Anne Arundel To Launch Two New Mental Health Response Teams

BROOKLYN PARK, MD — Anne Arundel County is creating two new mental health teams to serve residents addicted to heroin and opioids, and to help students in the public school system. County Executive Steve Schuh on Wednesday signed legislation to fund another pair of mental health Mobile Crisis Response Teams, which will work with police, according to a county statement.

“As our county continues to fight back against mental illness, our Mobile Crisis Response teams are crucial,” Schuh said in the statement. “This investment will ensure our citizens get the help they need when they need it the most.”

Schuh signed the measure, passed by the County Council on Oct. 15, at a ceremony at Anne Arundel County Fire Station 31 off Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park. The legislation provides $470,000 annually to fund the two new teams.

The county's Mental Health Agency oversees the Mobile Crisis Response teams, which respond primarily to calls from police. County staff members are then dispatched to assist in stabilizing the affected person "and connect them to the most appropriate services," the county statement added.

During 2017, the teams were dispatched 1,912 times, the county said. The Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency serves residents on a 24-hour basis.

One of the new Mobile Crisis Response teams will support Anne Arundel’s Safe Stations Program, in which any resident who is suffering from a heroin or opioid addiction can go to any fire station in Anne Arundel County or Annapolis and get connected to services.

The other team will be assigned to the county's public schools to provide emergency mental health services to students.

Image: In a ceremony Wednesday, County Executive Steve Schuh signs a $470,000 measure to create two new Mobile Crisis Response Teams, which will work with the Anne Arundel Police Department in handling mental health emergencies. The ceremony took place at a county fire station in Brooklyn Park.