Mental Health Association of Frederick County, Inc.

A program providing comprehensive solutions for new and existing early childhood professionals offered at low or no cost. Child Care Choices works to ensure that children have developmentally appropriate learning environments and that early childhood educators have the resources and support they need to ensure each child’s success. We work with parents and educators when children display behavioral issues in preschool or child care and provide resources, events and workshops and activities to educate and engage families, early childhood educators and children.

One of the few professional therapy centers in Frederick County that offers care on a sliding fee basis. Our therapists provide services in a confidential, supportive environment that enhances the dignity and potential of our clients including young children, older adults, individuals, couples and families who may be experiencing: Depression, anxiety disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or anger; child behavior issues; couples/marital issues; life transitions or trauma.

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained volunteer appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a foster child (determined by the court to be a victim of abuse and neglect) going through the court system. A CASA will advocate for the child to have a safe and permanent home. The Mental Health Association trains volunteers to be a voice for these children. CASA staff and volunteers attend court hearings, complete interview visits and make recommendations to the court about what is in each child's best interest. The volunteers are committed to spending an average of two hours per week working on a case and the average case involvement takes one year. CASA is a national program; MHA operates CASA programs in both Frederick and, as Voices for Children, Carroll Counties.

Healthy Families is a nationally-recognized, evidenced-based program that provides intensive, in-home education, support and resources to first time parents and infants up to age five. Home visitors provide information related to healthy infant and child development, positive parenting, and parent-child bonding and communication. The home visitor will help the family identify and work towards individual/family goals as well as ensure the baby has access to a medical providers for well baby visits and immunizations. The home visitor will also make referrals to community resources and follow up with the family on these referrals.

In-home or center-based one on one coaching for parents referred by Department of Social Services in cases where parents are working to regain custody of their child(ren). While individual families don’t seek out the service for themselves, the Department of Social Services, which serves the most at-risk families, has identified the need for the service and contracts with MHA to provide the service. One on one, in home parent coaching is not currently available through any other local agency. The advantage of MHA providing it is the connection with our other services. It appears to be more effective than parenting classes because it is hands-on and personalized to each family. The Parent Coach will help the family set and work towards individual and family goals, discuss child development, nutrition, safety along with a multitude of related family issues.

PERKS is a free service available to licensed or regulated early care and education programs in Carroll and Frederick Counties and the families they serve. PERKS helps children ages birth through five years old, with social emotional or behavioral issues remain in stable, quality early childhood programs in order to improve emotional health and school readiness.

Trainings help people learn to be suicide alert and to intervene when someone has thoughts of suicide.

SOS is a monthly support group for adults who have lost loved ones to suicide.

A free service to assist parents and children with multiple or intensive needs related to behavior, development, school, health or mental health, to navigate the services available in Frederick County. Systems Navigators identify the needs and strengths of each family and then address barriers to accessing resources and services, working collaboratively with other agencies to meet each family's unique needs.

Telephone Reassurance offers scheduled, outgoing phone calls to the home bound and elderly.

Walk-In Behavioral Health provides free, immediate, face-to-face support for anyone experiencing a non-life-threatening emotional, mental, family or relationship crisis.

The purpose of Supervised Visitation is to provide a safe, neutral location for a non-custodial parent and child to develop, renew or sustain a healthy familial relationship in cases where a parent has been abusive or otherwise unable to be with a child unsupervised. Trained staff or volunteers and an on-site security guard are present during the visit to observe the interactions between child and parent, ensure that conversations and interactions are safe and appropriate, and supervise visits in a neutral manner.

When problems between parents or guardians interfere with the transfer of children, or when parents are unable to come in contact with one another due to court orders, Monitored Transfer allows for the safe transfer of children from one parent to another, with neither parent coming in contact with the other. Staff members escort the children from one parent to another in a safe, neutral setting.