Recent News

The March 26, 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore can evoke mixed emotions and concerns for anyone affected by this devastating incident. The Disaster Distress Helpline, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provides free, confidential, and multilingual crisis support for those coping in the aftermath of […]

Finding solutions to workforce challenges is an ongoing need in SAMHSA HHS Region 3. To this end, the Central East MHTTC, in partnership with the Annapolis Coalition, launched the Achieving Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Recruitment and Retention Learning Community on December 13, 2023. Twenty-four behavioral health professionals representing eight select Maryland and Pennsylvania organizations […]

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has released the new report Foundation Work for Exploring Incompetence to Stand Trial Evaluations and Competence Restoration for People with Serious Mental Illness/Serious Emotional Disturbance. This publication provides an overview of the status of the fields of competence to stand trial (CST), incompetence to stand trial, […]

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has released the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Conducted annually, this report provides nationally representative data on substance use and mental health indicators among people aged 12 or older in the United States. […]

The Central East MHTTC is teaming with the National Center for School Mental Health to sponsor the 2024 School Well-Being Learning Community for Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) grantees, as well as state, district, and school officials. Attendees in this four-month virtual series will receive training on resource sharing, best practices, and […]

A new campaign is underway to better identify suicide risk among Delaware's military members and veterans. The “Ask the Question” campaign — which centers around asking “Have you, or a member of your immediate family, ever served in the military?” — will be piloted at the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s Bridge […]

Through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently awarded $232.2 million in grants for behavioral health care and suicide prevention for at-risk communities. More than $200 million of this new funding will increase local capacity for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and […]

West Virginia is launching Critical Access to Pediatric Psychiatry (CAPP WV), a new program that will provide children with in-person or online emergency psychiatric examinations within 24 hours. CAPP WV will also direct children and adolescents to the appropriate state resources and establish a mobile mental health clinic that can be dispatched as needed to […]

A new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions shows that Black children, particularly Black LGBTQ youth, are disproportionately at risk of suicide, and that this danger is only increased by the widespread availability of firearms. Learn more  

Experts say that the combination of frequent shootings, easily accessible weapons, and a sense of hopelessness compounded by social media is likely contributing to rising suicide rates among Black youth and record-high levels of gun violence in major U.S. cities. Learn more

Several Delaware schools are set to launch a new School Safety and Wellness Suite this fall. The system will provide school officials with real-time notifications in the event of an emergency and empower students with the skills they need to deal with difficult situations. Learn more  

According to a new report, Maryland is in the top ten states in terms of policies that promote mental health among new moms and pregnant women. While Maryland may be one of the leading states in maternal mental health services, the organization's overall conclusion is that the United States is "failing mothers" in mental health […]

Maryland's public education system will undergo extensive changes under a major law approved in 2021 called The Blueprint for Maryland's Future. All of the state’s 24 school systems are required to submit a strategy for implementing the Blueprint's five distinct "pillars," or priorities. One of the requirements of this landmark legislation is providing annual training […]

Lived Experience–Led Research Agenda to Address Early Death in People With a Diagnosis of a Serious Mental Illness | JAMA Network Open   SAMHSA Region 3 Central East MHTTC Project Director Oscar Morgan recently co-authored an article in JAMA Network Open with Karen Fortuna, PhD, LICSW (Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine), Robert Walker, MS, […]

Mental health diagnoses increased 15% during the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., according to a new report prepared by the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security. The study also found alarming gaps in the present ability to track and assess behavioral health needs across all demographic categories, even though the report's results on access […]

The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health's RAP (Relax, be Aware, and do a Personal rating) Club educates students about mindfulness and cognitive behavioral techniques with the aim of preventing mental illnesses from developing. Learn More

Effective School Solutions, a supplier of school-based mental health services for K–12 school systems across the country, recently released a six-point best practices guide for districts, states, and federal policymakers to rethink mental health in schools over the next five years.  Learn More

An effort is underway to increase the agricultural community's access to mental health services in order to assist Delaware farmers in managing their stress. The American Farm Bureau Federation has awarded the Delaware Farms Bureau a $5,000 grant as part of its "Healthy Farmers Grow Healthy Crops" campaign to start an outreach program for mental […]

The Latino culture is similar to other cultures where there are added layers of stigma surrounding mental health care. In Kent and Sussex counties, where there is a significant Latino community but few mental health care professionals and other options, this cultural stigma is exacerbated. Efforts are underway to increase the number of agencies and […]

A recent University of Maryland study reveals that the unprecedented uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ measures in state legislatures contributes to the painful litany of everyday thoughts and experiences that cause LGBTQ+ youth to report having suicidal and self-harming thoughts.   Learn More

Federal funding awarded to Bowie State University will provide graduate students who want to become school counselors as well as school-based mental health professionals with training in culturally sensitive counseling. This opportunity will better prepare school counselors for employment in the Montgomery, Prince George's, and Anne Arundel county school systems. Learn More

The University of Maryland, College Park, is offering a one-credit course designed to help students manage negative emotions associated with stress, anxiety and depression.    Learn More

Editor’s Note: This article initially appeared in the March 2023 issue of the Danya Dialogue Newsletter (published March 14, 2023).   In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women's History Month in perpetuity. During this month, we honor the extraordinary achievements of American women. HHS Region 3 MHTTC proudly salutes Annelle Primm, MD., MPH, a […]

Journey to a Trauma Informed Life provides culturally and LGBTQ+ sensitive mental health services in Erie, Pennsylvania. The practice, which began in 2019, consists of 12 therapists who represent the diverse populations they serve.   Learn more