Baltimore Mental Health

Baltimore, with a population of 636,251, is the largest city in Maryland. Baltimore is an independent city, meaning that it isn’t a part of any county. Indeed, the citizens of Baltimore have shown their independence since colonial times.

The Battle of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyrics to “The Star Spangled Banner”. A century later, after the Great Baltimore Fire (February 7, 1904) Mayor Robert McLane said, "To suppose that the spirit of our people will not rise to the occasion is to suppose that our people are not genuine Americans.” When offered assistance, although grateful for the offer, he went on to say, “Baltimore will take care of its own, thank you.'

The city of Baltimore has followed this doctrine through the years and the philosophy is very evident in dozens of both public and private programs, treatment centers, and other mental health alternatives offered to the citizens of Baltimore City.

The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is responsible for protecting and promoting the health of the citizens of Baltimore City. In 1986, the (BCHD) received a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Program on Chronic Mental Illness, which was used to establish Baltimore Mental Health Systems (BMHS).  Although accountable to the government, BMHS is a public nonprofit entity that serves as manager, funder, coordinator, and local authority for mental health services in Baltimore City. 

Since its founding, BMHS has developed an extensive network of mental health services for the citizens of Baltimore. However, the agency itself is not a direct service provider. Mental health services are provided through contracts with a diverse group of nonprofit agencies and private practitioners as well as many of Baltimore’s prestigious hospitals. The most recently available statistics show that annually over 30,000 Baltimore City residents benefit from the work of the BMHS. Contracted services include:

1. Psychiatric crisis services 
2. Intensive services through the Baltimore Capitation program. 
3. A range of services for homeless mentally ill individuals. 
4. School based services. 
5. Family support. 
6. Emergency room services. 
7. Development of affordable housing for individuals with a serious mental illness. 
8. In-home intervention for children, adolescents, and families.

Working towards a goal to ensure that every Baltimore City resident has access to mental health services, Baltimore Mental Health Systems has achieved consistent success in developing a system of care for both adults and children with serious and chronic mental disorders and emotional problems.  Some of BMHS’s more notable achievements include:

• Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc and the Baltimore Adolescent Response System which together provide a full range of crisis services, residential alternatives, a referral services, and a hotline to address the mental health needs of children, adolescents, adults, and their families. 
• The development of affordable housing through the efforts of its housing nonprofit Community Housing Associates, Inc. (CHA) which has assisted over 600 adults with mental illness through various programs. 
• Developed a partnership with the local Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI), which is a family education and advocacy organization. 
• Developed and implemented a Demonstration Capitation Program, which is a specially designed managed care program for individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses. 

A quick phone call or the click of a mouse at the BMHS web site gives Baltimore City residents access to mental health care services in 21 categories: 

1. Advocacy Groups
2. Capitation Projects
3. Children Providers
4. Consumer Drop In Centers
5. Emergency Room Facilities
6. Federal Qualified Health Centers
7. Group Homes
8. Group Practice Outpatient Services
9. Homeless Services
10. Housing Development
11. Mobile Treatment
12. Other (Forensic, Respite, Special)
13. Outpatient Mental Health Clinics
14. Partial Hospitalization Programs
15. Psychiatric Rehab Programs
16. Residential Rehab Programs
17. State Hospitals
18. Substance Abuse Programming
19. Supported Employment
20. Targeted Case Management
21. Women's Services

When hospital services for mental disorders are needed, there is no better place to find them than Baltimore. John’s Hopkins Hospital was rated as the #1 hospital in the nation by the U.S. News. Its psychiatry department was rated #3. Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital earned a rating of 11 for psychiatry. In addition, the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System serves area US Veterans. Of the 21 hospitals in Baltimore City, 19 offer mental health services:

1. Bon Secours Baltimore Health System
2. Franklin Square Hospital Center
3. Good Samaritan Hospital of Maryland
4. Greater Baltimore Medical Center
5. Harbor Hospital Center
6. James Lawrence Kernan Hospital
7. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center 
8. Johns Hopkins Hospital
9. Kennedy Krieger Institute
10. Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital 
11. Maryland General Hospital
12. Mercy Medical Center
13. Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital
14. Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital
15. Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
16. St. Agnes HealthCare
17. Union Memorial Hospital
18. University of Maryland Medical Center
19. Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System-Baltimore Division

See Also:

Baltimore Mental Health Clinics

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