County’s Rapid Response Teams Provide COVID-19 Testing and Health/Human Services Assessment to Households in Neighborhoods Impacted by COVID-19

For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 23, 2020

            Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Rapid Response Teams, made possible through a contract with Ready Responders, will provide home-based COVID-19 testing and health/human services assessments to households located in zip codes highly impacted by COVID-19; those who face significant barriers to accessing community test sites; and those who have household situations where testing at home would be more effective than going to a community test site. 

            The no-cost visits will be provided seven days a week and the response team will include a health worker and a human services worker. Team members will provide temperature checks, monitor vital signs and give COVID-19 saliva tests to all household members who give consent. A DHHS service navigator will follow up after the visit as needed. Emergency or urgent medical care and human services referrals will be provided at the time of the visit—such as calling 911 for a medical emergency, providing emergency food referrals or offer immediate referral to temporary hotel shelter for household members who are ill and cannot effectively isolate at home. A DHHS service navigator will follow up after the visit as needed. Bilingual staff will visit or staff will have access to the County’s language line to help with interpreting during home visits.

            Geographic areas most impacted by COVID-19 in Montgomery County include the following zip codes: 20850, 20866, 20877, 20901, 20902, 20903, 20906 and 20910.  

            Residents can be referred for this service by a community-based agency or refer themselves by calling the Testing Helpline at 240-777-1755 (open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days/week). Callers will be asked a series of questions to determine eligibility.

            For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

            Put the “count” in Montgomery County! Be sure to complete the Census online, by phone, or by mail. It’s safe, confidential, easy, and important. #2020Census #EveryoneCountsMCMD

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Release ID: 20-394
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 301-529-7669