Running head: COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT 1

Community Health Assessment: Freetown Village

Angèle C. Wright

Frostburg State University

Community Health Assessment 2

Community Health Assessment: Freetown Village, MD

Freetown Village is one of three affordable housing communities managed by the

Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County (HCAAC). With sufficient accommodations to

support 154 families, Freetown Village is a small enclave located within the municipal borders

of Pasadena, which boasts a population of 60,583 per the United States Census website. The

city of Pasadena is bordered by Baltimore City to the north, Severna Park to the south, Glen

Burnie to the west, and Riviera Beach to the east. Within Pasadena, Freetown Village spans over

four streets: Huff Court, Liberty Circle, Whitaker Road, and Darrell Henry Court, the latter

serving as the epicenter of the community and houses the community’s management office, Boys

and Girls Club (Figure 8), and Head Start Center.

Freetown Village’s housing is comprised of a mixture of garden style apartment

dwellings and townhomes (Figure12). There is parking located outside of the front of the homes

and most have small patios in the rear. Located in a more suburban setting, Freetown Village is

adjacent to single family home communities that are comprised of both older and newer

construction (Figure 11). The residents can access shopping, employment opportunities, and

entertainment by following New Freetown Road (which lies adjacent to the property) to

Mountain Road, which is approximately one mile away from the community and houses more

commercial and retail structures. Able bodied residents can either walk or utilize the bus, which

stops in the front of the community entrance. The Regional Transit Agency (RTA) 201/J bus

route spans between Freetown Village and Arundel Mills Mall, and provides those without

personal transportation a means of accessing the Sun Valley Shopping Plaza (Figure 3), located

on Mountain Road and is two bus stops from the community entrance (Figure 10). Within the

Sun Valley Shopping Plaza, there is a stand- alone grocery store, a six-screen movie theatre, and
Community Health Assessment 3

a dollar store (Figure 3). There are additional shopping resources located further down Mountain

Road but it would difficult to access it without personal transportation. The bus also provides

access to the MTA Cromwell Light Rail Station and ITT Tech – Hanover, which provides the

residents opportunities to seek employment, educational enrichment, and pleasure outside of

their community. According the RTA website, a regular fare is $2.00 and children under five

years of age ride free and the bus schedule runs from 7:25 am to 11:55 pm, Monday – Friday.

There is an abbreviated schedule on Saturdays and Sundays (CMD_Lft_Route_201, 2017). For

those who need additional assistance and are unable to use public transportation, Maryland

Transit Authority also offers a Mobility Van that will take residents to their appointments.

Freetown Village appears to be a well-kept and clean property and falls under the

purview of Anne Arundel County services for police and fire. The buildings have brick façade,

and the streets are clean. The cars that were parked in front of the buildings appear to be in

running condition. According to the community’s website, the community ensures its safety by

engaging in a tenant patrol and housing an on-site Anne Arundel County Police Department unit

(HCAAC Freetown Village, 2013). Freetown Village also offers an onsite social worker and

addictions counselor to help residents with any needs that they may have. There was one play

area located within the community for resident use (Figure 4). There are also various places of

worship of various denominations surrounding Freetown Village; allowing community members

to seek solace, fellowship, and spiritual uplifting with likeminded individuals. Residents are able

to voice any concerns in the Community Resident Council, which is held the second Monday of

each month in the Boys and Girls Club located on the property.

Pasadena, much like the remainder of Anne Arundel County, is governed by County

Executive, Steven Schuh, and represented by a seven-member County Council. Freetown

Community Health Assessment 4

Village residents are represented by The Honorable Derek Fink, Councilman, Third District.

Freetown Village also falls under the Third Congressional District and is represented by

Congressman John Sarbanes in the House of Representatives. Prior to being elected to Congress,

Mr. Sarbanes worked for the Maryland Department of Education and has remained dedicated to

enhancing the education and lives of children within his district. Mr. Sarbanes has also authored

bills or voted on existing bills to increase access to technical training for citizens with high

school diplomas to improve their employability within the workforce (Sarbanes, J., 2018). Mr.

Sarbanes has also fought to improve gun safety by voting for the ban of assault weapon

manufacturing for consumer use (Sarbanes, J., 2018), and cosponsored the Voting Empowerment

Act, which attempts to improve voter registration and participation during elections (Sarbanes, J.,

2018). Located within District 31A, Freetown Village is represented by House of Delegates

member Edward P. Carey, who had a career in urban planning prior to starting his tenure in state

government in 2015. Since then, Mr. Carey has focused his efforts on economic and financial

growth in Maryland.

There are nine public elementary schools, one private Montessori school, one private

school that serves the greater Pasadena area. School-aged children who live in Freetown Village

attend Freetown Elementary School (Figure 2), which is approximately a three minute drive

away from the community. Opened in 1959, the school has been renovated four times; 2009

being listed as the last date of construction. Of the total 474 students currently enrolled, 41.56%

are Black/African-American, 34.18% are White, 13.92% are Hispanic, and 4.85% are Asian

(Demographics, Freetown Elementary, 2017). The school’s racial makeup differs significantly

from Pasadena’s overall racial composition, which according to the U.S. Census website,

88.74% of the city’s citizens were classified as White and 5.56% were listed as Black or African
Community Health Assessment 5

American. Sunset Elementary, a Pasadena elementary school five miles away from Freetown

Elementary, demonstrates a racial composition that is more aligned with the Census Bureau’s

data for the city. According to Sunset Elementary demographic data listed on Maryland’s

Elementary Schools Report Cards website, 77.26% of the school’s school aged population is

listed as White and 6.17% of their population is listed as Black/African American (Appendix A).

Due to school redistricting, children who attend Freetown Elementary feed into a neighboring

city’s middle and high school instead of attending school within the borders of Pasadena. Based

on the data of the elementary school demographics, one can determine that Freetown Village has

a greater percentage of persons of Black/African-American heritage when compared to

Pasadena’s overall racial composition (Graph 1).

Graph 1. Racial demographics of Freetown Elementary and surrounding Pasadena elementary schools

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% Freetown Elementary
30% Sunset Elementary
20%
10% Jacobville Elementary
0%
Pasadena

Freetown Village, under the jurisdiction of the HCAAC, determines the applicant’s

eligibility by comparing his or her wages against the state median wage, which according to the

2017 US Census website was $78,945. If the applicant’s income is less than $39,472.50, then he

or she qualifies for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCAAC, 2013). If the applicant’s
Community Health Assessment 6

income is less than $15,789, then the applicant qualifies for the Public Housing Program

(HCAAC, 2013). Both numbers are adjusted for family size accordingly.

Community Needs Assessment

During the windshield survey, one noticed that the community only had one playground

for the residents’ use and it was attached to the Head Start Child Care Center. There were

additional playgrounds available at Freetown Elementary, which appeared clean and modern, but

is also approximately a 10-minute walk away that would require the children to cross New

Freetown Road, which is a rather busy thoroughfare. In addition, there were not always

sidewalks present on every road and thus, would require the children to walk onto the street in

order to find a safe place to play. The Boys and Girls Club space is also used to teach the

residents topics such as budgeting or home economics but no mention is made about conducting

classes that focus more on healthy living and support the goals and tenets of Health People 2020.

One also observed a notice on the community’s website celebrating fellowship by engaging in a

“Soul Food Dinner.” Residents were asked to bring their favorite soul food dish and share it

with their neighbors in an effort to get to know one another better. Most items that are

considered to be soul food contain high amounts of sodium and fat; elements that can contribute

to cardiovascular disease. Taking into consideration that the majority of Freetown Village’s

population is Black or African American and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease is higher

in this ethnic group; there is a missed opportunity to highlight the prevalence of cardiovascular

disease and healthier ways to avoid it. Although during the windshield survey, no actual

Freetown Village resident was observed smoking, it was noticed that many residents of the

adjacent homes were spied sitting on their front steps and smoking. These monthly meetings
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would be also prove to be a great way to introduce topics to help not only the community but to

also engage in goodwill by including some of the surrounding community.

During the windshield survey, only one grocery store was visible in a five mile radius but

four establishments that either served or sold alcohol were noticed in the same area. The grocery

store appeared to be clean but did not offer a full variety of fresh produce to support creative

ways to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables in one’s daily diet (Figure 5). The store, which

was a stand-alone establishment versus a regional chain, did not offer home delivery to those

unable to make it to the store. The store did not provide menus or ready prep meals to aid in

healthier eating. The store did, however; accept electronic food stamps, so that those on

assistance could buy their groceries there. Most of the establishments in the surrounding area

were related to the auto industry; from used and new car lots to gas stations and repair shops

(Figure 6). There did not appear to be much diversity in the surrounding area in terms of

opportunities for employment; most lay in retail and the only thing that changed was the object

that was being sold. The bus route does extend beyond the boundaries of the community and if

one is driven, he or she can find a job further away that may better satisfy one’s needs.

During the windshield survey, it was interesting that the local elementary school,

Freetown, posted signs encouraging children to attend school (Figure 2). It was the first time

that a message encouraging attendance was seen in an elementary school in Anne Arundel

County. According to Maryland Report Card site, Freetown Elementary has a lower attendance

than those in the surrounding area: 94.4% versus ≥ 95% in other elementary schools in Pasadena

(Maryland State Department of Education, 2017). One wonders if the cause of lower attendance

is due to chronic or prevalent illness or a belief that attending elementary school is not as

important as middle or high school.

Community Health Assessment 8

It was also noteworthy that medical offices were not commonly seen in this area. The

community is approximately 17 minutes away from one of the two hospitals in the county but

one had to drive for almost 13 minutes in the direction toward the hospital before a doctor’s

office was seen. It makes one wonder how those without personal transportation can readily

access a doctor’s office to receive primary care and screenings if they have to travel well outside

of their immediate community. It was also noticed that there was only one dentist present in the

local vicinity of Freetown Village. Dental health plays a big part in one’s overall health,

nutrition, and self-esteem. Prematurely losing one’s teeth can have an adverse effect on nutrition,

speech, appearance, and psyche; especially if that person has already experienced major financial

or personal setbacks and is attempting to reclaim their place in society through employment and

societal engagement.

During the windshield survey, one did not feel particularly unsafe while assessing the

community. Although many people stopped and stared as one passed and it was evident that this

was an extremely insular community where newcomers are easily identifiable, no threats were

made to either person or property. No one appeared to be hanging out on the property grounds;

everyone that was seen outside was either going to or from their apartment. All of the residents

seen were homogenous in ethnicity. The vehicles present in the neighborhood were operable but

appeared older. No one boasted flashy or extravagant wardrobes and outdoor furniture was

functional and sparse. Based on one’s assessment, this appears to be a working class

environment where its residents take pride in cleanliness and function versus flash.

According to Maryland’s Health Department site, in 2016, Anne Arundel County

experienced 48 opioid-related deaths, finishing third highest behind Baltimore City and

Baltimore County, respectively (Graph 2). During the same time period, Anne Arundel County
Community Health Assessment 9

also experienced 31 cocaine-related deaths; finishing fourth behind Baltimore City, Baltimore

County, and Prince George’s County (Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,

2017). Currently in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, Johns Hopkins Bayview is the only

hospital that offers any kind of drug detoxification assistance. As one surveyed the area

immediately surrounding Freetown Village and ventured further into Pasadena, it was

astonishing that one did not see any storefronts or businesses that offered assistance with

addiction. Due to Pasadena’s proximity to Baltimore City and its status as the leading area in

both heroin- and opioid-related deaths, it would have been refreshing to have seen at least a sign

that advertised assistance with overcoming addiction. A web search located two private facilities

in the greater Pasadena area that can assist with overcoming addiction; provided one has the

ability to pay the bill.

Graph 2. Substance-associated deaths by Maryland Counties, 2016

500

450

400

350

300

250 Heroin
Opioid
200
Fentanyl
150
Cocaine
100 Alcohol
50

0
Carroll

Prince George's
Kent
Calvert

Worcester
Alleghany

Balt City

Dorchester
Cecil
Charles
Caroline

Garrett
Frederick
Anne Arundel

Wicomico
Balt County

Harford
Howard

Montgomery

Talbot
Queen Anne's
Somerset

Washington
St. Mary's
Community Health Assessment 10

Community Health Needs/Problems

The first need is universal to any community located within Anne Arundel County: build

a medical facility that provides both mental health and drug and alcohol treatment options for the

uninsured and underinsured populations within the community. This need is supported by the

Healthy People 2020 goal to “reduce substance abuse to protect the health, safety, and quality of

life for all, especially children” (Healthy People 2020, 2018). The second chart above reflects

drug related deaths by county. Based on the data collected, it is apparent that Anne Arundel

County consistently has a high number of drug and alcohol related deaths; third only to

Baltimore City and Baltimore County, respectively. There are only 10 inpatient mental health

beds within Anne Arundel County located at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington

Medical Center. Typically when one requires assistance with drugs or alcohol, they typically

turn to the one of the two emergency departments located in the county. With beds far and few

between, individuals are held in patient treatment rooms often times for days while an

appropriate bed is located. This phenomenon places a strain on the limited number of beds

available to treat the medically ill patients; leading to increased waiting times and the increased

risk of worsened health due to a delay in care. Furthermore, mental health patients are

transferred to the first available bed, regardless of its distance from the patient’s support system.

Since addiction is a disease that affects the entire family unit, not just the user, increased

distances can become a hurdle in including family members in the healing process as the patient

undergoes treatment. In addition, creating a facility that treats the underlying causes of addiction

will provide additional jobs within the county; initially during the construction phase and then

the direct care staff and support staff. Ultimately, Anne Arundel County would be seen as the

county that is directly addressing the drug epidemic instead of criminalizing its victims,
Community Health Assessment 11

distributing intranasal Narcan to fraught family members of addicts, and taxing an already

overwhelmed emergency medicine system.

The second recommendation is to incorporate classes and activities within the community

that focuses on improving cardiovascular health. This need supports the Healthy People 2020

goal to “improve cardiovascular health and quality of life through prevention, detection, and

treatment of risk factors for heart attack and stroke; early detection and treatment of heart attacks

and strokes; prevention of repeat cardiovascular events; and reduction in deaths from

cardiovascular disease” (Healthy People 2020, 2018). In order to support this goal, the onsite

social worker can reach out to neighboring hospitals and ask for medical volunteers to complete

cardiovascular presentations and healthcare screenings on the premises. The social worker can

also coordinate vans to transport residents to area hospitals during their community outreach

events to receive education about heart and cardiovascular health. The social worker can contact

Registered Dieticians and conduct mini cooking classes to show residents how to cook their

favorite meals but with less salt and fat. The community can host neighborhood “Biggest Loser”

contests to celebrate weight loss while maintaining a sense of community. The entire

community has sidewalks, so the residents can host nightly walks after dinner or utilize the

community center to hold an aerobic dance class or just plain social dances. The social worker

can arrange a mini “meals on wheels” by arranging for the resident adolescents to shop or cook

for those who are sick or infirmed. The social worker can prearrange for the middle and high

schooler to receive volunteer credits to apply toward graduation. This activity also exposes the

adolescents to the older generation in a positive light and fosters a positive sense of community.

The third recommendation focuses on child development; specifically Early and Middle

Childhood. This need supports the Healthy People 2020 goal to “document and track
Community Health Assessment 12

population-based measures of health and well-being for early and middle childhood population

over time in the United States” (Healthy People 2020, 2018). Early childhood is defined as birth

to age eight and middle childhood, from ages six to 12. This need was chosen simply due to the

sign seen at the Freetown Elementary School marquee: “Be Ready for Learning…Attendance

Matters.” (Figure 2)

Of the three schools reviewed in this review, Freetown Elementary experienced the

lowest attendance rate and had the high mobility rate (or the number of times a child changes

schools) (Appendix C). High mobility rates at Freetown Elementary can be attributed to unstable

family relationships, financial hardships, or student disciplinary reasons. This need was

prioritized because many adults are not aware of the effect that their decisions have on their

children. Unnecessary instability can wreck havoc in a child’s development that can lead to later

problems in cognitive and social abilities. Shedding light on this issue earlier in the child’s life

can only help the parent make the necessary changes in their behavior so that it will not

adversely affect their children’s lives later on.

Freetown Village is fortunate enough to have an onsite Head Start daycare/preschool that

provides care and support to new parents and young children until they are able to attend Pre-

Kindergarten at Freetown Elementary. The instructors can arrange for parents and primary

caregivers to attend weekly or monthly parenting classes that focus on prevention efforts as

outlined. The purpose is help the primary caregiver experience an easier transitioning to

effective parenting as to avoid the pitfalls that can plague children who fall in lower

socioeconomic strata; such as childhood obesity, dental issues, healthy emotional attachments

and the ability to appropriately self-regulate one’s behavior and reactions. Primary caregivers
Community Health Assessment 13

will also receive education about fine and gross motor skill development so that delays can be

readily recognized and addressed before it causes longer reaching effects for the child.

This program can also have positive effects on the parents’ self esteem and how they see

themselves as caregivers. The desire to be a good, loving, and effective parent is a hope that

supersedes all socioeconomic statuses and can be achieved with the appropriate support from the

community. Parents will learn the importance of reading to their children and how it impacts

their social and cognitive development. Children will benefit from have positive and loving

interactions with their primary caregivers. This will also allow instructors to track the child’s

development and assess if changes in parenting had a positive impact on the child school

experience and social choices; such as underage drug and alcohol abstinence, teen pregnancy,

and social isolation or bullying.

Conclusion

The opportunities that lie within Freetown Village exceed the three listed above but it is

the belief that based on the information gleaned from the Community Inventory Profile and the

Windshield Survey that the community residents have a lot to offer; both to themselves and to

the greater Pasadena community.

Community Health Assessment 14

References

Administration for Children and Families. Head start programs. (2017). Retrieved from

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs/about/head-start

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy people 2020:Division for heart disease and

prevention. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/hp2020.htm

HealthyPeople.gov. 2020 Topics and objectives. (2018), Retrieved from

https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives

Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County. Freetown village. (2013). Retrieved from

http://hcaac.com/wp1/communities-4/family-properties/freetown-village/

Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County. Income requirements. (2013). Retrieved from

http://hcaac.com/wp1/resident-info-4/income-requirements/

Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County. Rental assistance. (2013). Retrieved from

http://hcaac.com/wp1/resident-info-4/income-requirements/

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Drug- and alcohol-related deaths in

Maryland, 2016. (2017), Retrieved from

https://bha.health.maryland.gov/OVERDOSE_PREVENTION/Documents/Maryland%20

2016%20Overdose%20Annual%20report.pdf

Maryland State Department of Education. 2017 Maryland report card - Freetown elementary.

(2017). Retrieved from

http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Demographics.aspx?K=021122&WDATA=School
Community Health Assessment 15

Regional Transit Agency. Route 201/J bus schedule. (2017). Retrieved from

http://www.transitrta.com/schedules/CMD_Lft_Route-201_J_FINAL4_1_15.pdf

Sarbanes, John. Congressman john sarbanes. (2018). Retrieved from

https://sarbanes.house.gov/

United States Census Bureau. American fact finder - community facts. (2018). Retrieved from

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml?src=bkmk
Community Health Assessment 16

Appendices

Appendix A. Income Limits Summary (State Median Income - $91,100)

Persons in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Family
<50% 31,900 36,450 41,000 45,550 49,200 52,850 56,500 60,150
Income
Limit ($)
30% 19,150 21,900 24,650 27,350 29,550 32,960 37,140 41,320
Income
Limit ($)
80% 47,600 54,400 61,200 68,000 73,450 78,900 84,350 89,800
Income
Limit ($)

Appendix B. Racial demographics by Area Pasadena schools

Demographics Freetown Sunset Jacobville Pasadena Census
Elementary Elementary Elementary Data
Am. Ind/AK Native - - - 84 (0.14%)
Asian 23 (4.87%) 10 (1.93%) - 1,089 (1.76%)
Black/Afr Amer 197 (41.74%) 32 (6.18%) 36 (6.55%) 3,369 (5.45%)
Hispanic/Latino 66 (14.0%) 31 (5.99%) 32 (5.82%) 1,918 (3.10%)
HI/Pac Islander - - - 27 (0.04%)
White 162 (34.32%) 401 (77.41%) 455 (82.73%) 53,759 (86.94%)
Two or More races 24 (5.09%) 44 (8.49%) 27 (4.91%) 1,587 (2.57%)
Total (%) 472 518 550 61,833

Appendix C. Attendance and mobility by Elementary School

Misc Freetown Elementary Sunset Elementary Jacobville Elementary
Student Mobility 27.2% 14.8% 11.6%
Attendance 94.4% 94.8% ≥95%

Appendix
D. Deaths by Type by County
County Heroin Opioid Fentanyl Cocaine Alcohol
Alleghany 34 15 29 9 14
Anne
Arundel 105 48 98 31 56
Balt City 454 113 419 202 222
Balt County 208 67 182 80 81
Community Health Assessment 17

Calvert 17 11 11 2 7
Caroline 6 4 3 5 5
Carroll 25 15 20 8 12
Cecil 19 8 9 3 8
Charles 22 10 17 4 12
Dorchester 3 2 3 1 1
Frederick 46 18 49 9 15
Garrett 0 0 0 0 1
Harford 42 16 46 20 18
Howard 24 6 27 7 14
Kent 1 0 3 0 1
Montgomery 48 26 43 11 22
Prince
George's 67 16 58 33 45
Queen
Anne's 4 2 4 1 2
Somerset 3 0 6 4 3
St. Mary's 9 4 4 2 3
Talbot 4 3 7 2 0
Washington 39 23 31 9 17
Wicomico 21 7 34 13 12
Worcester 11 4 16 8 11

Figure 1. Freetown Village Gate

Figure 2. Freetown Elementary School marquis with attendance sign.

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Figure3. Sun Valley Shopping Center Sign

Figure 4. Freetown Village Playground

Figure 5. Gerebeck’s Produce Section

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Figure 6. Mountain Road, Maryland retail shops

Figure 7. New construction outside of Freetown Village, MD

Figure 8. Freetown Village Boys & Girls Club

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Figure 9. Gerebeck’s Food Market, Pasadena, MD

Figure 10. RTA Sun Valley shopping center bus stop

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Figure 11. Freetown Village, MD surrounding neighborhood

Figure 12. Freetown Village apartment homes, MD