Annapolis, Maryland (DC News Now) — Maryland State Department of Health announced $13.5 million to create a pilot program aimed at improving access to behavioral health services.
“This funding will help ensure we support Marylanders battling the mental health and substance use crises with speed, strategy, expertise and compassion,” the governor said. wes moore Said. “Today, we take an important step in our commitment to building stronger, healthier communities for everyone.”
The funding will be awarded to 19 jurisdictions that applied for funding and will create new behavioral health crisis stabilization centers across Maryland, including Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
“These centers will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will not only provide immediate and equitable care to those in need, but will also lead to lasting, community-based solutions,” said Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health. Alyssa Lord said. she said, she said.
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These centers are the first of their kind in Maryland and are built to provide short-term, intensive crisis prevention and support, including screening, assessment, brief intervention and prescribing capabilities, and navigation to mental health and substance abuse treatment. I did.
Another aspect of the funding is the expansion of agile crisis response teams. These efforts are designed to better utilize resources and reduce visits to emergency rooms and law enforcement.
“Maryland’s Mobile Crisis Teams provide immediate assistance to youth and adults experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis,” said Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “Face-to-face interventions that unfold in real time are key to de-escalating crises and helping patients connect with appropriate long-term support.”
This $12 million is just one part of the Moore Plan for 2024, which aims to address mental health by funneling a record $1.4 billion across mental health and substance abuse programs.
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The funding announcement comes amid increasing bipartisan support to address America’s mental health crisis.
In 2023, 27.3% of Maryland adults report Symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation; breaking news More than 2,500 people have died from overdoses in the past two years, according to a study by the Maryland State Department of Health.
In 2022, Congress passed a bill designating 9-8-8 as the nation’s suicide and crisis lifeline number, shortening it from 10 to three digits.
According to the Maryland General Assembly, Maryland quickly established a special trust fund to reimburse the costs associated with designating and maintaining “9-8-8” as the hotline number. Former Governor Larry Hogan approved Senate Bill 241/House Bill 293 to establish the fund in April 2022, and last year Moore approved legislation to allocate $12 million to the 988 Fund in the 2025 budget.
The announcement comes after a 2022 audit found that system deficiencies were not reviewed before implementation in 2020 and cost the state more than $220 million. It was announced less than a month after it replaced .
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