Howard County is compiling mental health resources and support for residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders. The county has been keen on raising awareness and providing more mental health services to youth, launching the “It’s OK to Ask” campaign in 2019.

Grassroots is hosting virtual QPR (Questions, Persuade and Refer) Trainings — the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help.

Register at www.grassrootscrisis.org/events

Resources for Crisis

● Grassroots Crisis Intervention, 410-531-6677

● Behavioral Health Navigator, 410-313-6202

● National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-8255

● Howard County Health Department

● Howard County Network of Care 

● Teen Health Matters

Building Youth Resiliency is a rapid-access mental health program that connects families who have commercial insurances or who are uninsured to outpatient psychiatric services and resources. This program includes Targeted Case Management services also known as Care Coordination. Care Coordination works to empower families to achieve their vision through a collaborative, strength-based, and family centered process. Services are offered within the home to best accommodate the family.

The program also includes access to Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program (PRP) services which are an essential piece to community-based treatment for individuals with behavioral health challenges. PRP focuses on skill development and how to access resources that clients need to increase their ability to be successful and healthy. The Building Youth Resiliency programs are facilitated through Center for Children and Therapeutic Connections and serve children and youth ages 3 to 24.

Referrals for Care Coordination with Center for Children can be sent to Tasha Walls, LMSW at [email protected] or by phone at 240-320-2023. Referrals for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program (PRP) with Therapeutic Connections can be sent to Michael Allen, MSW at [email protected] or by phone at 410-961-8423, or online at therapeautic-connections.net.