragile; and psychiatric residential. Awards were made to the highest ranked vendor after taking into consideration the number of beds requested, beds needed at the time of award, and the gender and age of the children to be placed.

Children currently placed with providers whose contracts were not renewed will be placed with new providers or families based on their needs. In these situations, the local department of social services will engage the families of affected children to assist with the transition and promote the child’s stability.

The new contracts will begin July 1, 2013. The total value of the contracts is $191,883,825 over the next three years.

A list of residential child care awards by program will be posted to the DHR Website at www.dhr.maryland.gov/news once the awards are finalized

Contact: Brian Schleter,     410-767-8944 (o)    443-253-4204 (c)

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FREDERICK, MD (April 15, 2013) –– The Frederick County Department of Social Services and several of its community partners will be honored for creating a successful partnership that provided 13 Frederick County foster children with a unique life skills experience. The Community Partnership Award will be presented to five Frederick County public, private and non-profit organizations during the closing ceremony of the Child Welfare League of America national conference in Crystal City, Virginia, on April 17.

The Frederick County Circuit Court, Legal Aid Bureau, Inc., Catoctin Forest Alliance, Bar-T Mountainside Challenge & Retreat Center, and the Frederick County Department of Social Services recognized the importance for the entire community to be involved with providing opportunities for foster children in their community.

As a result of the community partner’s outreach, monetary, in-kind and direct involvement, the foster children spent a weekend at the Bar-T Mountainside Challenge and Retreat Center of Urbana, MD. The children experienced trust-building exercises and participated in thrill-seeking events, such as a zip line and the “leap of faith” in which a camper wearing a safety harness climbs a pole and leaps from a platform to try to grab a trapeze-style bar several feet away. Other activities included traditional camping, educational activities, a tree planting and team-building activities.

Frederick County DSS provides a range of camping experiences to their foster children based on their age and abilities.

“We are fortunate in Frederick to have committed community partners willing to assist us in addressing the needs of our children,” said Diane Gordy, director of the Frederick County Department of Social Services. “Through these types of experience, our foster children acquire skills that will serve them well as they develop into productive adults.”

Leaders of this successful  Bar-T Mountainside  Camp partnership are working together to expand their efforts and are planning an annual spring and fall weekend retreat for Frederick County youth in foster care.

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BALTIMORE: April 10, 2013 – The Department of Human Resources (DHR), the state’s social service provider, will for the 13th year deploy Constituent Services staff to coordinate more than 30 organizations to share information regarding various human service resources available to service providers and potential consumers.

DHR  kicks-off the Information Fair season on Wednesday, April 10^th at the O’Conor Office building, 201 W. Preston Street, second level mezzanine from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Information will be available on programs like; energy assistance, adoption, foster care, income tax information, health, and housing programs. Representatives from public and private agencies including; HUD, Internal Revenue, Office on Aging, MD Insurance Commission, Baltimore County Department of Health and Education, and College Saving Plans of Maryland will be available.

Health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes will be conducted by Saint Agnes Hospital.

Through 24 local Departments of Social Services, DHR provides foster care, adoption, and protective services to children; collects and distributes child support payments; provides protective services to vulnerable adults, provides temporary cash, food assistance, and medical assistance to families. It also funds community-based programs for homeless persons, refugees, migrant-workers, victims of crime and women who are displaced, battered, or assaulted.

Last year, DHR provided services to millions of Marylanders in need of specific services. While trying to weather the storm of high unemployment, and issues that relate to an aging population, more and more Marylanders are seeking assistance for themselves and/or family members. These community outreach events provide a much-needed informational resource to citizens regarding the availability of services in their communities. This summer DHR will participate in over 80 similar information and outreach events throughout the state.

This event is free and open to the public.

Landover, MD – The Prince George’s County Department of Social Services joins organizations across the nation in highlighting the importance of Child Abuse Prevention Month.  To raise awareness about this important issue, the department is encouraging Prince George’s County residents to be vigilant in protecting the safety and welfare of the county’s youngest and most vulnerable residents.

In fiscal year 2012, there were 5,353 referrals made to the intake line which resulted in 3,202 investigations or 60% of the total referrals. Of the total investigations, 54% were allegations of neglect and the remaining were physical or sexual abuse allegations.

Gloria Brown, Director of The Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, said, “I am encouraged by the number of referrals as it suggests that young people are finding the courage to speak out and adults are listening.” Brown cautions, however, that our work is not complete until all children are safe and no child in our county faces the horrors of child abuse or neglect.

One of the department’s primary objectives is ensuring the safety and well-being of our children.  To assist the community in identifying what constitutes abuse, neglect and exploitation, the department continues to provide educational and awareness opportunities.

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, or feel that your family will benefit from counseling and support on various issues please, contact The Prince George’s County Department of Social Services Child, Adult and Family Services Intake Line @ 301.909.2450.

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The new office will open on April 1, 2013 at 746 Frederick Road and regular services will be provided. Please note the new office will also:

• Have the same phone number and hours of operation
• Provide the same services to the community

For more information about services offered by the Department Social Services, visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/socialservices or call 410-853-3000.

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Media contact: Brian Schleter 443-253-4204 brian.schleter@maryland.gov

BALTIMORE – (March 21, 2013) Today, the Maryland Commission for Women, inducted six accomplished women into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.  The annual event honors Maryland women who have made unique and lasting contributions to the economic, political, cultural and social life of the state, and who are visible role models of achievement for tomorrow’s female leaders.  The Hall of Fame is housed in the Women’s Heritage Center in Baltimore City.

“We hold the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony each March as a way of celebrating Women’s History Month.  And more importantly for recognizing the important role that women have played and the key contributions they have made in helping others here in Maryland and across the nation,” said Ted Dallas, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources.

The Maryland Commission for Women was created in 1965 and established by an act of the General Assembly in 1971.

The 25-member Commission is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and works to improve the status of women. The Commission works with the state government to advance solutions and serves as a statewide resource to expand social, political and economic equality. The Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1985 through the efforts of the Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legislators of Maryland.

The 2013 inductees are:

 HELEN DELICH BENTLEY

From 1945 until 1969 she was a reporter and then maritime editor for The Baltimore Sun, where her coverage made her an opinion leader on international maritime issues. In 1950 she moved into television. For 15 years, Bentley produced, directed, edited, wrote and did interviews for her series, “The Port That Built a City,” and, later, “The Port That Built a City – and State.”  Throughout her career, Bentley has tirelessly promoted three primary issues – the advancement of America’s maritime community, America’s industrial/manufacturing base, and her beloved Port of Baltimore.

In June, 2006, Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. announced he had officially renamed the Port as The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.

Born in Ruth, Nevada, Bentley graduated from the University of Missouri in 1944, and has been awarded 10 honorary doctorates. She has received numerous national and international honors, including the Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Award in 1981; the Governor’s International Leadership Award in 2006; Int’l Maritime Hall of Fame in 2004; the Jerry Land Medal of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers in 1974; the U.S. Navy League’s Robert Thompson Award in 1973; the United Kingdom’s Chamber of Shipping in 1973; and the U.S. Propeller Club’s Congressional in 1987, followed by its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. She also received Industrialist of the Year honors from the Baltimore Museum of Industry in 2010.  Bentley has christened 17 American flagships, five of which she named simultaneously at the Sparrows Point Shipyard in 1987.

Jean B. Cryor (December 13, 1938-November 3, 2009)

 In 1994, she was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994, where she served three terms.  She served as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, for several years as the Ranking Minority Member.  As a state legislator, Cryor served on the state’s Thornton Education Commission and twice was the lead sponsor of a successful bill to suspend sales tax on clothing for Back to School Week.  Her legislation protecting the Potomac River was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.  She won a reputation as a strong advocate for school funding, the earned income tax credit for low income workers and for women’s rights.

 In June 2007, Cryor was elected unanimously by the Montgomery County Council to the Montgomery County Planning Board.  At the same time, she also served as a Commissioner on the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission until her death in 2009.

She was honored as Citizen of the Year by the Almanac Newspapers; Legislator of the Year by the Maryland Retailers Association; Businessperson of the Year by the Maryland Businesses for Responsive Government; Building the Bridge to Excellence in Maryland Public Schools by the State Board of Education; Legislator of the Year by the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation and Registry of Maryland; Maryland’s Top 100 Women by the Daily Record (2003 and 2006); the Woman of Achievement Award by the Suburban Maryland Business and Professional Women Association; and the Lifetime Service award from the Potomac Chamber of Commerce. She was elected President of the Women Legislators of Maryland (2004-2005).

Although the only Republican state legislator representing Montgomery County, she remained popular among constituents of both parties for her demonstrated independence, commitment to service and to her community.  A fearless and indefatigable advocate for women and the disadvantaged, she won a reputation as a consensus builder and very effective legislator.

An example of her courage and independence was her support of a 2005 bill long advocated by women’s rights organizations to create a Pay Equity Commission to study the persistent gender-based wage gap and make recommendations for its remedy.  The bill was vetoed by then-Governor Robert Ehrlich.  Cryor was the only legislator who dared cross the party line and support the veto override, voting against the governor from her own party.  The override was successful and the Pay Equity Commission was established.  Its report and recommendations immediately benefitted women and their families that year and will continue for generations to come.

Cryor was widowed at age 39, raising her three young daughters as a single mother.  She said her proudest accomplishment was not her role as a journalist or an elected official, but shepherding her daughters and grandchildren in reaching their potential and giving back to their community.

Dr. Charlene Mickens Dukes

 Under Dr. Dukes’ leadership, Prince George’s Community College was the only college in Maryland and one of only 16 colleges nationally to be recognized as a White House Champion of Change. Her vision has led to the creation of a community college model for multifaceted financial growth, and sector-based partnerships to enhance academic programs and state-of-the-art technology advancements. Prince George’s Community College also has the distinction of being the only college in Maryland to house a grades 9 – 12 middle college high school, the Academy of Health Sciences, where students will receive a high school diploma and associate degrees concurrently upon graduation.

 Following a progressive ascension through the administrative ranks within the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Dukes joined Prince George’s Community College as the Vice President for Student Services in 1995.  Her tenure and leadership at the College has resulted in significant enhancements that have become state and national models of academic success.  PGCC has become a National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security designated National Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance.  The College is also the national headquarters and lead institution for the 77 colleges and universities from 26 states participating in the National Science Foundations’ Cyberwatch Advanced Technological Education Center.

 From 2002 through 2006, she served on the Appointed Board of Education of Prince George’s County.  In May 2007, she accepted a gubernatorial appointment to serve on the Maryland State Board of Education.  In October 2007, the African-American Alumni Council of the University of Pittsburgh recognized Dr. Dukes as an Outstanding Alumnus, and in 2008 she received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  In 2009, she accepted the “1St Ladies Award” given by Radio One and My Sister’s Keeper Organization and the “Luminary Award” from the Prince George’s County Black Chamber of Commerce.  In 2009 and 2010, Dr. Dukes was recognized for leadership in education by the Pi Upsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  She was also recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the “2010 Women Who Mean Business,” and in 2011 she was honored by the Mitchellville chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.  The Washingtonian recognized her in 2011 as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women” in the Washington, DC region.

 Dr. Dukes has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an English concentration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Masters and Doctorate in Administrative and Policy Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.  She resides in Glenn Dale, Maryland, and her son, Maurice Dukes, is a senior at Howard University.

 Ellen Sauerbrey

Ellen Sauerbrey has been an educator, legislator and diplomat.  She was elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 1978, after serving on the Republican Central Committee for seven years and launching the Maryland Taxpayers Coalition.  She was a member of the House of Delegates for sixteen years, and for eight years of those years served as the House Minority Leader.  Ellen was a board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the largest individual membership organization of state legislators, and in 1990 was elected National Chairman.   Mrs. Sauerbrey was the 1994 and 1998 Republican nominee for Governor of Maryland.  She was elected Republican National Committee woman for Maryland in 1996 and was a talk show host on WBAL radio from 1999-2000.

President George W.  Bush appointed Sauerbrey as Delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 2001 and in 2002 as Representative to the UN Commission on the Status of Women of the Economic and Social Council with the status of Ambassador.  She served in that position until 2005.  During the 2003 session of the General Assembly, she led negotiations that culminated in the successful adoption of the U.S. proposed resolution on Women and Political Participation.  She led international missions to train women on the nuts and bolts of political campaigns and democracy building in countries as diverse as Mongolia and Cote d’ivoire.

 Sauerbrey headed the U.S. delegation to the Baltic Sea Conference on Women and Democracy in Estonia and spoke at numerous international women’s conferences.  She represented the U.S. at the 2003 World Family Policy Forum in Provo, Utah, the International Congress on the Family in Mexico City and World Family Congress III, and held conferences on women and family issues in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica. She also served on the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services from 2004-2006, addressing problems of military women and families.

 In 2006, she was recruited by Condoleezza Rice for the post of Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and successfully managed a $2 billion dollar budget.  A proud recipient of numerous awards from human rights and refugee organizations, she is credited with opening the doors of the U.S. to Burmese refugees who languished for 10 years in Thailand, waiting for a country to take them in.  She also managed the initial program to rescue and resettle Iraqi refugees.  In 2006 she was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Asian American Business Roundtable.

 A native Marylander, she graduated summa cum laude from Western Maryland College, which honored her in 1988 as Alumnus of the Year.  Sauerbrey was a biology teacher and science department chairman in Baltimore County.  She has held leadership positions in many civic organizations, including the Council on Economic Education in Maryland, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Franklin Square Hospital, and Maryland Federation of Republican Women.  She and husband, Wilmer Sauerbrey, live in a pre-civil war home in Baltimore County.

 Along with former Governor Marvin Mandel, she currently co-chairs Maryland Business for Responsive Government and is on the national board of KIND –Kids in Need of Defense.

LINDA A. SHEVITZ

In her professional position as Equity Office Director at the Maryland State Department of Education, Shevitz has monitored the implementation in Maryland of Title IX (of the Education Amendments of 1972), the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in Education.  Fulfilling this responsibility for 30 years, she became the longest serving Title IX coordinator of any state in the nation.  She received the National Shirley McCune Award for Outstanding Contributions to Gender Equity and was a participant in White House Commemorations of the Anniversaries of Title IX.  She has been a consultant to the U. S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice on issues related to gender equity and to sexual harassment .

Shevitz coordinated the Maryland Women’s History Project since the early 1980’s, a collaboration between the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Commission for Women.  The project developed annual resource kits that were distributed to libraries and all schools throughout the state.  These kits provided information about Maryland women’s contributions in areas such as the arts and literature, science and technology, young women’s leadership, the suffrage and civil rights movements, law and politics, education, and a Maryland women’s history trail book and map, noting women’s history sites in the state.  The History Project led to the establishment and 2010 opening of the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center in Baltimore to honor the work of historical and contemporary Maryland women of diverse cultures and backgrounds.  Linda is a founder, board member, and program chair of the Center, the first state-based, comprehensive women’s leadership center and history museum of its kind in the nation.

 Linda has coordinated a statewide network on multicultural education and student achievement, composed of representatives of all 24 Maryland school systems, which addresses issues of discrimination and disparities in areas such as race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability.  She has been named a Top 100 Maryland Woman, and received Dorothy Lloyd Women’s Rights Award from the Maryland State Educators Association.  She was the 2012 recipient of the National Award for Social Justice Advocacy, presented by the National Association for Multicultural Education.

 Linda is an honors graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was listed in Who’s Who, served as president of the Education Honorary, and was named Outstanding Senior Woman.  She has graduate degrees in Human Development Education.

Beatrice P. Tignor, Ed.D

Beatrice P. Tignor was born in Brandywine, MD, and graduated from the Prince George’s County Public Schools.  She graduated from Bowie State University with a BS Degree, and earned a Masters, Education Specialist, and Doctor of Education from George Washington University, all while being a single mother to a daughter, Patricia, and working in the education sector of Prince George’s County.

Dr. Tignor worked as a public school teacher, reading specialist, and assistant superintendent in the Prince George’s County Public Schools. She also taught English and Reading at the Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) and served as a department chairman.  During her tenure at PGCC, she created one of the first community college Learning Laboratory for Developmental Students, implemented a new grading system, developed a reading and math clinic for school age children, initiated a certification program for teachers in coordination with the Maryland Department of Education, and chaired departmental accreditation committees.

 Dr. Tignor was also elected to the Maryland House of Delegates where she served on the Ways and Means Committee. She later served as a Senator and was named to the Budget and Taxation Committee.  She received awards as Delegate of the Year for her work with the disabled and as Senator of the Year for her achievements in education.  She was also named Legislator of the Year.

 Dr. Tignor served as chair of the Prince George’s County Board of Education from 2002-2006.  Under her leadership, with a cooperative Board, she worked to eliminate a $24 million deficit, increased test scores and the number of certified teachers from 38% to 62%, increased retention rates of teachers and administrators, increased graduation rates to 92 percent and graduated the highest number of African Americans in the nation.  In addition, during her tenure all schools were equipped with air-conditioned classrooms, and she implemented an energy savings program. She left a $60 million surplus in the school system budget.

 As director of Procurement for Montgomery County, Dr. Tignor led the second largest procurement office in local government in the country with a budget of $700 million.  Under her leadership, the county won a National Award from Harvard School of Government for an innovative electronic procurement system.  She also implemented a procurement violation system, and an on-line auction system, and increased minority participation from $37 million to $100 million.

 Among Dr. Tignor’s other accomplishments, appointments, and awards, are the National President of the Bowie State University Alumni, Bowie State Foundation, and Council of National Alumni Associations.  She was also appointed to the Prince George’s Community College Board of Trustees, Democratic National Committeewoman, and American Red Cross.  Dr. Tignor has been named to Maryland’s Women of Achievement and had been honored as Prince Georgian of the Year.

 Currently, Dr. Tignor serves as the municipal liaison to Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.

The Maryland Commission for Women is located within the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR) the state’s primary social service provider serving over one million people annually.  DHR, through its 24 local departments of social services, aggressively pursues opportunities to assist people in economic need, provide preventive services, and protect vulnerable children and adults in each of Maryland’s 24 counties.

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