Recently the Maryland Department of Health sponsored a training for those who wanted to offer presentations on medications for addiction treatment (MAT). MCF’s Ginger Rosela was one of the people trained. We asked her a few questions about what she learned. “MAT prevents overdoses. People think that it is substituting one drug for another. No. It is part of harm reducti ..

Have you had trouble finding an in-network behavioral health provider for your loved one through your private insurance? Here at MCF we hear stories about tremendous barriers families face including: Online provider directories that are inaccurate or out of date. They fail to note that a provider is not taking new patients, or is no longer taking a certain insurance plan ..

The current statistics regarding youth mental health are troubling. More and more students report feeling depressed. Even more alarming, between 2009 and 2017, the number of high school students who reported contemplating suicide increased 25 percent. It could be that more teens are willing to admit they are struggling, but deaths by suicide among teens have increased as we ..

Are you familiar with your Local Care Team (LCT)? It can be a great resource in finding help for your child. LCTs were funded across Maryland by the Governor’s Office for Children with the express purpose of helping families of children with intensive needs. They can help identify potential resources for your family through a coordinated interagency approach. The Local Care ..

By Lorri Irrgang You want to share love and feel loved by the person who is struggling with addiction, but often all you feel is a broken heart. No matter how hard you try, you cannot get to a place of emotional connection or availability. It feels like every time you reach out, you end up disappointed. And if you love them too much, you risk crossing the line to enabling.  ..

By Gail Doerr Stress surrounds us and can be a chronic state for some. When unmanaged, long-term stress can make us susceptible to anxiety or even depression. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress, one tactic that has proven helpful for many people is journaling—writing about thoughts, concerns and feelings. Not only can it ease symptoms of s ..

By Ann Geddes Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem experienced by children and adolescents. More than 30% of youth will develop an anxiety disorder sometime before they turn 18. Yet only 20% of them ever receive treatment. Left untreated, these and other struggles may continue into adulthood. Anxiety disorders can easily be mistaken for the typical fe ..

September is National Recovery Month—a time to bring increased awareness of mental illness and substance use as well as the hope for recovery. This campaign promotes the benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes t ..

Just like computers, we all sometimes need to shut down for a short time so that we can “reboot.” Summer days are coming to an end and the hectic schedules of school, work and extracurricular activities are gearing up. In this transitional time, you may find it hard to take care of yourself and stay focused and motivated. Here are three tips to help you reboot, with resourc ..

The transition to adulthood can be lengthy and difficult for all young adults—not just those with mental health disabilities. As our society has become more complex, the adult milestones of completing high school and/or starting college, finding a job that pays a living wage, and leaving the family home often are not achieved until age 30 or later. For young adults wi ..