Mental Health

• Grassroots Crisis and Intervention Center has crisis services available. Visit or call their 24-Hour Hotline at 410.531.6677 or dial 2-1-1 for assistance.
• Howard County Department of Health has additional crisis services available. Visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/Health/Behavioral-Health/Crisis-Services for a full listing of available services.
• Sheppard Pratt offers both walk-in and virtual Crisis Walk-in Center. Visit https://www.sheppardpratt.org/care-services/crisis-admission/ or call 410-938-5302 for assistance.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline:
• The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1.800.985.5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Call 1.800.985.5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
• Unsafe at home or worried that someone you know might be? HopeWorks provides services to women, men, and children impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence in Howard County, Maryland. All services are confidential and fees are based on income. No one is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. HopeWorks has a 24-hour hotline: 410-997-2272. They are currently offering virtual workshops, presentations, and support groups.

The Howard County Bureau of Behavioral Health has many resources available.

• For resources and referrals, call 410.313.6240 or 410.313.6202, or complete this online form. 
• For a listing of Howard County Behavioral Health Providers, follow the link below: Howard County Behavioral Health Providers Telehealth Services – COVID-19
• The Bureau of Behavioral Health also maintains directories of providers to help you find care:
• HCHD Behavioral Health Community Services Directories
• Network of Care Directory of Services (searchable)

• On July 8, 2020 at 12 pm, the Horizon Foundation will host a Trauma Series focused on a group hit especially hard by those challenges: our front-line workforce, including healthcare workers, first responders, pharmacy and grocery-store staff and other vital employees. The forum will offer resources to help “essential workers” who don’t have the option to remove themselves from the pressures of this crisis, and who may more acutely feel the effects of trauma now and into the future. To register for this free, online event, click here.  
• MedlinePlus.gov is an authoritative online health information resources for patients and families. https://medlineplus.gov/mentalhealth.html
• MentalHealth.gov provides one-stop access to U.S. government mental health and mental health problems information. https://www.mentalhealth.gov/
• Howard County Health Department’s Behavioral Health Department provides information about county specific resources.  https://www.howardcountymd.gov/gethelp
• Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration provides information, resources, and government updates of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak and how it relates to Mental Health. https://bha.health.maryland.gov/Pages/bha-covid-19.aspx
• Looking for help with coping with the Coronavirus outbreak? Visit the CDC’s “daily life and coping” webpage. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/index.html
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides education, support, and important information about mental health and the Coronavirus outbreak. https://www.nami.org/Home. Visit NAMI Howard County for local information and support. https://namihowardcounty.org/
• American Psychiatric Association provides information about symptoms, treatment, and prevention about various psychiatric illnesses. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families
• Emotional Support Human Etiquette is a community initiative of the Horizon Foundation that offers practical tips for reaching out and showing support to those living with emotional or mental health challenges. This campaign provides suggestions on ways to start conversations, create a safe space for having those discussions and offer practical help.
• Looking for specific information to support your school-age child’s mental health? Visit the Howard County Public School System’s mental health and wellness page.

The following organizations are available to support recovery with confirmed activity at this time. Consult the organizations’ links for available services, including online meetings.

• Alcoholics Anonymous (local information)
• The Serenity Center (self-help/12 step meeting hall)
• On Our Own of Howard County (open door wellness center)
• SMART Recovery (resources and meeting information)
• Narcotics Anonymous (national meeting locator)
• Free State Region NA (Howard County and other local area NA site)