New Crisis Center celebrates first anniversary of offering expanded community support
COLUMBIA, Md. – October 10, 2024 – Grassroots Crisis Intervention announces that it has provided support to the community via more than 100,000 free crisis calls, 988 texts and chats, and walk-in counseling sessions during the first year at its new Crisis Center in Columbia. Grassroots expanded its crisis services in October 2023 into the new center at 8990 Old Annapolis Road, Suite A, in Columbia.
At more than 11,000 square feet, Grassroots’ Crisis Center houses the 24-hour Grassroots Crisis Line, as well as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call, chat and text programs and 211 Health Check. In addition, walk-in crisis assistance includes urgent care mental health services and substance use disorder programs to screen, stabilize and refer clients to treatment. Mobile Crisis Response, which consists of Grassroots clinicians who respond onsite to community crises, are located at the crisis center. Individuals in housing crisis can walk in for support including accessing a 24-hour food and hygiene pantry. Grassroots also provides free therapy and medication management appointments to individuals in need via its new Outpatient Mental Health Clinic.
During Grassroots’ first year in the new Crisis Center (October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024), its team:
– Answered 80,149 calls for all the crisis lines
– Responded to 30,095 texts and chats
– Completed 1,435 face-to-face crisis counseling sessions
– Responded to 1,165 community crises via the Mobile Crisis Team
– Assessed 275 individuals seeking substance use support
– Provided 1,000 mental health counseling, urgent care and Outpatient Mental Health Clinic encounters
“The need for mental health services has increased exponentially over the past few years, and our Crisis Center has helped us support our community, particularly those who need help urgently and at no cost,” said Dr. Mariana Izraelson, Psy.D, LCADC, Executive Director at Grassroots. “Grassroots is there for those who are most vulnerable in our community, providing free, 24-hour mental health and substance services that save lives in Howard County and throughout Maryland.”
Grassroots has been an integral part of the human service system in Central Maryland for 55 years, providing some services otherwise unavailable and serving as a resource after traditional agencies close for the day. In addition to the Crisis Center, Grassroots operates Howard County’s Emergency Shelter, which consists of a 33-bed family shelter and an 18-bed individual shelter. Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball recently announced the impactful investment of $1 million to Grassroots to expand capacity at the emergency shelter. This new investment will create 20 additional emergency shelter beds with the first phase of construction to be completed in November. Grassroots provides residents with life skills training, and counseling, as needed, as well as assistance with participating in job readiness activities, getting and keeping a job, finding permanent housing and accessing social services.
Grassroots also supports unsheltered, homeless and low-income individuals with hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, case management, a food and clothing pantry and other resources at its Day Resource Center at 10390 Guilford Road, Suite A, in Jessup.
About Grassroots
Grassroots is a private, non-profit serving Howard County and Central Maryland. Founded in 1969, Grassroots evolved from an all-volunteer organization to a professionally staffed multi-service crisis intervention agency. In FY24, Grassroots’ 24-hour crisis services included over 78,000 calls to the Grassroots Crisis Line, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and 211 Maryland, as well as over 24,000 chats and texts. There were 3,983 face-to-face contacts, including 1,171 community responses by the Mobile Crisis Team, and 224 individuals who received substance use disorder services. A total of 547 people were served in the emergency shelter programs, and 1,159 were assisted at the Day Resource Center. To donate, visit www.grassrootscrisis.org. Follow Grassroots on social media at: https://www.instagram.com/grassrootscrisis/, https://www.facebook.com/GrassrootsCrisis and https://www.linkedin.com/company/grassroots-crisis/.
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