Advocates Rally For Mental Health, Substance Abuse Services

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Hundreds of people gathered Thursday in front of Maryland's Capitol to call for better access to services to help people suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders.

People from about 40 groups rallied in Annapolis. One of the measures they are supporting aims to ensure that funding for community health providers is stable and reliable. It's known as the "Keep the Door Open Act."

"The Keep the Door Open Act will do just that -- keep the doors to treatment open by supporting the medical professionals and direct care staff who have been doing more with less for far too long," said Sen. Guy Guzzone, a Howard County Democrat who is sponsoring the bill.

The measure indexes annual funding in the budget to medical inflation.

"We can't let our community health providers drift in the wind during every budget cycle," said Del. Antonio Hayes, D-Baltimore, who is sponsoring the House bill.

Advocates say the legislation is needed to attract and retain qualified licensed professionals and direct care workers. They note that some of Maryland's most vulnerable residents, including military veterans, the elderly and people living in poverty, need services.

"Years of stagnant funding have resulted in Marylanders losing critical access to behavioral health care," said Shannon Hall, executive director of the Community Behavioral Health Association. "We simply can't maintain this downward trend."

Advocates also are supporting a bill that would develop a plan to implement clinical walk-in services and mobile crisis teams statewide, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The plan would be developed by the state health department.

Only three of Maryland's county jurisdictions have a walk-in crisis center, advocates say.

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