Newsroom

Mental Health Association of Maryland Announces Retirement of CEO Linda Raines After 40 Years of Transformative Leadership

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Mental Health Association of Maryland Announces Retirement of CEO Linda Raines After 40 Years of Transformative Leadership  Board Launches National CEO Search in Partnership with DRiWaterstone Human Capital  August 14, 2026 LUTHERVILLE, MD: The Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD) today announced that Linda Raines, who has served as the organization’s Chief …

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Example Legislative Update

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1/27/25 Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy

2025 Access to Care Agenda It’s a busy week in Annapolis! Many of the bills prioritized in the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition’s 2025 Access to Care Agenda have hearings scheduled over the next few days, including the following important initiatives. Prohibiting Balance Billing (HB 11) – The Maryland General Assembly passed a law in 2022 …

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1/20/2025 Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy

Maryland’s Behavioral Health Workforce Data from an alarming new assessment of Maryland’s behavioral health workforce highlights an escalating crisis in access to mental health and substance use care. According to the report, completed pursuant to 2023 legislation spearheaded by the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition, the state’s current behavioral health workforce is 50 percent smaller than …

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1/13/2025 Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy

Happy New Year! This is the first full week of the 2025 legislative session and the Maryland General Assembly is already in full swing. Elected officials will work over the next few months to balance a nearly $3 billion budget deficit and debate over 2,000 legislative proposals covering a range of topics. MHAMD will play a …

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MHAMD Launches 1-Year Community College Mental Health First Aid Initiative

Tags: Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health Association of Maryland Launches 1-Year Community College Mental Health First Aid Initiative in Partnership with Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration  The Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD), in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration, is excited to announce the launch of a new 1-Year Community College Mental …

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New Study Finds Continuing Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Mental Health and Substance Use Care

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Download the press release. While Maryland Continues to Rank Near the Bottom of States in Several Access to Care Indicators, New and Enhanced Statewide Parity Enforcement Efforts Aim to Eliminate Discriminatory Health Plan Coverage for Marylanders Seeking Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment   ANNAPOLIS, MD – A new study by health economists at nonprofit …

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Maryland’s Statewide Behavioral Health Survey Results

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Before 2023 ended, we asked our community to share their concerns on some of Maryland’s biggest mental health and substance use challenges, as well as their opinions on the most effective strategies to address them. This input informs our advocacy as we continue to work to ensure that legislative wins translate to progress for people across …

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2/27/2024 Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy

Enforcing Mental Health and Substance Use Parity Laws MHAMD and partners are urging the General Assembly to pass legislation this year that would strengthen parity compliance reporting requirements for health insurance companies (carriers) and increase the Maryland Insurance Administration’s (MIA) parity enforcement authority. HB 1074/SB 684 and HB 1085 would implement recommendations from the MIA’s 2023 Interim Report on …

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On the Passing of Maryland’s Trans Health Equity Act

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After a multi-year organizing campaign, Maryland’s Trans Health Equity Act was passed and signed into law last month, modernizing Maryland’s medical assistance program (Medicaid) by requiring coverage for all medically necessary gender affirming care beginning on January 1, 2024. This is a huge win! The passing of Maryland’s Trans Health Equity Act comes at a …

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3/13/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Equal Treatment Maryland With just four weeks left before the Maryland General Assembly adjourns on April 10, MHAMD and our coalition partners are working overtime to enact policies that will better ensure access to mental health and substance use care when and where needed. We are seeing a lot of progress, but we need your help to get some …

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3/6/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

ACTION ALERTS! Time is winding down for the 2023 Maryland legislative session. With just five weeks left, we need your help to get some of our priority issues over the finish line. Visit our Action Center to make your voice heard on any or all of the following issues. Collaborative Care Model SB 101/HB 48 will expand access to the …

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2/27/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

ACTION ALERTS! The 2023 Maryland legislative session is halfway over. With just six weeks left, we need your help to get some of our priority issues over the finish line. Visit our Action Center to make your voice heard on any or all of the following issues. Collaborative Care Model SB 101/HB 48 is critical legislation that will expand access …

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2/21/23 Weekly Legislative Update

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Maryland Senate Announces Support for Behavioral Health Package Big news from Annapolis! A bipartisan group of Maryland senators came together Friday to announce their support for a package of behavioral health bills that includes a number of priorities for MHAMD, the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition, and the Children’s Behavioral Health Coalition. Among other initiatives, senators …

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2/13/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Equal Treatment Maryland Things are moving along at full speed in Annapolis! The legislature has already held hearings on a number of our priority items, with a number of hearings scheduled this week as well. 2023 Behavioral Health Crisis Prevention Platform 2023 Behavioral Health Crisis Prevention Platform Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) The Senate …

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1/30/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Equal Treatment Maryland Things are moving right along in Annapolis. The legislature will hear testimony this week on one of the Behavioral Health Coalition’s priority bills, and another piece of the 2023 Behavioral Health Crisis Prevention Platform has just been introduced. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on legislation designed to improve the quality …

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1/23/23 Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

2023 Children, Youth and Families Agenda The Children’s Behavioral Health Coalition (CBHC) brings together state and local advocacy groups with a focus on policy issues specific to children, youth and families with mental health and substance use needs. CBHC believes Maryland can prevent lengthy, unnecessary hospital stays for youth and reduce youth suicide by expanding …

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1/16/23 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Happy New Year! This is the first full week of the 2023 legislative session and the Maryland General Assembly is already in full swing. Elected officials will spend the next few months hammering out Maryland’s budget and debating over 2,000 legislative proposals covering a variety of issues. MHAMD will play a major role in these deliberations as we work to …

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2022 Session Summary and Final Bill List

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

MHAMD Friends and Supporters – The 444th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly drew to a close last night. Over the past 90 days, MHAMD and our coalition partners called for action in the face of increasing demand for mental health and substance use services. The effort secured additional investments in community behavioral health …

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4/4/2022 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy

2022 Keep the Door Open Updates We are down to the wire! With just one week left until the General Assembly adjourns on April 11, here is a rundown of where things stand on some of the initiatives MHAMD and our coalition partners have prioritized this session. HB 293 to support the establishment and maintenance of the new …

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3/7/2022 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

2022 Keep the Door Open Updates Things are moving right along in Annapolis! The Maryland General Assembly is actively considering a number of critical legislative initiatives prioritized this year by MHAMD and the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition. Behavioral Health System Modernization Act SB 637 | HB 935 will expand care coordination models like certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs); …

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2/21/2022 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Thank You!!! Thank you to everyone who participated in the MHAMD 2022 Legislative Briefing. Thank you to our speakers and our sponsors. Thank you to our awardees for all your fantastic work. And thanks to you! We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and support from people all across Maryland. We have a lot of work ahead of …

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2/14/2022 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Action Alert! Urge Your Legislators to Pass the Behavioral Health System Modernization Act! MHAMD has joined with its partners on the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition to introduce the Behavioral Health System Modernization Act, a comprehensive set of reforms and system enhancements designed to meet the increasing demand for high quality mental health and substance use care. …

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2/7/2022 MHAMD Weekly Legislative Update

Tags: Advocacy, Advocacy

Behavioral Health System Modernization Act MHAMD has joined with its partners on the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition to introduce the Behavioral Health System Modernization Act, a comprehensive set of reforms and system enhancements designed to meet the increasing demand for high quality mental health and substance use care. If enacted, the Behavioral Health System Modernization Act …

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