Advocate Support Blog

NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore

The NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) network includes over 1200 local affiliates, 50 state affiliates, plus affiliates in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, with a growing national membership of over 220,000.

 

NAMI-Metropolitan Baltimore, Inc. is a grassroots, family-oriented support, education and advocacy organization founded in 1981. Their programs are executed mostly by volunteers, but they are one of the larger and more organizationally sophisticated affiliates in the national NAMI movement. 

For more information visit NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore | Home.

Still need a flu shot?

Free Books in Baltimore

Please see the following link for information on how to get free books in Baltimore.  Pass info on to clients...

http://www.bookthing.org/

Annual Maryland Schizophrenia Conference - 2008

Maryland will be holding its' annual Schizophrenia Conference on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at the BWI Airport Marriott.

This event is sponsored by:
• The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Mental Hygiene Administration
• Mental Health Services Training Center, University of Maryland
• Spring Grove Hospital Center
• Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
• Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland
• NAMI Maryland
• Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland
• VA Capitol Health Care, Network
• Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center
• Sheppard Pratt Health System

The contact for this event is Wendy Baysmore, 410-646-7758

On-Line Registration will begin mid September

Check their web site for updates: http://trainingcenter.umaryland.edu/

Download Schizophrenia.2.pdf

Going Back to School: Resources That Can Help

As the days of summer wind down, kids coast to coast are heading back to school. For parents, teachers, and caregivers, the start of the school year is often exciting, but it can be difficult for kids of all ages. Peer pressure, bullying, and social anxieties can take their toll on kids in hallways and classrooms. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help.

Research-based and practical information is available for you as your children transition from basking in the summer sun to zippering up their backpacks to head back to school. Whether kids are starting second grade or senior year, resources are available to keep them mentally healthy and drug free.
Check out what SAMHSA has to offer and make the best out of the back-to-school time for your children.

Family Guide: Back to School

SAMHSA's Family Guide Web site dedicates an entire section to "Back to School" resources. Everything from helping with homework or issues making friends, to dealing with the back-to-school blues is covered.

SOURCE: SMAHSA eNetwork, August 27, 2008

Maryland Disability Law Center

Every State has a protection and advocacy agency that receives funding from the Federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMS). These Agencies are mandated to protect and advocate for the rights of individuals with mental illnesses and to investigate reports of abuse and neglect in facilities that care for or treat individuals with mental illnesses.

In Maryland, the Maryland Disability Law Center (MDLC) is the designated Protection and Advocacy agency. They are a non-profit legal services organization which is mandated to advance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.

My staff and I have referred numerous clients to the Maryland Disability Law Center to address many different types of legal issues. They are one of the most valuable resources our client's have at their disposal. I can't recall our staff or client's ever having anything but a professional and positive experience with their staff.

Maryland Disability Law Center offers services relating to:
Housing
Maryland Medicaid
Special Education
Community Inclusion
Transportation
Social Security
Employment
Voting
Abuse and Neglect
Students In Sports
Resources for Other Legal Issues

Contact them or visit their website for more information.
Maryland Disability Law Center
The Walbert Building
1800 North Charles Street, 4th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-727-6352
Toll-free: 800-233-7201
TDD: 410-727-6387
Fax: 410-727-6389
Internet: www.mdlcbalto.org

Visit CMS HERE to find the designated Advocacy and Protection for your state.

Please share any experiences you have.

Maryland Departments of Social Services

Allegany County DSS
1 Frederick Street
Cumberland, MD 21502
Mail-P.O. Box 1420
Cumberland, MD 21502-1420
301-784-7000

Anne Arundel County DSS
80 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-269-4500

Baltimore City DSS
2000 N. Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21213
Mail address for all offices-P.O. Box 17259
Baltimore, MD 21203-7259
Information and Referral-410-361-4600

Baltimore County DSS
6401 York Road
Towson, MD 21212
410-853-3000

Calvert County DSS
Goldstein Building
200 Duke Street
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-286-2100

Caroline County DSS
207 S. 3rd St.
Denton, MD 21629
Mail-P.O. Box 100
Denton, MD 21629-0100
410-479-5900

Carroll County DSS
10 Distillery Drive
Westminster, MD 21157-5045
410-386-3300

Cecil County DSS
Multi-Service Building
170 E. Main Street
Elkton, MD 21921-5941
410-996-0100

Charles County DSS
200 Kent Avenue
LaPlata, MD 20646
Mail-P.O. Box 1010
LaPlata, MD 20646-1010
301-392-6400

Dorchester County DSS
627 Race Street
Cambridge, MD 21613
Mail-P.O. Box 217
Cambridge, MD 21613-0217
410-901-4100

Frederick County DSS
100 East All Saints Street
Frederick, MD 21701
Mail-P.O. Box 237
Frederick, MD 21705
301-694-4555

Garrett County DSS
12578 Garrett Highway
Oakland, MD 21550-0556
301-533-3000

Harford County DSS
2 South Bond Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-836-4700

Howard County DSS
7121 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046-2151
410-872-4200

Kent County DSS
350 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
Mail-P.O. Box 670
Chestertown, MD 21620-0670
410-810-7600

Montgomery County DSS
1301 Piccard Drive, 2nd Floor
Rockville, MD 20850
240-777-4600
Germantown 240-777-3420
Silver Spring 240-777-3075

Prince George’s County DSS
6505 Belcrest Rd.
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Mail-Centre Pointe
805 Brightseat Road
Landover, MD 20785-4723
301-209-5000

Queen Anne’s County DSS
120 Broadway
Centreville, MD 21617-1089
410-758-8000

St. Mary’s County DSS
Joseph D. Carter Building
23110 Leonard Hall Drive
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Mail-P.O. Box 509
Leonardtown, MD 20650-0509
240-895-7000

Somerset County DSS
30397 Mt. Vernon Road
Princess Anne, MD 21853
Mail-P.O. Box 369
Princess Anne, MD 21853-0369
410-677-4200

Talbot County DSS
10 S. Hanson Street
Easton, MD 21601
Mail-P.O. Box 1479
Easton, MD 21601-1479
410-822-1617

Washington County DSS
122 North Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21741
Mail-P.O. Box 1419
Hagerstown, MD 21741-1419
240-420-2100

Wicomico County DSS
201 Baptist Street, Suite 27
Salisbury, MD 21801
410-543-6900

Worcester County DSS
299 Commerce Street
Snow Hill, MD 21863
Mail-P.O. Box 39
Snow Hill, MD 21863-0039
410-677-6800

For more information on contacting Local Departments of Social Services, visit the Department of Human Resources (DHR) web-site at http://www.dhr.state.md.us.

Angie's List Review

I had heard about Angie's List and thought it was a neat concept, but I am overwhelmed with advertising, and never got around to checking it out.

Last week I heard something about Angie's List which peaked my interest. I heard that they were now rating mental health providers.

Well, I finally got around to checking it out yesterday, and this is what I found.

First, a little background on Angie's List:
Angie's List is a word-of-mouth network for consumers. It started out as a growing collection of homeowners' real-life experiences with local service companies.

As far as I can tell, Angie's List has been around since 1995 and they claim to have more than 650,00 members nationwide.

What I Found:
Angie's List has expanded and now includes reviews for Physicians (including Psychiatrists and Psychologists), Medical Facilities (Adult Daycare, Assisted Living, Hospitals, etc.), Medical Insurance Providers, and Medical Retailers (Pharmacies, Optical & Dentures), among many other.

Angie's List is a subscription based service, which relies on member experiences and reviews. Companies aren't able to advertise, which is their way of keeping it honest.

The down side is that it isn't cheap. A monthly subscription is $16.95, 1 Year is $63.00, 2 Years $105.00. I'll spare you the rest. Check their website for all their prices. NOTE: the prices I listed were based on my area, Baltimore, the prices in your area may be different.

I didn't purchase a subscription, so I can't be sure, but based on my experience and limited knowledge of Sociology, people are more likely to take action when they are unsatisfied, upset, or downright mad. I hope that Angie's List isn't just a bunch of bad reviews from disgruntled customers. I doubt this is the case, because they have had many positive reviews from reputable magazines.

Conclusion:
Kudos to Angie's List for creating a useful tool for consumers. I am very glad that they have expanded into health care and included mental health services and eldercare. Although the subscription would be a real commitment for me, I am sure that if a member of my family needed specialty health services, the price would seem negligible to me. I hope their membership grows, bad providers weeded out and good providers rewarded. It's Democracy in action!

Please let me know about your experiences with Angie's List.

Baltimore Food Resource

I wanted to let you know of a food resource one of my clients found.
It's the Salvation Army on 814 Light St. Don't quote me, but from what I've
heard is they even give out chicken and other good stuff. The best times
to go are Monday and Tuesday from 8:30-3, but Wednesday and Thursday you
can try from 8:30-12:30. What you need to bring is Photo ID, Social Security
Card, proof of address, and if a client has kids their s.s. card and birth
certificate. The phone # is 410-783-2920. Hope it's useful!

-Kim Johnson, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Coordinator
Advocate Support Services, Inc.

SAMHSA National Conference

In a joint effort to support returning veterans, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, is holding a national conference and policy academy built around enhancing mental health and substance abuse services for veterans and their families.

While the conference registration is closed because of overwhelming interest, SAMHSA offers a variety of support resources available for returning veterans and their families. Be sure to check out the latest materials offered, which can be ordered, free of charge, or downloaded and printed.

Click HERE for Veteran Resources from SAMHSA.