Baltimore County earned a 2026 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award for a public-private partnership helping older residents remain safely and independently in their homes.

The Baltimore County Age-Friendly Upgrades for Seniors, BCAUSE program, earned recognition in NACo’s Human Services category. Piloted in 2020 and established in 2021, the program provides comprehensive home repairs and accessibility upgrades for low-income older adults who want to age in place.

Informed by the CAPABLE model, Community Aging in Place: Advancing Better Living for Elders (BCAUSE) brings together the Baltimore County Department of Aging and nonprofit housing partners Civic Works, Rebuilding Together Baltimore, and CHAI. Through the partnership, philanthropically funded capital repairs are coordinated with the County’s publicly supported intake, assessment, and referral system. The model helps address home conditions that can affect an older resident’s safety and ability to remain independent while creating a coordinated approach to connecting residents with needed improvements.

To date, BCAUSE has served 480 older adult households across Baltimore County, helping residents remain safely in their homes while improving housing stability and preserving independence.

Baltimore County’s honor is part of 165 NACo Achievement Awards earned by Maryland counties this year, recognizing programs and services across nearly every area of local government.