Thus far, LCPCM is supporting the following two bills in the Maryland General Assembly and urge you to contact your Delegates and Senators to do the same. You can find the information you need to make these contacts by going to the Maryland General Assembly website (http://mgaleg.maryland.gov)

1. The Keep the Door Open Act (SB 497 / HB 595), will improve access to care by ensuring that our community behavioral health providers have the resources necessary to treat those in need. The Senate bill was introduced with 27 co-sponsors and is scheduled for a hearing later this month. The House bill will be heard in the Health and Government Operations Committee next week!

2. These bills that were introduced last week (SB 551 / HB 682) will require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to work with other stakeholders in developing a plan to ensure that walk-in and mobile behavioral health crisis services are available to Marylanders across the state. This walk-in capacity is critical. In places that have implemented highly efficient crisis response systems – both in Maryland and throughout the United States – a central hub, operating 24/7, where individuals in crisis and their families can go without an appointment, is a key to success.