[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 162 (Monday, November 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO THOMAS HARR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise to salute my constituent, 
Thomas E. Harr, as he steps down as Executive Director of Family 
Services, Inc.
  Under Mr. Harr's visionary leadership, FSI, which is based in 
Gaithersburg, Maryland, has developed into an agency that cares for 
vulnerable clients from cradle to grave, becoming, in essence, a 
caring, secondary family--giving true meaning to the organization's 
name. FSI provides high-quality service to foster health and well-being 
in the home, school and community as it serves more than 25,000 
residents in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Mr. Harr has 
overseen this organization through a period of extraordinary growth, 
enabling the organization to be an effective safety net for the most 
vulnerable members of our community.
  Mr. Harr's tenure has been distinguished by his tireless efforts to 
make Family Services treat the ``whole'' person throughout their entire 
lifespan. His vision encompasses a holistic philosophy of human 
services. Long an opponent of fragmented silos of care and the lack of 
coordination between them, he encouraged his mental health clinic to 
integrate mental health, substance abuse and primary care services, 
including the treatment and management of co-occurring conditions. He 
spearheaded the partnership of his organization with a primary care 
provider and a reproductive health specialty clinic to address the 
then-unappreciated somatic consequences of having a mental illness. He 
reached out to another historic provider, GUIDE, which later merged 
with Family Services and brought with it an impressive array of youth 
services. The Family Services of today encompasses 31 programs and 
touches every sector of vulnerable residents in Montgomery County. Its 
excellence has recently been recognized by its receiving the first CARF 
accreditation in the County.
  Under Mr. Harr's leadership, FSI has seen the addition of a new child 
development center in 2000, an outpatient mental health clinic in 2001, 
a family multi-service center in 2002, and a hospital neonatal 
screening program in 2004, to name a few major projects. In addition, 
Mr. Harr oversaw the doubling of the agency's Head Start program, the 
opening of an additional child care center in another region of the 
County, and the creation of one of the County's first integrated care 
clinics.
  Mr. Harr has also been deeply involved with the needs of our 
vulnerable elderly population. Under his leadership, FSI opened a 
medical day program, an outpatient substance abuse clinic, an 
adolescent recovery club house, expansion of the adult psychiatric day 
program, and a school mental health and social service program. And, 
finally, he facilitated FSI's assuming a major role in the County's 
implementation of the Affordable Care Act, accepting a contract to run 
our region's health insurance navigator program.
  Prior to joining FSI, Mr. Harr served as the Chief of Mental Health 
and Substance Abuse Services in Montgomery County's Department of 
Health and Human Services and Deputy Director of the Department of 
Addiction, Victim and Mental Health Services. Mr. Harr also had 
distinguished service in the United States Air Force.
  Mr. Speaker, Thom Harr is an extraordinary and exceptional leader 
whose pioneering spirit, passion and drive led him to fight for those 
who are unable to fight for themselves. His influence in our region is 
profound. I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our deepest 
gratitude and appreciation to him for his outstanding service to our 
community. He has truly made a difference in the lives of countless 
individuals and families, and his impact will be felt, with grateful 
appreciation, for many years to come.

                          ____________________