June 2024 | Issue 31



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.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and was created in recognition of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Pride Month commemorates the struggle for equal rights and justice and is a celebration of the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to our society. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), LGBTQ+ adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition when compared to heterosexual adults and Transgender individuals are nearly four times more likely to have a mental health condition. LGBTQ+ youth are also at greater risk, with rates of depression six times higher than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Disparities that can be linked to these higher rates of mental health conditions include stigma, discrimination, barriers to mental health care, and personal and family acceptance.



June is also Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. More than 4 times as many men die by suicide than women in the U.S. and over 6 million men suffer from depression every year. Men are less likely to seek treatment than women in part because of social norms against talking about how they are feeling or seeking help. It is important to provide support to the men in our lives who may need help by providing encouragement and by listening without judgement.

Juneteenth became a Federal Holiday in 2021, and commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas in 1865.There are many activities planned across the region to celebrate, we encourage everyone to learn more about this significant event in our nation's history, and to join in the celebration of our nation's second Independence Day.

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

Anne Arundel County Crisis Response Survey

The Anne Arundel County Crisis Response System invites you to take a short survey about your experience using Anne Arundel County Crisis Response services or the Anne Arundel County Crisis Response Warmline.

Your input is valued and the survey includes optional sections

that allow for elaboration on your experience using these services.

Help, Healing and Hope Summit-Making Connections That Matter

Health professionals, community members and leaders, educators and anyone else interested in learning more about suicide prevention practices

are invited to attend the Help, Healing and Hope Summit.

Learn about and discuss current best practices, advances in research and available resources to further advance suicide prevention efforts in Anne Arundel County and across the state. Participants will have the opportunity to network and collaborate with other attendees and diverse community partners. 

This event is free to attend.

Date: Tuesday, Jun 25, 2024 9:00 AM-4:30 PM ET

Location: 

Anne Arundel Community College

101 College Parkway, Arnold, Maryland 21012

Free LGBTQ+ Youth Ally Training

The Maryland Behavioral Health Administration's Office of Suicide is offering a free virtual Ally training on multiple dates in June. The Ally training was developed by the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. This two hour training is designed to create dialogue around being an adult ally for LGBTQ+ youth.

Attendees will learn about common terminology, the “coming out” process,

and challenges at home, in school, and the community.

6/4 Webinar: Social Workers Out Front on the Harms of Corporal Punishment

6/4-6/5 Webinar: Supervision Strategies for the Development of Competent Social Workers

6/6-6/7 Webinar: Two-Day Trauma Certification Training- Enhancing Trauma Competency and Building Your Clinical Toolkit

6/7 Webinar: A Comprehensive Behavior Model for Treating Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors

6/13 Webinar: Understanding Experiences of LGBTQ+ Veteran Trauma Survivors and Maximizing Identity Affirming, Evidence-Based, PTSD Treatment

6/14 Eleventh Annual Maryland Conference on Problem Gambling (Ellicott City)

6/18 Third Annual Anne Arundel County Prevention Coalitions Event (Annapolis)

6/19-6/22 National Association of Social Workers National Conference (Washington DC)

6/24-6/26 Eighth Annual National Symposium on Solutions to End Youth Homelessness (Baltimore)

6/27 Webinar: Cultural Competence and End-of-Life Rituals in the Jewish Faith

6/28 Webinar: The Complicated Ethical Context of Making Required Reports of Harm

6/1 Community Family Day at Downs Park (Pasadena)

6/1 Pride Parade and Festival (Annapolis)

6/2 Kids-n-Kaboodle Children’s Fair (Annapolis)

6/4 Arundel Lodge Open Eye Connection Art Exhibit Reception (Annapolis)

6/6 Anne Arundel County Gun Violence Intervention Team (GVIT) Community Meeting (Severn)

6/7 Caregiver Connect: Building Positive Relationships and Routines (Linthicum Library)

6/7 South County Bridges to a Drug Free Community's Listening Session (Edgewater Library)

6/8 Kingdom Kare Wellness Day Event (Severn)

6/20 Webinar: Making Anxiety Work for You

6/22 Juneteenth Parade and Festival (Annapolis)

6/24 Grieving Families Event at Maryland Therapeutic Riding (Crownsville)

6/26 Webinar: The Art of Parenting Adult Children

6/29 Anne Arundel County River Day Festival at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Edgewater)