October 2025 | Issue 47



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

The first full week in October is Mental Illness Awareness Week. This was began in 1990 following a campaign by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for Congress to create this awareness event. 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youths in our country experience mental illness each year.Most of us are affected by mental illness, either directly or indirectly, and it is vital that we raise awareness and increase education, fight stigma, and promote treatment and support.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. This year's theme is “Access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies”. Learn more from the United Nations about this annual event and access this year's communications toolkit.

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

at 410-768-5522.

The Maryland Community Health Resource Commission (CHRC) and Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports recently approved $9,000,000 in grant funding to support coordinated access to youth behavioral health and wellness services in Anne Arundel County for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Services will be delivered by community providers and coordinated by the Anne Arundel County Local Behavioral Health Authority (LBHA), in partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

This initiative supports a “Hub and Spoke” model that partners school communities, behavioral health providers, and community-based services to increase support for children and families in Anne Arundel County. The LBHA will act as a “Hub” for coordination while engaging and supporting “Spoke” organizations to provide essential services in schools and in the community. Together, the Hub and local Spokes form a Community Supports Partnership. 

Anne Arundel County’s LBHA was one of seven pilot "Hub" organizations awarded last year that were selected to become full Community Supports Partnerships in FY26 through the most recent grant awards. Funding will support both the coordination activities of the Hub and direct services to students provided by

13 community-based “Spoke” agencies.

The 13 “Spoke” agencies include Anne Arundel Community Action Agency, Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, Arundel Lodge, The Children’s Guild, EveryMind, Inc., Innovation Therapeutic Services, Maryland Coalition of Families, Playworks, Restoration Community Development, Thrive Behavioral Health, and Villa Maria.

Services include:

• Counseling/therapy, including telehealth, for students and families in school buildings and out-of-school settings

• Crisis intervention

• Family supports and navigation to behavioral health services

• Substance Use Disorder prevention, services, and referrals

• Prevention and mental health promotion

• Conflict resolution training

Did you know around 75% of people seeking recovery achieve it? It’s true!

 Recovery is something to be proud of and to be celebrated. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health invites you to show what recovery means to you by participating in the Show Us Your Sign Media Campaign.

Everyone can play a part in suicide prevention by promoting well-being and hope.

You are invited to share a photo or phrase about ways you promote suicide prevention, well-being and hope this month, and throughout the year. Photos will be included in a video shared by the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

The Anne Arundel County Behavioral Health Advisory Council

Next Virtual Meeting: October 21st

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, October 21st, 9:00 AM-10:30 AM ET

Download the Meeting Registration Link

Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for this virtual pilot

presentation of Talk Saves Lives: Supporting Our Veterans.

This 60-minute educational program is for general audiences to learn about the impact of suicide among veterans, along with practical ways to recognize warning signs of suicide, navigate tough conversations, and connect veterans to support in ways that respect their autonomy. 

Wednesday, October 8th

Time: 6:00 PM-8:00 PM ET

Cost: Free

Join the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County for a free, in-person presentation of the 2025 Community Needs Assessment-Poverty Amidst Plenty VIII . This event offers an in-depth look at the strengths and challenges facing Anne Arundel County.

Dr. Pamela Brown, lead author of the report and respected data and policy expert, will present key findings and trends in the areas of education, health, housing, income, and the environment. Her presentation will help guide meaningful discussion and inform action across sectors.

Attendees will receive a complimentary printed copy of the full report.

This event is free and open to the public.

Space is limited, advance registration is required.

Wednesday, November 5th

6:00 PM-8:00 PM ET

Anne Arundel Community College

What should parents know about raising mentally healthy children? How can they help their kids learn to manage stress, adapt to change, and build self-confidence? And why is it so important to set examples for a child to follow?

Join McLean Hospital and Jacqueline Sperling, PhD, who will break down the critical skills kids need to build strong mental health, provides concrete strategies parents can use to nurture those abilities, and shares tips for emotional well-being

Can't join the live session? Register anyways to receive a recording.

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 15th

12:00 PM-1:00 PM ET

Mental health is vital to a child’s health and

well-being. Talking to children about their mental health

can be difficult, but knowing how to manage a crisis before it

happens can greatly improve the outcome.

The Mental Health Association of Maryland and Maryland Behavioral Health Integration in Pediatric Primary Care (BHIPP) have developed tipsheets to help parents and caregivers be prepared for a child's mental health crisis.

10/2 Webinar: Listening, Learning, Leading-Cultural Humility and Winning Staff Support for Program Evaluations

10/6 Webinar: Becoming an Ally-Mindset, Meaning, & Action

10/8  Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration's 37th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference, "Creating Safe Spaces: Empowering Individuals and Communities in Suicide Prevention" (Virtual)

10/9 Webinar: When Good Social Workers go Bad- Understanding & Avoiding Detours in Ethical Practice

10/10 Webinar: Hoarding-Mental Health and Harm Reduction

10/10 Webinar: The Importance of Countertransference-Exploring Supervision’s Most Powerful Tool

10/10 Webinar: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

10/16 Child Mind Institute Virtual Suicide Prevention Symposium-Saving Lives, Reaching Every Community : From Prediction to Prevention in Youth Suicide and Self-Harm

10/16-10/17 Mental Health America Conference (Washington, DC)

10/17 Webinars: Updates to DSM for Clinicians and When Therapy Ends: Ethical Considerations of Terminations and Endings (Can Register for One or Both Webinars)

10/17 Webinar: Ethics for Macro Social Work Practitioners

10/17 Suicide Prevention: Considerations for Special Populations ©

10/17 NASW-MD’s 2025 School Social Work Symposium -Leading Change Together (Virtual)

10/17 Power and Privilege in Mental Health (Millersville)

10/19-10/21 2025 Maryland Rural Health Conference-Turning the Tide: Rural Health Solutions for a Changing Maryland (Annapolis)

10/21 Webinar: Implicit Bias Webinar: Increasing Understanding Towards Justice in the Provision of Mental Health Care

10/22 Webinar: Problem Gambling-An Introduction for Social Workers

10/24 Webinar: Resilience Builder Program (RBP)

10/24 Webinar: Ready to Respond- Managing and Treating Suicide Risk

10/27 AFFIRM LGBTQ+ Youth Caregiver Training

10/29 Webinar: The Manifestation of Childhood Trauma in Adulthood

10/30 Webinar: Fostering Psychological Safety in Social Work Supervision

10/4  Glen Burnie Improvement Association FallFest 

10/4 Chesapeake Arts Center's 11th Annual Arts in the Park Festival (Glen Burnie)

10/4 Hispanic Heritage Family Day (Edgewater Library)

10/5 Eleventh Annual Lifeline 100 Community Bike Ride Event

10/7 Webinar: Secondary Trauma-What Is It and How Does It Impact Our Children



10/8 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Glen Burnie)

10/11 Community Wellness Day at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center

10/11 Postpartum Support International’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Event (Discoveries-The Library at Annapolis Mall)

10/14 Dementia 101: Understanding the Changes and Developing Coping Skills (Busch Annapolis Library)

10/16 Free Family Movie Night Under the Stars (Monsters Inc.) at Joe Cannon Stadium (Severn)

10/17 Anne Arundel County Sherrif’s Office 3rd Annual Accessible Trunk or Treat (Annapolis)

10/18 Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival 

10/21 Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Annapolis)

10/24 Riviera Beach 2nd Annual Spooktacular Trunk or Treat (Pasadena)

10/24 Navigating Grief and Loss (Linthicum Library)

10/26 Hancock’s Resolution Halloween Pet Parade (Pasadena)

10/27 Anne Arundel County Health Equity Forum

10/29 Halloween Trunk or Treat at the Glen Burnie Library

10/29 Dementia 101: Understanding the Changes and Developing Coping Skills (Odenton Library)