June 2025 | Issue 43



The Anne Arundel County Local Behavioral Health Authority or LBHA is a

partnership between the Anne Arundel County Department of Health

and the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, Inc.

If you are interested in subscribing to the Anne Arundel County LBHA

Provider Announcement Listserv, please email your request to

aac-lbha-connect@aacounty.org

June is Pride Month, and is meant to serve as a time to celebrate identity. According to Mental Health America, 4.5% of people in the U.S. identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Thirty-nine percent of them report having a mental illness within the last year. Those in the LGBTQ+ community are more than twice as likely to experience a mental health condition within their lifetime, but less likely to receive effective care.. One reason for this is from experiencing minority stress, which is caused by discrimination, rejection, and isolation. Validating the identities and experiences of LGBTQ+ community members can serve as a protective factor and help reduce harmful stigma.

June is also Men's Health Month. This year's theme is Bring Empathy Back: Men Fight Battles We Can’t Always See. Approximately 20% of men experience a mental health condition annually, but men are less likely to seek help than women. Part of this is due to societal stereotypes and expectations that prevents men from getting treatment. Many men have internalized cultural ideas that stigmatize expressing emotions or asking for help. It is important that we all help normalize vulnerability and encourage open and honest communications.

Juneteenth (June 19th) commemorates the emancipation of the last African American slaves in the U.S. in 1865. Here in Anne Arundel County, we are looking forward to the annual parade in downtown Annapolis, followed by a festival at the county fairgrounds in Crownsville. We hope to see you there!

If you are in crisis and need help, our Warmline is open 24/7 at 410-768-5522.

The Anne Arundel County Behavioral Health Advisory Council

Next Virtual Meeting: July 15th

Established in 1999, members of the Behavioral Health Advisory Council (BHAC) include key stakeholders across the system committed to the utilization of the CCISC model and ensuring that Anne Arundel County provides an accessible, comprehensive behavioral health system for all residents.

 Participants on the council are co-chairs from Anne Arundel County Department of Health and Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, mental-health

and substance-use providers, hospital representatives, community members, cultural-organization representatives, and more. 

Their goal is to improve the mental wellness of all Anne Arundel County residents and assure access to needed services. Providers and referring agencies are empowered to successfully identify, refer and treat individuals with any Behavioral Health challenge. They provide input, direction, and influence on

behavioral health action planning in the county.

Meetings are held via Zoom.

All Anne Arundel County residents are welcome to attend,

however registration is required.

Please note there is no meeting scheduled for June, as we encourage everyone to join us at the Help, Healing and Hope Summit on June 17th

Next meeting: Tuesday, July 15th, 9:00 AM-10:30 AM ET

Download the Meeting Registration Link

Join the Anne Arundel County Gun Violence Intervention Team (GVIT) to explore gun violence prevention through local resources, interactive activities, an Intergenerational panel discussion, and insights from guest speakers

on state and local plans to address the issue.



Free giveaways

Free storage lock boxes

Activity guides for children on gun safety

Refreshments

Date and Time: Thursday, June 5th, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM ET

Location: Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library

1410 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401

This webinar, hosted by the Mental Health Association of Maryland, will highlight and address challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Coming from a strengths-based perspective, this session will seek to highlight both the real risks and concerns facing LGBTQ youth today as well as positive messaging and concrete ways to support them.

There is no cost to attend.

Thursday, June 26th, 11:30 PM-12:30 PM ET

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County will be hosting a Youth Mental Health First Aid on Monday, June 9th from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM ET

This training is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing

a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.

Location: The Commons Research Dr., Annapolis

Cost: $25.00

6/3 Webinar: Introduction to Prevention Science and Its Application to Practice

6/3-6/4 Webinar: Maryland Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in K-12 Schools (MAPS) Training

6/3 and 6/10 Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence Pride Webinar Series 101 and 201 to Support 2SLGBTQIA+ Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

6/4 Virtual NTTAC Listening Session: Promoting Employee Wellness Within Organizations

6/5 Webinar: Preventing and Responding to Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment

6/6 Webinar: Providing Ethical, Culturally Responsive Care-Navigating Boundaries, Mandates, and Mental Health Support for Black Women

6/6-6/7 43rd Annual NAMI Maryland Conference (Virtual)

6/9 Webinar: Cross-Cultural Considerations for Hispanics-Latinx Children & Families

6/10 Webinar: Suicide Prevention and Resilience-Voices of Lived Experience

6/11-6/12 Virtual Conference: Supervision Strategies for the Development of Competent Social Workers

6/12 Mental Health First Aid Maryland Summit for CHANGE (Annapolis)

6/12 Webinar: Gender-affirming Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Veterans: Best Practices for Clinicians

6/13 12th Annual Joanna Franklin Conference on Problem Gambling Impacting Communities Through Awareness, Empowerment & Support (Ellicott City)

6/13 Webinar: Engage Me or Enrage Me: Saving Black and Brown Boys from Academic and Social Suicide

6/19-6/20 Webinar: 2-Day Trauma Certification Training-Enhancing Trauma Competency and Building Your Clinical Toolkit

6/24 Webinar: The Silent Battle-Men, Body Image, and Mental Health

6/26 Webinar: Understanding and Exploring the Ethics of Professional Boundaries

6/27 Webinar: Research-Informed Strategies for Dismantling Homophobia and Transphobia in Clinical Social Work

6/1 Kids-n-Kaboodle Children’s Fair (Annapolis)

6/5 Workshop: Brain Health, Mental Health, and Quality of Life for Caregivers (Severn)

6/7 NO HARM VIP Gun Violence Awareness and Wellness Fair (Annapolis)

6/7 Pasadena Park & Pride (Riviera Beach Library)



6/9  Mental Health Check-in and Gun Violence Intervention (Eastport Library)

6/10, 6/12, or 6/23 Prevention Coalitions of Anne Arundel County Free Virtual Narcan Training

6/10 Mindful Moments for Tweens (Discoveries: The Library at Annapolis Mall)

6/11 Black & Suicidal Virtual Peer Support Group

6/11 The Dementia Live Workshop (Glen Burnie)

6/11 Fourth Annual Recovery Anne Arundel Prevention Coalition End of Year Event (Annapolis)

6/14 Anne Arundel County River Days Festival at the Annapolis Maritime Museum Park

6/17 Presentation for Older Adults: When You Need a Helping Hand (Maryland City Library) 

6/20 Webinar: How to Support a Loved One Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

6/21-6/22 Juneteenth Parade and Festival (Annapolis and Crownsville)

6/23 Anne Arundel County Health Equity Virtual Forum

6/25 Our Neighborhood, Our Future Listening Sessions at the Robinwood Community Center (Annapolis)

6/28 Introduction to Meditation (Edgewater Library)