State 2Gen Model: Maryland as a Case Study for Policymakers

This case study captures Maryland’s 2Gen approach from community innovation to statewide policy adoption. It lifts up local strategies such as common intake practices, creative partnerships with community colleges, supportive housing, workforce development, and Kinship Navigators (supporting family caregivers for children whose parents are temporarily or permanently unable to fulfill their parenting obligations) serving as socio-economic mobility coaches. At the same time, the need to address the cliff-effect (a steep loss in public benefits due to often modest increases in income from employment) now permeates public sector policymaking and collaboration across state agencies.