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MISSION

The mission of the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, Inc. (AACMHA) is provide leadership and collaboration for planning, monitoring, and managing a comprehensive, quality, person-centered Behavioral Health continuum of care for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders that promote prevention, recovery, resiliency, health and wellness for our residents who have, or who are at risk for, these behavioral health disorders.

STRUCTURE

AACMHA is established by State Law (HG§10-1201-1203) and enabled by County Ordinance (Article 2, §2A-102).

The County opted for a not-for-profit management structure with a Board of Directors appointed by the County Executive and accountable to the County Council for its activities.

The establishment of AACMHA created a local single point of accountability, planning, funding, and coordination for the care of eligible residents of the County.

FUNCTIONS and SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS

AACMHA is established specifically to assure that persons with serious and persistent mental illness get the services they need in a coordinated manner and in a community setting.

AACMHA seized opportunities such as Federal Block Grant Funds for the most comprehensive Crisis Response System in the United States.

AACMHA closed numerous other service gaps, such as Mental Health Services in the Detention Centers.

AACMHA has increased the fiscal accountability and program outcomes to a level that allowed new service provision without additional funding in numerous cases.

AACMHA has established a comprehensive planning process that has effected changes in state level budget priorities that resulted in more responsive services at the local level.

LOCAL NEEDS

AACMHA has met local needs by establishing or collaborating to create:

1. The mental health jail project
2. The Crisis Response System
3. A Program of Assertive Community Programs (PACT) for persons who are homeless and seriously mentally ill
4. A self-help program called On Our Own
5. A rapid eligibility determination system and providing urgent care appointments
6. A Case Management Program
7. A Mentoring Program for emotionally disturbed children and their families.
8. Expanded Residential Rehabilitation Programs (Adult Supervised Living Units)
9. A Housing Development Corporation to provide independent housing opportunities for persons with mental illness, which was co-created by AACMHA
10. Expanded in-patient psychiatric care for persons with mental illness by working with both Baltimore Washington Medical Center and Anne Arundel Medical Center
11. The Safe Stations program to help those seeking treatment for Substance Use Disorder
12. The Segue program to help individuals transitioning from in-patient State hospitals
13. The SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) program which is designed to increase access to eligible individuals who are at risk of homelessness who have a serious mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorder
14. The Jail Diversion program
15. Expanded school-based services

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