June 2026 | Issue 55



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 Gun Violence Awareness Month and includes National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Friday, June 5th. Everyone is encouraged to wear orange on this day to show solidarity with gun violence victims, survivors, and those working together to end gun violence. Throughout the month, pop-up Gun Safety Lockbox events are scheduled at county libraries. Click Here to learn more about this program and how you can get a free lockbox.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health's Gun Violence Intervention Team (GVIT) will be hosting a Gun Violence Prevention Event on Thursday, June 4th from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM ET at the Fresh Start Church in Glen Burnie. This event will include a community forum, free safe storage lock boxes and gun locks, resources, refreshments, giveaways, a raffle, and youth activities.

There are other Gun Violence Awareness events planned county-wide througout June, be sure to check out the Anne Arundel County GVIT calendar.

Other important June events include local celebrations to be held in Annapolis. On June 20th, there will be a parade, a festival, and a Reconciliation Ceremony celebrating Juneteenth, an official federal holiday since 2021, which recognizes the importance of June 19th, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that the Civil War had ended

and all those enslaved were free.

If you are in crisis and need help, call 988 or our Warmline is open 24/7

at 410-768-5522.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health is proud to announce that they will host the 3rd Annual Help Healing and Hope Summit, Embracing Experiences That Center Communities, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, from 

 at the Anne Arundel Community College. 

This daylong event is dedicated to suicide prevention strategies and

 practices and will feature workshops, networking and activities.

Who should attend?

Health professionals, community members and leaders, educators and anyone else interested in learning more about suicide prevention practices.

Free CEUs will be available 

Join fellow long-term survivors of suicide loss for a weekend of connection, understanding and empowerment at this summit hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

.

The summit is best suited for long-term loss survivors who have found healthy ways to integrate the experience of losing a loved one to suicide into their lives. The conference features workshops, expert-led discussions, and social activities exploring how grief evolves over time.

Dates:

Thursday, July 16th-Sunday, July 19th

Registration closes on Sunday, June 21st

Location:

Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel

202 E. Pratt St., Baltimore

The Anne Arundel County Behavioral Health Advisory Council

Next Virtual Meeting: Tuesday, June 16th

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.

Next meeting: Tuesday, June 16th, 9:00 AM-10:30 AM ET

Download the Meeting Registration Link

This free training, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Health Office of Integrated Health and Wellness, aims to build LGBTQ+ cultural competency and strengthen supportive environments for LGBTQ+ young people. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of terminology, the coming out process, and challenges LGBTQ+ youth may face across settings.

The session highlights how affirming environments and supportive adults reduce suicide risk and strengthen protective factors, while providing practical strategies to create safer, more inclusive spaces.

Date: Thursday, June 11th

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET

Children’s Nature-Informed Therapy is a quarterly program hosted by the Chesapeake Life Center designed to help kids express emotions and honor loved ones through creative and outdoor experiences. This program is led by certified nature-informed therapist and grief educator Marie Burgess.

Next session: Saturday, June 13th, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM ET

Location:

Hospice of the Chesapeake John & Cathy Belcher Campus,

90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland

To register, call 1-888-501-7077, email griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org

or visit chesapeakelifecenter.org

The early years of life are a critical period for brain development, emotional growth, and relationship-building.

This free webinar, hosted by Children Mental Health Matters!, explores the foundations of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) and the powerful role that family members and providers play in creating safe, nurturing environments for babies and young children. The webinar will offer practical strategies and resources to empower families and those who support them.

Date and Time:

Tuesday, June 16th, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM ET

6/4 Webinar: Motivational Enhancement Therapy/ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 5 (MET/CBT5)

6/5 Webinar: Beyond the Acronym: Understanding the LGBTQIA+ Community

6/10 Webinar: Artificial Intelligence in Social Work: Clinical, Organizational, and Policy Applications

6/10 Webinar: Sleep Health and PTSD in Military Populations- Advances in Research and Practice

6/12 Webinar: Bridging the Divide-Practical Tools for Mental Health Practitioners in Polarized Times

6/17-6/18 Addressing the Mental Health Crisis in Schools (Annapolis)

6/23 Webinar: Screening, Brief Intervention, & Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) with Adolescents

6/24-6/25 Webinar: 12-Hour Clinical Supervision Course: Skills, Models and Tools for Success

6/25 Webinar: To Disclose or Not to Disclose, Ethically That is the Question

6/25 Webinar: Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA)

6/26 Webinar: From Abstraction to Direction-Strategies for Building Your Voice and Presence as a Social Work Supervisor

6/9 NAMI Anne Arundel Spouse/Partner Virtual Support Group for those Married or in a Relationship with Someone who Lives with Symptoms of a Mental Health Condition

6/9 Heart and Soul Grief Support Group (Pasadena)

6/10 University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center Mental Health Support Group (Glen Burnie)

6/10 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Glen Burnie)

6/11 & 6/25 NAMI Anne Arundel Connection Support Group for Individuals over 18 who have Experienced Mental Health Symptoms (Severna Park)

6/12 Community Health Fair at Heritage Baptist Church (Annapolis)

6/15 Workshop for Caregivers: Taking Care of You (Odenton Library)

6/15 NAMI Anne Arundel Virtual Peer Support Group for Veterans and Active/Prior Military Service Members

6/15 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Virtual)

6/16 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Annapolis)

6/22 Anne Arundel County Health Equity Forum

6/22 NAMI Anne Arundel Virtual Family Support Group for Adults with Loved Ones Who Have Experienced Mental Health Conditions

6/24 NAMI Anne Arundel Support Group for Parents and Caregivers of Middle and High School Aged Children Showing Symptoms or Diagnosed with a Mental Health Condition (Severna Park)

6/25 Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Hosted by the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (Annapolis)

6/25 Soul Boxes: Awareness for Gun Violence Prevention (Riviera Beach Library)

6/27 Riviera Beach Community Festival