County Mental

The new director of mental health and addictions for Anne Arundel County's health department says he wants to reach out into the community to make sure residents are getting needed services."

Your spouse has cancer. Your child has diabetes. Your sister has multiple sclerosis. Diagnoses like these are difficult for patients and families to accept. Still, the very act of sharing the news engenders support. Neighbors bring meals. Friends offer help while the patient undergoes treatment. The boss understands you may be late to work. For people with brain disorders and their families, the scenario can play out in a different manner. Because of the stigma of mental illness, the process of accepting a diagnosis, finding treatment and garnering support can be an excruciating journey.

Growing numbers of the county's elderly suffer from depression, isolation and late-onset alcoholism, and better and more sophisticated services are needed to respond to their needs, according to a recent report by the Howard County Mental Health Authority.The authority's report also found that more comprehensive mental health crisis services are needed, as are services for residents who have been diagnosed with more than one type of mental health problem.The report is the first comprehensive mental health plan developed for Howard County since the Mental Health Authority was established in 1997.

When the ailment is physical, people typically know what to do: call the doctor, head to the hospital or consult the Internet for medical advice. When the ailment is behavioral, mental health professionals say, many don't know what to do or whom to turn to, or they hesitate at the thought of talking to a psychiatrist. Mental health officials in Anne Arundel County say they want to open people's minds to valuing mental wellness. That means eliminating the stigma associated with treatment.

Baltimore County Executive Roger B. Hayden's proposed cuts in mental health spending could reduce employment programs and treatment and hurt efforts to help the mentally ill, the county's top mental health official says.Hayden administration budget officials dispute that, claiming the $871,234 cut from a $2 million budget request will not damage the county's mental health programs.Budget Director Fred Homan said that when state and county funds are counted, the mental health programs will have only $78,000 less than they requested.

Baltimore County Executive Roger B. Hayden's proposed cuts in mental health spending could reduce employment programs and treatment and hurt efforts to help the mentally ill, the county's top mental health official says.Hayden administration budget officials dispute that, claiming the $871,234 cut from a $2 million budget request will not damage the county's mental health programs.Budget Director Fred Homan said that when state and county funds are counted, the mental health programs will have only $78,000 less than they requested.

A two-alarm fire that started in ceiling electrical wiring caused at least $200,000 damage to the Harford County mental health clinic Friday night, authorities said.More than 100 volunteers from Bel Air, Abingdon, Fallston, Joppa-Magnolia and Level responded to the blaze at the annex on Hays Street in Bel Air.Using 15 pieces of equipment, firefighters battled the fire for 90 minutes before bringing it under control at 11:30 p.m., authorities said.Bob Thomas, deputy chief state fire marshal, said the fire started in the ceiling above a furnace and janitorial closet, and spread across the ceiling to the walls.

The county could better serve the mental health needs of children and adolescents by:* Creating a single point of entry for easy access to services;* Increasing services in the northern and southern regions of the county; and* Developing support systems for children when they are released from hospitals or inpatient programs.Those are among the recommendations for the county commissioners prepared by 15 representatives from county agencies providing mental health services to children and adolescents.

Frank Sullivan likes a challenge and knows he'll get one as executive director of the county's new mental health agency.Housing here is a "wreck," transportation is "terrible" and many other services are nonexistent or not accessible to mentally ill people, he said Tuesday.But Mr. Sullivan, who holds a comparable position in St. Mary's County, is undaunted."It's a big job," he said. "But I'd like to think that starting a [mental health] agency gives the county an opportunity to develop a system."

Two years into a three-year plan to improve services for the mentally ill, Anne Arundel County has accomplished only one-quarter of its goals, county mental health advocates said yesterday.The county has reached 11 of more than 40 goals, including: establishing a psychiatric emergency response team to provide immediate help to people in crisis; expanding the county's ability to target the elderly who are not receiving services; and creating employment opportunities for the mentally ill, who are often unemployed or underemployed.

AS FEARS of serious school violence spread, school systems and communities are struggling to find the right balance between a safe environment and an oppressive one. Statistics show an overall decline in violent incidents in recent years. But horrific images of lethal havoc in a few schools, like Columbine two years ago today and Santana in March, are persuading most education systems that it's better to be safe than sorry. Firmly dealing with students who threaten others is an effective way to head off school violence.

Growing numbers of the county's elderly suffer from depression, isolation and late-onset alcoholism, and better and more sophisticated services are needed to respond to their needs, according to a recent report by the Howard County Mental Health Authority.The authority's report also found that more comprehensive mental health crisis services are needed, as are services for residents who have been diagnosed with more than one type of mental health problem.The report is the first comprehensive mental health plan developed for Howard County since the Mental Health Authority was established in 1997.

Joining the parade of local governments that have put their mental health services in private hands, Howard County has hired the Sheppard Pratt Health System to provide psychiatric treatment to up to 700 patients previously served by the county Health Department.County officials hope the shift -- effective Feb. 1 -- will be a more cost-effective way of providing psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and licensed counselors for the county's children, adolescents, adults and the elderly.

Charles I. Ecker performed his last official act as Howard County executive yesterday by unveiling a bronze plaque commemorating county residents who suffer from mental illness.Ecker was asked to dedicate a small iris garden and place the plaque at the Omar J. Jones Plaza at the Howard government office complex in Ellicott City.NAMI-Howard County (formerly the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Howard County) provided 181 irises that were planted more than a year ago around the plaza. The group also sponsored the cast bronze plaque bearing the names of 23 famous people who have contributed to the arts, science and government while suffering from mental illness -- including Abraham Lincoln, Vincent van Gogh and Winston Churchill.

The new director of mental health and addictions for Anne Arundel County's health department says he wants to reach out into the community to make sure residents are getting needed services."

Frank Sullivan likes a challenge and knows he'll get one as executive director of the county's new mental health agency.Housing here is a "wreck," transportation is "terrible" and many other services are nonexistent or not accessible to mentally ill people, he said Tuesday.But Mr. Sullivan, who holds a comparable position in St. Mary's County, is undaunted."It's a big job," he said. "But I'd like to think that starting a [mental health] agency gives the county an opportunity to develop a system."

Paul Amonick's 21-year-old son is getting priceless help in controlling his manic-depressive moods and moving toward the independence a job would bring. But the Baltimore County mental health clinic he attends is closing July 30."It's kind of a setback. I'm upset," Mr. Amonick said. He said he hopes that the three weeks left at the Hannah More Day Treatment Center will provide enough improvement so his son can get along with the less-frequent help the county will offer.The closing of the Reisterstown program, which is part of the county's Northwestern Community Mental Health Center, is a dramatic example of the impact of spending cuts in state and county mental health programs.

When the ailment is physical, people typically know what to do: call the doctor, head to the hospital or consult the Internet for medical advice. When the ailment is behavioral, mental health professionals say, many don't know what to do or whom to turn to, or they hesitate at the thought of talking to a psychiatrist. Mental health officials in Anne Arundel County say they want to open people's minds to valuing mental wellness. That means eliminating the stigma associated with treatment.

The county could better serve the mental health needs of children and adolescents by:* Creating a single point of entry for easy access to services;* Increasing services in the northern and southern regions of the county; and* Developing support systems for children when they are released from hospitals or inpatient programs.Those are among the recommendations for the county commissioners prepared by 15 representatives from county agencies providing mental health services to children and adolescents.

The County Council has cleared the way for Anne Arundel to become the first local jurisdiction to use a nonprofit agency to coordinate state-funded mental health services.The council approved a bill Monday night creating a Core Services Agency, which will administer nearly $7 million worth of services from the state Mental Hygiene Administration.The county formed the nonprofit organization in accordance with County Executive Robert R. Neall's philosophy of privatizing some sectors of county government.