Pages - Maryland Department of Health develops mental health resources for youth, others coping with violence

July 6, 2022

Media Contacts:

Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536

Chase Cook, Deputy Director for Media Relations, 410-767-8649

Maryland Department of Health develops mental health resources for youth, others coping with violence

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) this week released mental health and crisis resources for coping with violence.

Developed by the MDH Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), this comprehensive resource includes tips, local and nationwide information and fact sheets (in English and Spanish) for parents, educators and behavioral health professionals to help young people.

“Interagency collaboration is key to our success in providing resources for Marylanders in crisis,” said MDH Acting Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health Dr. Lisa Burgess. “Further, using a coordinated framework to effectively support crisis services in Maryland is critical to providing these needs for our residents.”

According to BHA’s Child, Adolescent & Young Adult Services division, tips for coping with violence include:

Avoid overexposure to the news and social media. This is especially important for young people.
Stay aware of your emotional health and how it is impacted by the news you consume, as well as the emotional health of the people around you.
Attend to your self-care needs: go for walks, listen to music, meditate, exercise. Try to keep a regular routine as much as possible. Get enough sleep and nourishment.
Maintain ongoing contact with your support systems, such as friends and family.
Try to recognize when you may need extra support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or offer help to someone who may also be struggling emotionally.
Check on the young ones in your life. Help them talk about their feelings about the situation to help ease their fears.
Seek professional counseling or therapy for yourself and loved ones as needed.

BHA is sharing Mental Health and Crisis Resources for Coping with Violence with behavioral health stakeholders and providers across Maryland as well as school partners and other state agencies.

BHA has been working with the Maryland Department of Human Services, Maryland State Department of Education, Department of Juvenile Services and Department of Disabilities in several areas, including the Mobile Response & Stabilization Services, a youth-specific crisis service model that MDH previously announced is expanding across Maryland.

Through this work, programs that were functioning independently are now operating collaboratively. In addition, information and training sessions are rolling out more uniformly to address challenges.

For more information about crisis services in Maryland, review the summary for Mobile Response & Stabilization Services for Children, Youth, Young Adults and Families.

Access the Mental Health and Crisis Resources for Coping with Violence.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.