mental health services

Maple Shade Youth and Family Services:  Provides outpatient mental health care for children, adolescents, and their families in the Somerset County area.
We serve our clients in schools, offices, and in the community. PRP and respite services also available. Partners with local agencies to coordinate youth services, programs, and family involvement. They frequently obtain grants to provide more support to clients such as, tobacco initiatives, hygiene kits, summer programs, and Christmas assistance. 

Phone: 410-621-5177
Location: 11793 Somerset Ave, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Phone: 410-968-3547
Location: 382 W Main St, Crisfield, MD 21817

Life Crisis Center, Inc:  Offers trauma informed counseling for children and adolescents at no cost with a goal to help children and teens to regain their sense of self after going through trauma from abuse. Provides evidence-based treatment to individuals suffering from the trauma that comes with being a victim of sexual assault or abuse.

Phone: 410-749-0771

Healthy Families Lower Shore:  A family support program, focusing on families with children ages 0-5, in Somerset County and the southern part of Worcester County.
If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact Diane at 443-709-8434, or our Family Outreach Specialist, Genine Campbell at 410-603-0367.

Phone: 410-603-0367
Location: 30159 Prince William St, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Salisbury PFLAG:  Provides a multitude of services for LGBTQ youth to include a weekly Zoom call for kids to network as well as in person monthly meetings.
We also provide recommendations for youth who are in need of mental help, homelessness, and addictions.
We also help those who are considering transitioning or just simply need someone to talk to and help understand them.

Phone: 603-662-7591
Location: 115 W. Main Street, Salisbury, MD 21801

2-1-1 Maryland:  A free service that connects individuals in need to services like food, housing, mental health, and substance use support. 211 callers are automatically connected to their local call center for assistance. 211, press 1 callers are connected to a larger group of crisis centers. 

Phone: 211

9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:  Offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 

Phone: 988

Chesapeake Health Care Behavioral Health:  Chesapeake Health Care’s Behavioral Health provides psychiatric evaluations, medication management, individual, group, couples and family therapy, and school-based treatments. Our staff of more than 60 providers include Adult Psychiatrists, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, LMSWs, LCSW-Cs, and LCPCs.

Phone: 410-651-2204
Location: 12145 Elm St, Princess Anne, MD 21853 

Mobile Crisis Team:  The Mobile Crisis Team is prepared for immediate dispatch to behavioral or mental health crises 24/7. Once on scene, our two-person team will assess the severity of the crisis, implement immediate relief, and coordinate a path to recovery and sustainable health.
Our Mobile Response Stabilization Service (MRSS) program provides crisis response and stabilization to youth and their families. Building on existing regional and county services and utilizing a family-centered approach, we support families with crisis de-escalation strategies, short-term stabilization, and strategic coaching to prevent and diffuse future crises

Phone: 888-407-8018

The Wellness Center of Maryland:  Outpatient mental health services offered through a holistic lens. Accepting all ages for in office, school-based, and/or community counseling. LGBTQIA2S+ informed, culturally sensitive, offering a safe space for all. Autism Spectrum Disorder Certified Specialist on staff. Interpreter available for Spanish-speaking students and their families.

Phone: 443-978-8983
Location: 1001 Eastern Shore Dr, Unit B, Salisbury, MD 21804

Mind Over Matter Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program:   Outpatient mental health services offered through a holistic lens. Accepting all ages for in office, school-based, and/or community counseling. LGBTQIA2S+ informed, culturally sensitive, offering a safe space for all. Autism Spectrum Disorder Certified Specialist on staff. Interpreter available for Spanish-speaking students and their families.

Phone: 443-978-8983
Location: 1001 Eastern Shore Dr, Unit B, Salisbury, MD 21804

741741 Crisis Text Line:  Text “HOME” to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime for any crisis.  A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment. Text, WhatsApp, and chat features are available.

Phone: 741741

The Trevor ProjectText “TREVOR” to 1-202-304-1200

Phone: 866-488-7683

The LGBT National Help Center  

Phone: 888-843-4564

The LGBT National Coming Out Hotline  

Phone: 888-688-5428

family services

Somerset Judy Center:  Serves families with children from prenatal through the end of their Kindergarten year by offering parenting groups, case management, referrals to community resources, play groups and family engagement opportunities. The Judy Center also assists with basic needs such as car seats, diapers, and food pantry.
The goal of the Judy Center is that all children enter school ready to learn. 
There are no income eligibility requirements for Judy Center programs.

Phone: 410-968-1295
Location: Woodson Elementary, 281 Woodson School Rd, Crisfield, MD 21817

Phone: 410-651-0481
Location:  Princess Anne Elementary, 11576 Lankford St, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Department of Social Services:  In-Home Services offers a continuum of services designed to promote the safety and well-being of children and their families; enhance a parent’s ability to create a safe and stable home environment; and maintain permanency while preserving family unity. In-Home Services programs are designed to enable a child to remain safely at home while receiving intervention services. Ensuring the safety, well-being and permanence of children is paramount to child welfare practice. A referral to In-Home Services can be made to the Department of Social Services by anyone who believes these services would benefit a family or a family may request these services as a self-referral. The level of service provided, the intensity of time spent with the family and the frequency of visits is determined by risk and safety factors. Families are served in order to assist them and to work to eliminate future risk and safety issues.

Independent Living Services are available to youth ages 14 to 20 who are in an out of home placement setting and are designed to prepare youth to transition from foster care into self sufficiency. Youth participate in transitional planning with a focus on the development of basic life skills; building connections to community resources and enhancing personal and professional networks of support. Areas of focus are housing, health care, education, employment, financial literacy, and social and emotional well being.

Phone: 410-677-4200
Location: 30397 Mount Vernon Rd, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Local Care Team:  We are a division of the Somerset County Local Management Board, funded by the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, set out to help reduce out-of-home placements by connecting families to resources in the county. 
We assist youth who have intensive needs or are at risk for out-of-home placements in order to connect them with services, resources, advocates, and navigators. We can explore any need for diagnostic evaluation, residential treatment, or voluntary placement.

Email:  [email protected]

Phone: 410-651-2963
Location: 7920 Crisfield Highway, Westover, MD 21871

health services

Chesapeake Health Care Medical Services:  Offers comprehensive health care for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults up to the age of 18 years. We provide all health services including well-baby checkups, immunizations, and school physicals. Our providers are Board-certified Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants.

Phone: 410-651-1000
Location: 12145 Elm St, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Chesapeake Health Care Dental Services:  Offers a full range of dental services, from cleanings and fillings to root canals and crowns. We also offer a school dental sealant program to help prevent cavities in children.

Phone: 410-651-5151
Location: 12165 Elm St, Princess Anne, MD 21853

School Based Wellness Center:  Chesapeake Health Care’s School Based Wellness Center at Washington High School offers a variety of resources including treatment for acute illness (like a sore throat and the flu), treatment for chronic conditions (like diabetes and asthma), sports/school physicals, primary care (if you do not have a primary care provider), and counseling on healthy nutritional habits/how to prevent injury or violence and other threats.

Phone: 410-651-4040
Location: Washington High School, 10902 Old Princess Anne Rd, Princess Anne, MD 21853
Hours: Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

Chesapeake Health Care Pharmacy:  Offers 340B Drug Pricing that allows you to buy outpatient prescription drugs at a discount of 25% to 50%. You can order refills online, and pick up your prescription at the pharmacy counter. We also offer drive-thru pickup and delivery options.

Phone: 410-651-5555
Location: 12137 Elm St, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Somerset County Health Department Youth Cessation Program:  The Vaping Cessation Program is a 10-week program to help individuals quit using vaping products. With the assistance of a certified quit coach, participants will develop their own personalized plan to help them reach their goals. The program includes 8 weekly core sessions followed by 2 additional support sessions. Participants will be provided with a cessation workbook and will also receive incentives for participating. Vouchers for free nicotine replacement therapy are also available to all participants.
Virtual or in person sessions are available.

Phone: 443-523-1700
Location: 8928 Sign Post Rd, Westover, MD 21871

Somerset County Health Department Reproductive Health Program:  Offers a variety of reproductive health services to teens and women of childbearing age, as well as males, such as routine GYN exams, free condoms, screening for sexually transmitted infections like HIV, health promotion/disease prevention, variety of birth control methods/information/education, emergency contraception, and pregnancy testing/counseling/referrals to community resources. Additional services may be available based on individual needs. Teen friendly services; due to federal law teens can receive confidential reproductive health services without parental permission.

Phone: 443-523-1700
Location: 8928 Sign Post Road, Westover, MD 21871
Hours: Appointments available weekly on Thursdays. Nurse counseling available Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

Somerset County Health Department Free Naloxone Training:  Naloxone, also known as Narcan®, is a life-saving medication that can quickly restore the breathing of a person who has overdosed on heroin or prescription opioid pain medication like oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, fentanyl or methadone. When administered it reverses opioid overdose by restoring breathing in the body. Narcan is safe to use on any individual. The side effects are minimal and rare and effects wear off in 30 – 90 minutes. The individual administering Narcan still needs to call 911 for emergency medical help. Individuals who complete the training program will receive a free naloxone (Narcan®) kit.

Phone: 443-523-1700
Location: 8928 Sign Post Rd, Westover, MD 21871

Good Samaritan Law:  Maryland’s Good Samaritan Law protects people assisting in an emergency overdose situation from being arrested or charged with certain crimes.
The purpose of the law is to encourage any person regardless of age, who experiences or observes a medical emergency caused by the use of alcohol or other drugs, to seek medical assistance without fear of arrest for certain crimes.

housing & homelessness services

Fenix Youth Project:  Fenix Youth Project encourages community service and positive activities within the youth community, engaging them with creative arts. Whether dance, music, poetry, or photography, these creative tools serve as methods to impact social change. We create safe spaces grounded in social justice and creativity for young people to learn, educate, and transform lives and communities. We also service unaccompanied and or disengaged youth and emerging young adults by providing resources, referrals, and case management.

Phone: 443-736-7028
Location: 212 W Main St, Suite 309, Salisbury, MD 21801

after school services

It Takes A Village:  It Takes a Village to Help Our Children provides after school, summer and college access programs for youth ages 5 – 17 in the Crisfield, MD and surrounding areas. Our programs provide homework help, tutoring, character development, academic enrichment, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) programming, as well as recreation, field trips and a hot meal each day.  It Takes a Village to Help Our Children provides a place of safety and belonging where we help our youth discover their gifts and talents and find their place in this world.

Phone: 410-958-1062
Location: 943 West Main St, Crisfield, MD 21817
Hours: Monday – Friday 2:30pm – 7pm

Figi 4 The Kids Inc:  Our mission is to educate, empower and equip our youth to a better future.

Phone: 410-651-5373
Locations:
30515 Pecan Dr, Princess Anne, MD 21853
                    12302 Somerset Ave, Suite 1, Princess Anne, MD 21853 (open Tuesdays and Thursdays 6pm – 8pm, beginning February 2024)

Mailing address: PO Box 893, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Guerrero Productions Boxing Club:  Guerrero Productions Boxing Club is a Youth and Adult Fitness Club that is centrally located right in the heart of Princess Anne, MD. Their fitness/recreation program features problem resolution classes centered on teaching discipline, confidence building and essential self-defense skills. Guerrero Productions provides a safe place to give youth a constructive, healthy alternative to gang violence and drug activity through the art of boxing while they build the life skills and determination necessary to seek a positive future for themselves and their community. Their vision is to make a significant impact on the local community’s health and lifestyle and to provide outlets for young people to develop and participate in the local community.

Phone: 443-944-1025
Location: 12028 Somerset Ave, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Workforce services

Junior Achievement:  Junior Achievement’s proven lessons in financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship are shown to positively impact the lives of young people. These lessons align with national and state educational standards and are delivered to millions of students across the country with the help of our education partners and volunteers from the local community.

Phone: 410-742-8112
Location: 327 Tilghman Rd, Suite 100, Salisbury, MD 21804

miscellaneous services

Human Trafficking Regional Navigator Program:  The Regional Navigator program at Life Crisis Center provides long term case management, victim advocacy, and resource connection for sex trafficked youth through age 24. The Navigator program provides support for identified trafficking survivors, and youth at risk of being exploited.

Phone: 410-749-0771 x118

Adolescent mental health statistics

The CDC defines mental health disorders among adolescents as, “serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, causing distress and problems getting through the day.”

Half of all mental conditions start by the age of fourteen.  ADHD, anxiety, behavior problems, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in adolescents. 

mental health conversation dos and don’ts: 

Do

Don’t

Listen:  Actively pay attention to what the other person is saying without interjecting. Ask open questions to allow the individual to be able to fully express what they are feeling. If you need clarity, ask. 

Dismiss:  While comments like, “It’ll all work out in the end” and “Just take a breather” are said and meant with good intentions; it often invalidates a person’s feelings and experiences. Recovering from mental illness takes time and effort. Avoid being judgmental. 

Let them know that you hear what they are saying:  If you’ve experienced something similar, this is a great time to let them know that they are not alone in their struggle. Keep the focus on their needs and struggles. Normalizing mental health will continue to reduce stigmas surrounding getting and receiving help

Let your emotions take over:  Hearing someone communicate about their struggles around mental health can be hard and overwhelming. Watching your words and body language is important. Negativity can cause more problems for the individual and push them from reaching out for help again. 

Offer support:  Mental health conversations aren’t solved from one talk. Making yourself available and a safe person to talk to can open up additional lines of communication when they are needed. 

Take it personally:  Guilt and blame are common emotions to feel; however it’s important to remember it’s not your fault. You can be a part of the solution. 

 


suicide prevention

Suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. From 1999 to 2019, suicide rates increased by 33%. 

protective factors: 

  • Supportive relationships with caregivers/parents/guardians/friends
  • Problem solving and coping skills
  • Mental and physical health care availability/resources
  • Cultural and religious beliefs 
  • Self-esteem and sense of belonging
  • School safety and academic achievement
  • Safe environments
  • Access and awareness to mental health services

warning signs: 

  • Sense of hopelessness for the future
  • Engaging in risky behavior
  • Self harm
  • Frequently talking about death
  • Withdrawing from favorite activities
  • Changes in mood and behavior
  • Substance misuse

Watch Moving Forward to learn more about how increasing what protects people from violence and reducing what puts people at risk for it benefits everyone.


Bullying prevention

types of Bullying

    • Physical bullying can cause short term and long term damage. It involves hurting a person’s body and possessions. Physical bullying includes:
      • Spitting
      • Making offensive hand gestures
      • Slapping/Punching/Kicking
      • Taking someone’s possessions without permission
      • Breaking someone’s personal property
      • Pushing/Tripping
    • Verbal bullying often starts off as harmless and continues to escalate. It includes:
      • Homophobic/racist remarks
      • Harassment
      • Teasing/insults 
      • Intimidation
      • Name calling
      • Writing mean things
    • Social bullying can be hard to recognize. It often occurs behind the individuals back to cause humiliation and harm their reputation/relationships. Social bullying includes:
      • Mimicking
      • Damaging a person’s social acceptance/reputation
      • Negative facial/physical gestures
      • Making nasty jokes to embarrass someone
      • Social exclusion
      • Spreading rumors 
    • Cyber bullying is the repetitive and intentional harm delivered through electronic devices. It includes:
      • sending/posting/sharing mean and harmful content about someone
      • Sharing personal information to cause embarrassment
      • Intimidation
      • Purposely excluding someone
      • Impersonating someone 
      • Spreading rumors/gossip
 
 

 

 

 

 

Signs a Child Is Being Bullied

Recognizing the early warning signs of a child being bullied is an important step in taking action. Not all children will feel comfortable asking for help.  

  • Changes in eating habits
  • Unexplainable injuries
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Decreased self-esteem
  • Feelings of helplessness
  • Destroyed or lost personal items
  • Self destructive behaviors like running away from home or talking about harming themselves
  • Suddenly wanting to avoid social interactions
  • Loss of interest in favorite activities
  • Not wanting to go to school, declining grades, and loss of interest in schoolwork
  • Frequent feeling sick or faking an illness

If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.

Signs a Child is Bullying Others

  • Doesn’t accept responsibility for their own actions
  • Gets into physical and verbal fights often
  • Blames others for their problems
  • Increasingly aggressive
  • Their friends bully others
  • Competitive and worries about their reputation often
  • Unexplained new items or money
  • Gets sent to the principal’s office often or detention

being an upstander

When bullying happens, bystanders are present 80% of the time. When bystanders intervene, they become upstanders. Upstanders have the power to completely change the situation. Bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time when upstanders intervene.

Being an upstander takes:

  • Assertiveness: Tell a friend how their bullying behavior makes you feel and how it affects others by using your voice. 
  • Courage: Standing up to a friend who is bullying others can be hard. They may get mad at you, but at least you don’t let the bullying behavior continue. In the end, you are doing your friend a huge favor.
  • Leadership: Upstanders are leaders in their social groups. They help others be supportive and recognize ways to get along with their peers.
  • Action: Doing something that does not support bullying can be a really small intervention that yields big results! Two words – “That’s bullying” – can open others eyes to recognize the problem.
  • Compassion: Upstanders have the gift of compassion. They can recognize when someone is hurting and take the steps to help them.

sexual risk avoidance 

what is consent? 

  • Permission for something to happen or an agreement to do something

Peer pressure is likely to occur in your lifetime, so it is important to set clear boundaries for yourself. Respecting yourself and others will help form these crucial boundaries and healthy relationships. When it comes to sexual relationships, you have the right to decide whether you want to participate or not.

Remember consent is needed with both partners and if at any point you are not comfortable it is still okay to SAY NO. 

healthy relationships have…

  • Respect
  • Trust
  • Honesty
  • Compromise
  • Good Communication
  • Understanding

 

 

UNhealthy relationships have…

  • Fear
  • Hostility
  • Violence
  • Control
  • Dependence 
  • Humiliation

 

Abstinence is the only 100% way of preventing unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases or infections

abstinence

Does it seem like everyone around you is having sex, but you? Did you know more than half of high schools students in America have not had sex?

Abstinence is the only way to 100% avoid catching sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and having an unplanned pregnancy. Abstaining from sex in your teens means keeping control of your body and life.

Saying “no” now can keep your relationship, body, and mind healthy. 

Abstinence is the simplest form of birth control. If two people don’t have intercourse, there is no way for a sperm to fertilize an egg. A person who is actively having sex can choose to become abstinent to prevent unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Choosing abstinence is an important decision and it’s yours to make.

sticking with your limits 

What should you do if your partner wants to have a sexual relationship and you don’t? Saying no to someone you are dating can be tough. It is important to stick with your limits and honor your feelings. Use these tips to help:

    • Get clear with yourself: why do you want to wait? Is it because you’re waiting for marriage, a religious belief, want to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, protection against sexually transmitted infections? When you are clear on your reasoning, it makes it easier to stick to your limits and discuss it with your partner. 
    • Talk early: having the conversation can be tough, but it’s better to talk early to set what expectations you have for your relationship and where you stand. Remember, you can always withdraw consent.
    • Listen to your partner’s feelings: reassure them that your decision is about respecting your needs, not rejecting theirs. Your partner may understand and support your decisions, but feel insecure or hurt. 
  • Show affection in other ways: you can be close in other ways. Choosing to refrain from intercourse does not mean you do not care, love, or respect the other person. A healthy relationship is based on trust, communication, and emotional closeness which can be presented through mutual respect, time, effort, and friendship. 
  • Avoid temptation: it is okay to have sexual feelings for your partner without choosing to act on them. Avoid situations that make it harder to say no. Alcohol and drugs can affect your decision making. 

Remember, it is always okay to say no. Your partner may not share the same reasons, however they should respect you and your decision. You have the right to say no under any circumstance. Saying no is about respecting yourself and your limits. 

Teen Sexual Health Fact Sheet – Somerset

 

additional resources 


For more information call 443.523.1700



Adolescent Health and Sexual Risk Avoidance Education

mental health services Maple Shade Youth and Family Services:  Provides outpatient mental health care for children, adolescents, and their families in the Somerset County area. We serve our clients in schools, offices, and in the community. PRP and respite services also available. Partners with local agencies to coordinate youth services, programs, and family involvement. They…

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