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Safer Stronger Together

Safer Stronger Together

A cross-agency, place-based initiative to invest in young people, strengthen families, empower communities, and improve public safety.

You're Invited to the Safe Summer Kickoff!

Safer Stronger

We are excited to invite you to the Safe Summer Kickoff, a cross-agency effort to invest in young people, strengthen families, empower communities, and improve public safety. This event reflects our commitment to the Safer Stronger Together (SST) initiative, a program designed to build trust between government agencies and the communities we serve.

The Safer Stronger Together (SST) initiative is a collaboration with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), Department of Human Services (DHS), and Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) to engage families involved with multiple systems and connect them with vital resources. This community event, in partnership with the District Heights Day festivities, will offer music, food, interactive activities, counseling services, and access to essential support programs.

District Heights Safe Summer Kickoff!
Saturday, June 06, 2026
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

#SaferStrongerTogether

The Department of Human Services(DHS), Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), and Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) have identified over 2,000 families across Maryland who touch two or more of their systems, and communities with high numbers of such families.

Historically, multi-system involved families experience the worst outcomes because public systems don't work together collaboratively or intentionally on their behalf. The burdens placed on families to navigate these systems are a barrier to their success. Furthermore, many of the same families are concentrated in communities that experience high rates of violent crime, poverty, and mortality.

The Safer Stronger Together initiative believes that community safety is about more than the absence of crime. It is also about the presence of opportunities for community members and shared trust and true partnership between government and community. Research shows that there is a relationship between strong community ties, improved trust in government, and reduced crime.

Safer Stronger Together is DHS, DPSCS, and DJS's effort to invest in young people, strengthen families, empower communities, and improve public safety by:

  • Improving collaboration among multi-agency staff serving shared families.
  • Creating space for community members to direct resources for community-driven solutions to improve safety and wellness.
  • Concentrating services, supports and opportunities on streets heavily impacted by government systems and crime.

Safer Stronger Together has two components:

  1. Agency staff working together with a Family Navigator to serve shared families, and
  2. Local community action boards devising ways to use public funds to address public safety issues in their neighborhoods.

Over the next few years, Safer Stronger Together will work with 10 communities throughout the state to bring staff together in true partnership with community members heavily impacted by government involvement and crime in their neighborhoods to help them become safer and stronger together.


For more information contact Seema Gajwani, Executive Director, Safer Stronger Together at
[email protected]