Integrating mental health and substance abuse services in Maryland

The state of Maryland is preparing to make major reforms to the public mental health system. Currently, mental health services and substance abuse treatment are delivered through two separate administrations, under different regulations, and using different funding sources. Now, Maryland seeks to integrate these two systems into a single behavioral health system.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is soliciting feedback on models for merging these two systems. Information about the process and a schedule of public meetings is located here. Access a glossary of terms commonly used in health care financing here.

The next public meeting will take place on May 1, location to be announced. The decisions made at this meeting and subsequent ones will influence the delivery of mental health care in Maryland for years to come. We urge providers, caregivers, and all advocates to learn about behavioral health integration in Maryland and weigh in so we can ensure the new system supports the highest quality of mental health care for children and adolescents in the state.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Summit in Western Maryland - April 21

April 21, 2012 9 AM-2 PM
Springhill Suites, 17280 Valley Mall Road, Hagerstown, Md, 21740

Dr. Erica Sibinga, assistant professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins, will discuss the use of mindfulness interventions in primary care. Dr. Jane Foy, professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, will describe the experience of fostering collaborations between primary care providers and mental health practitioners in North Carolina.

The summit is sponsored by the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Parents' Place of Maryland, and Children of Maryland Mental Health Advocates Together (COMMHAT). Primary care and mental health providers are invited to attend the presentations, network with colleagues, and strategize about the child and adolescent mental health needs specific to their regions.

Registration is free. Please email Kate Franklin of the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics if you would like to attend. No CMEs will be provided.