February 2024 | Issue 27



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.

February is Black History Month, and in recognition, Mental Health America has compiled a list of Black Pioneers in Mental Health. We invite you to learn more about the work of people such as Robert Lee Williams, II, who helped dispel the belief that Black people had lower average intelligence than white people and Inez Beverly Prosser, Ph.D., who studied the effects of racism and racial inequality on the development of Black children's mental health.

On Sunday, February 4th at 5:00 PM, County Executive Steuart Pittman, in partnership with the Caucus of African American Leaders, will be holding a Black History Month event, the "Few of Many" Awards at Maryland Hall in Annapolis.

This year's awards will honor individuals in our county who have employed art as a means to safeguard history, uphold communal memory, and foster empowerment. This theme beautifully encapsulates the remarkable impact Black Americans have made on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and beyond.

February 16th is National Caregiver's Day, and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for those who carry the responsibility of care-giving, both as professionals and as unpaid caregivers to loved ones. The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities hosts free caregiver educational workshops, and has upcoming sessions including the Mechanics of Caregiving, the Dementia Live Experience, and Dementia: It's Not Just Memory Loss.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is February 26th-March 1st. A majority of people living with an eating disorder also experience depression or anxiety disorders. Other risk factors include personal experiences of trauma, cognitive inflexibility, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, personal history of a substance use disorder, and having a close relative with an eating disorder,

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

SAHMSA Webinar: Behavioral Health Equity Best Practices for African Americans

On Monday, February 5th, the SAHMSA Office of Behavioral Health Equity will be holding a free webinar, Behavioral Health Equity Best Practices for African Americans, from 1:30 PM-3:00 PM ET. During this virtual Black History Month celebration, participants will learn how collaborations to leverage best practices can advance health equity within African American populations and for underserved communities.

Topics will include increasing awareness of best practices in health equity for African Americans, understanding resiliency and the impact of trauma within African American communities, and the impact of training and capacity building programs for African American providers.

Youth Poster Competition

The Children’s Mental Health Matters! Campaign, organized by Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) and the Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD), is soliciting artwork created by youths up to 18 years old for its 2024 awareness raising activities to help fight stigma and inspire positivity.

The agencies select a piece from those submitted for their annual poster which is displayed in schools, non-profits and other agencies across Maryland to raise awareness of the importance of children’s mental health.

The deadline to submit artwork is February 16, 2024.

Youth Webinar: Understanding Healthy and Unhealthy Relationship Behaviors - Staying Safe and Setting Boundaries

Children's Mental Health Matters is a statewide public service campaign with collaboration from the Mental Health Association of Maryland and the Maryland Coalition of Families, with support from the Maryland Department of Health.

On Thursday, February 15th,at 11:30 AM, they will be hosting a free webinar for youth, Understanding Healthy and Unhealthy Relationship Behaviors - Staying Safe and Setting Boundaries. Attendees will learn about the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and learn the importance of setting boundaries.

Topics will include:

The 10 signs of a healthy and unhealthy relationship.

How to make sense of what you're seeing in relationships around you and think about what healthier relationships look like.

How to recognize if something feels off and what to do about it.

How social media and pop culture can normalize unhealthy behaviors and how to respond.

2/7 Third Annual Addiction and Recovery Conference (Virtual)

2/7 Webinar: Facilitating Critical (Yet Uncomfortable) Conversations in Supervision

2/8-2/9 NAADAC Summit: Engagement in the Black Community (Virtual)

2/9 Webinars: Evidenced-Based Trauma Informed Stabilization Tools and Grief Toolbox Training (Attendees can Register for One or Both Trainings)

2/13 Webinar: Teen Dating Violence - You Don't Know What You Don't Know 

2/15 Webinar: Unmasking Microaggressions in a Clinical Setting

2/15 Webinar: The Connection Between Heart Disease and Mental Health in the Black Community

2/16 GGEAR Conference: Aging Well: Approaches to Ensure a Healthy, Happy and Engaged Older Age (Virtual)

2/21 Maryland BHA’s 10th Annual Peer Leadership Conference

2/28 Webinar: Hoarding: Insights and Innovations for Social Workers

2/2 Narcan Training with South County Bridges Coalition (Edgewater Library)

2/3 Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks 2024 Summer Camp Fair (Severna Park)

2/3 Nyame Nti West African Drummers (Glen Burnie Library)

2/5 Workshop: Discover YOU and Find Your Purpose Through Self-Reflection (Annapolis)

2/8 Webinar for Parents, Educators, and Providers: Addressing and Overcoming Test Anxiety

2/17 Learn About Medicare (Eastport Library)

2/20 Black History Month Movie Night (Brooklyn Park Library)

2/23 Free Adult Mental Health First Aid Training (Virtual)

2/24 Workshop: Grief Shatters, Love Prevails: How to Navigate Grief (Annapolis)

2/24 Black & Suicidal Peer Support Group (Bowie)