March 2026 | Issue 52



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

March is Social Work Month, and this year's theme is Uplift. Defend. Transform in recognition of the abilities of our Social Workers to positively impact the lives of people they work with every day. According to the National Association of Social Workers, there are over 800,000 Social Workers in the U.S. working in broad sectors including schools, local, state, and federal government, and more. We would like to honor our county's social workers and thank them for their tireless efforts helping our residents overcome challenges.

March is also Self-Harm Awareness Month. According to the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery, cutting is one of the most common forms of self harm, burning, scratching, pulling out hair, and self-bruising are other examples. There are many misconceptions about self harm, including the belief that only adolescents self-injure, and that it is synonymous with a suicide attempt. In many cases, those who self harm are doing so to cope with stress or negative feelings, and are often doing so as a means to avoid suicide.

March 31st is Trans Visibility Day, set aside to to honor the lives and contributions of individuals who are trans while acknowledeging the higher levels of discrimination, poverty and violence they face in comparison to cisgender people. Mental health challenges for these individuals are exacerbated by social attitude, lack of support, and feeling unsafe. Suicidal ideation or self harm rates are significantly higher for this population than for cisgender people.

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

at 410-768-5522.

Our annual Mental Heath Awareness Family Fun Day has moved to a new location! This year's event will now be held at Severn Elementary School,

838 Reece Road, Severn, MD 21144.

Interested in being a vendor at our event?

Vendor applications are being accepted through Friday, March 27th.

To register as a vendor, CLICK HERE or email MHMatters@AAMentalHealth.Org.

Join the Anne Arundel County Gun Violence Intervention Team to learn about the vital role of secure gun storage in reducing gun violence across the county. This informative session will present the evidence supporting this key prevention strategy and highlight ongoing prevention efforts throughout the county.

In addition, they will provide:

Free safe storage lock boxes and gun locks

Gun violence prevention resources

Refreshments

When: Thursday, March 5th, 2026

Time: 5:30 PM- 7:00 PM ET

Location: Edgewater Library, 25 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater

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,

at the Anne Arundel Community College.



They are also accepting nominations for the 2nd Annual Impact of Hope Awards. This award celebrates individuals, organizations or communities whose efforts have created significant positive change by promoting mental well-being and using hope as a transformative force for good. It seeks to acknowledge the power of hope in overcoming adversity, fostering healing and building stronger, more supportive environments where individuals and communities can thrive.

Nominations will remain open until Friday, March 13th and recipients will be recognized at the Help, Healing and Hope Summit on Wednesday, June 24

The Anne Arundel County Behavioral Health Advisory Council

Next Virtual Meeting: March 17th

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, March 17th, 9:00 AM-10:30 AM ET

Download the Meeting Registration Link

Every child learns, feels, and connects differently. By understanding a child’s unique blend of multiple intelligences, parents can nurture emotional awareness and resilience, that may be the key foundations for managing fear, anxiety, and stress. This presentation will focus on the innate capabilities, talents, and skills that come naturally. Attendees will consider ways to recognize these intrapersonal modes in their children and themselves that build on a foundation of confidence. This confidence supports better interpersonal skills to show up in communities with less stress and to show up as their own subject matter expert,

unencumbered by others’ negative influence.

This helps parents shift from correction to connection—seeing their child’s natural abilities as the starting point for mental and emotional growth.

Sponsored by: Mental Health Association of Maryland

Date and Time: Thursday, March 26th, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM ET

For kids and teens, losing a close friend can feel as painful as a romantic breakup.

While a normal part of growing up, friendship breakups can still be uniquely painful for adolescents and teens, affecting the way they think about themselves and their relationships. It’s important for parents to understand why they happen, what to say to help kids cope, and how to talk to them about ending a friendship that no longer feels right. The Child Mind Institute has shared tips for what parents and caregivers can do to help when teens and preteens have lost a friend.

3/6 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP): An Evidence-Based Structured Treatment for Suicide Prevention

3/9 Webinar: Working Together to Promote March Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) in Maryland

3/10 Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 5 (MET/CBT5)

3/10-3/11 Sixth Annual Summit: Suicide Safer Care in Clinical Practice (Virtual)

3/12 Webinar: Understanding Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Increasing Safety: A Trauma-Informed Approach

3/13 Webinar: Becoming an Ally-Mindset, Meaning, & Action

3/18 Webinar: Social Work Licensing Law & Process: Issues for Social Work Supervision

3/19 NASW Maryland Chapter Annual Virtual Social Work Month Conference

3/20 Webinar: Problem Gambling Shame and Guilt #2

3/25 Trauma-Informed Support for Mixed-Status Immigrant Families

3/26 Webinar: Botvin Lifeskills

3/27 Webinar: Screening, Brief Intervention, & Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)

3/27 Conference: Purpose in Life and the Aging Population (Wye Mills)

3/27 Webinar: Engagement and Effective Practices with Mandated Clients

3/30 Webinar: Do the Right Thing! An Ethics Training

4/9 NASW Maryland Chapter’s 2026 Ethics Symposium (Ocean City)

4/9-4/10 Brain Injury Association of Maryland Annual Conference-

“Connecting Minds, Changing Outcomes” (Pikesville)

3/8 Saint Patrick's Day Parade (Annapolis)

3/10 NAMI Anne Arundel Spouse/Partner Support Group for those Married or in a Relationship with Someone who Lives with Symptoms of a Mental Health Condition(Virtual)

3/11 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Meeting (Glen Burnie)

3/11 Community Resource Day to Prevent and End Homelessness (Glen Burnie)

3/11 University of Maryland BWMC Mental Health Support Group (Glen Burnie)

3/11 Webinar for Parents and Caregivers: Get Screen Smart-Essential Tech Knowledge Needed for Digital Parenting

3/12 & 3/26 NAMI Anne Arundel Connection Support Group for Adults who have Experienced Mental Health Symtomss

3/16 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group (Virtual)

3/17 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group (Annapolis)

3/19-3/25 Maryland Day Celebration Events (Multiple Locations Countywide)

3/23 Presentation: What Caregivers Want and Need to Know (Mountain Road Library, Pasadena)

3/23 Anne Arundel County Health Equity Forum

3/25 Our Neighborhood, Our Future Listening Session at Robinwood Community Center (Annapolis)

3/28 Trans Visibility Day Celebration (Busch Annapolis Library)

3/31 Naloxone-Narcan Opioid Overdose Training (Edgewater Library)

3/31 Trans Pride Party (Glen Burnie Library)