January 2025 | Issue 38



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.

According to a recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association, over 30% of Americans plan to make a mental health resolution in the new year, with 48% of respondents aged 18-34 aiming to do so. For many of us, new year's resolutions bring a sense of optimism and hope for new possibilities, but by mid-month, we are no longer meeting our goals. Often, this is because our resolutions are unrealistic, or may be taking longer to achieve than we expected.

SAMHSA has a guide to building good mental health habits that stick, including breaking bigger goals down in to smaller goals,

practicing self compassion, and resisting comparison to others.

This year is the first to recognize January as Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month. This designation aims to raise awareness of treatment, eliminate stigma around seeking treatment, and to encourage and support those seeking treatment and recovery. This month is also intended to encourage best practices from healthcare providers, such as screening and intervention.

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

Anne Arundel County Behavioral Health Advisory Council

January Meeting

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 on

the third Tuesday of every month at 9:00 AM ET.

The next Behavioral Health Advisory Council meeting

is scheduled for Tuesday, January 21st, 2025,

from 9:00 AM-10:30 AM ET.

All Anne Arundel County Residents are welcome to attend.

Download the Meeting Link

Parent and Caregivers Workshop from

Maryland Coalition of Families

1/8 Webinar: Ethics in Mental Health Treatment and the African American Community

1/14-1/15 Webinar: Fourth Annual CE You! Virtual Winter Conference

1/16 Webinar: Suicide Prevention-Considerations for Special Populations

1/16 Webinar: SAMHSA's Resources to Support the Behavioral Health Needs of the Military/Veteran Community

1/22 Webinar: Workplace Mental Health-Curbing Stigma & Creating a Culture of Well-Being

1/23 Webinar: Survive and Thrive Safety Planning-Reframing the Safety Plan as a Tool for Patient and Provider Resilience

1/23-1/24 Webinar: Suicide Death Investigation

1/31 Webinar: Managing Crisis and Challenges in Telehealth

1/31 Webinar: Making the Tough Call- Legal & Ethical Issues Related to the Decision to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment

1/7 Introduction to Mindfulness (Broadneck Library)

1/8 Caregiver Support Group Meeting (Glen Burnie)

1/9 Virtual Training: Question, Persuade, Refer- Three Simple Steps Anyone Can Learn to Help Save a Life from Suicide

1/9 Guided Grief Circle (Edgewater Library)

1/14 Anne Arundel County Human Trafficking Collaborative Presentation and Red Sand Project Demonstration (Severna Park Library)

1/27 Workshop: Cultivating Playfulness During Times of Uncertainty (Annapolis)

1/28 Webinar: Tweens and Their Friendships- Navigating Volatile Emotions

1/29 Virtual Training: Mental Health First Aid