The Community Resource Advocate Program

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Community Resource Advocate program is an essential part of The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative @ School (TNI@School) program. TNI@School is a partnership between the Prince George’s County Public School district and Prince George’s County Government and targets 31 of the county’s most vulnerable schools. TNI@School has partnered with providers focused on behavioral health, mentoring, after­school enrichment, college and career readiness, positive youth development and intensive case management. The hallmark program of TNI@School is the Department of Social Services Community Resource Advocate program. Community Resource Advocates (CRAs) are school based advocates who are employed by Prince George’s County’s Department of Social Services (DSS). The role of the CRA is to connect children, youth, and families to services and support systems; serve as a liaison for PGCDSS and PGCPS for foster youth placed in their assigned schools and support school administrators in mitigating social factors so that teachers can focus on academic enrichment. CRAs are located at each of the 31 schools. During the 2014-2015 school year, the CRAs served over 1,937 individuals and during the 2015-2016 school year have served over 961 individuals to date.