Panel Addresses Mental Health, School Security

A forum to discuss mental health initiatives in the county will be held at Anne Arundel Community College on Tuesday, featuring experts from across the state.

The panel will provide updates on what improvements can be made in Anne Arundel County, including adding school resource officers to more public schools.

Anne Arundel County Government released the following information on Monday about event:

Anne Arundel County will host a forum tomorrow to discuss mental health initiatives in the wake of the Connecticut shooting and other tragedies across the nation.

Mental health is a key piece in our discussion about how to prevent these terrible events, which often a perpetrated by a lone gunman who goes unnoticed until the unthinkable happens. We can do more as a community to stop these ticking time bombs before they explode.

The forum will be held at Anne Arundel Community College on February 12th in the Cade Building, Room 219, from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The panel will revisit topics discussed at a forum two years ago. Experts will evaluate what progress has been made in identifying and treating mental illness and identify persistent gaps.

The County has taken several steps to strengthen mental illness and public safety initiatives, including increased funding for the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency and the Crisis Response System, expanding the School Resource Officer Initiative to middle schools and hiring a Mental Health Services director at the Jennifer Road Detention Center.

Panelists representing the following agencies will serve on the panel: 

• Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, Inc.
• Anne Arundel County Police
• Anne Arundel County Department of Health
• Anne Arundel County Public Schools
• Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities
• Baltimore-Washington Medical Center
• Anne Arundel County Detention Service
• Anne Arundel County Crisis Response System
• Anne Arundel Medical Center
• Anne Arundel Community College