Mental health crisis calls to Maryland’s 211 system increased 61 percent in the last quarter of 2020 compared with the same time period in 2019, while texts seeking help were up 47 percent and chats were up 154 percent, according to a March legislative presentation from the Maryland Department of Health. The coronavirus pandemic is pushing America into a mental health crisisĭan Martin, senior director of public policy at the Mental Health Association of Maryland, said in an interview that the proactive service comes at a crucial time, as calls to crisis hotlines have dramatically spiked during the pandemic in Maryland and nationwide. “Particularly after all we’ve been through over these past 16 months, it is critically important that we continue to focus on the issue of mental health.” We’re also ensuring that his name will forever be a symbol of hope for others who are struggling with mental health issues,” Hogan said. “We aren’t just memorializing Tommy’s memory. It was the first bill Hogan signed into law after the General Assembly session this spring. The counselor can connect the person with services in the community if the person is interested, or just chat if everything appears to be fine. Under the new law, any Marylander can sign up to receive periodic calls from 211 crisis counselors. Cullison (D-Montgomery) proposed a program that would mirror Maryland’s wellness check-ins for senior citizens. Shortly after the death, Zucker, state Sen. “I remember turning to my wife, saying, ‘We’ve got to do something,’ ” he said during a news conference. Zucker (D-Montgomery), the sponsor of the bill, said Tommy’s death “shook my family to the core.” My illness won today.”Ī devotee of Effective Altruism, the 25-year-old law student also asked, “Please look after each other” - a plea that Raskin, Hogan (R) and state lawmakers said they hoped would take root in the new mental health support program. 31 after a long fight with depression, telling his family in a note, “Please forgive me. “We said, of course we would be honored to have you name it after Tommy, and that would be a beautiful and enduring legacy for him to make Maryland a state where not only do you have somewhere to go if you’re in crisis, but where the state then continues to reach out to you.” “We were so moved and inspired by the idea,” said Raskin (D). Now Jamie Raskin is helping lead the impeachment charge. The goal, lawmakers said, is to more proactively offer community mental health services to prevent crises, particularly at a time when state psychiatric hospital beds are at acutely high capacity and as the pandemic exacts a bruising toll on mental health nationwide. The Thomas Bloom Raskin Act, which takes effect July 1, expands the state’s 211 crisis call center so trained counselors can periodically check in with people who need mental health support, rather than waiting for them to call while in crisis. Larry Hogan and state lawmakers Monday to unveil the state’s new mental health support program named in the young man’s memory. Raskin lost his son to suicide, the Maryland congressman joined Gov. As New York State is moving forward with these changes, this will be an important part of future advocacy efforts. It will also help respond to the anticipated overflow needs of individuals in a mental health crisis given the impact of COVID. With all the changes happening in New York in regard to implementation of 988, crisis stabilization centers and mobile crisis teams, this seems like another common sense response to the needs of individuals in crisis. The program would be voluntary and it begins on July 1. This law provides follow up to the State’s 211 crisis line by ensuring that individuals that call the line will receive ‘periodic’ calls from counselors checking in on them and providing either support or links to community providers. Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland just signed The Thomas Bloom Raskin Act (named after the son of Congressman Jamie Raskin who completed suicide on December 31 st).