Our mission is to provide quality mental health and substance use disorder treatment to the residents of Caroline County. We accomplish this through integrated outpatient behavioral health services that include assessment, counseling and therapy, medication assisted treatment and medication management, referrals, and education. We aim to make our services highly accessible through our centrally located clinic in Denton, school-based services, and our Mobile Treatment Unit. We also offer both daytime and evening hours for many services.
Our highly qualified team of psychiatrists, counselors, social workers, peer support specialists, and care coordinators are dedicated to the health and recovery of the individual, family, and community.
Behavioral health treatment can encompass both mental illnesses and substance use disorders. It aims to put people on a path to wellness by helping them overcome the behaviors that have a negative impact on their health.
Behavioral health treatment may include both counseling and medication, but at its core, it is about creating an individualized plan of treatment that helps each person effectively address and overcome the challenges associated with their disorder or disease.
Having a behavioral health condition is not a moral failing and you are not defined by your illness. At Caroline County Behavioral Health, we are committed to providing compassionate care without judgment or shame. Wellness and recovery are possible, and we are here to help.
Our Services
The Health Department’s Behavioral Health Division offers the following treatment and services:
- Individual counseling and therapy services for all ages: One-on-one sessions with a qualified professional to assist with a mental health or substance use disorder
- Group Counseling: Specialized group sessions for adults with a substance use disorder with peers who have similar experiences, led by a qualified professional. Groups for children in our school-based mental health program are available during the summer months.
- Medication Assisted Treatment: Available to individuals who have an opioid Substance Use Disorder (SUD), includes services by both a physician and a Substance Use Disorder counselor.
- School-based therapy: Mental health therapy by qualified professionals within Denton Elementary, Greensboro Elementary, Lockerman Middle, and North Caroline High School; referrals to school-based providers in other Caroline County schools
- Substance Use Disorder Education Groups: Available for those who need a DUI/DWI course for the Motor Vehicle Administration or probation.
- Mobile Treatment Services: Provides Medication Assisted Treatment services in the community. The Mobile Treatment Unit is currently located in Federalsburg, Denton, Greensboro, and St. Michaels. Clients will be supported by a SUD physician from the University of Maryland, as well as a local nurse and SUD counselor.
- Medication management: Provided to all Behavioral Health clients for psychiatric or Medication Assisted Treatment services.
- Nursing Services: Provides Vivitrol injections and Hepatitis C testing.
- Care Coordination: Working with Behavioral Health clients to link them to community resources, community housing, recovery housing, and inpatient hospitalization
- Prevention Services: Offers education to the community regarding all Behavioral Health issues at community events, or by invitation to any community resource. They also provide NARCAN training.
Commitment to Quality
Our program is committed to delivering high quality services to the people that we serve and maintaining a high level of quality standards for business practice. The Caroline County Health Department Behavioral Health Division is proud to demonstrate this commitment by achieving accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF International).
CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services providers in the areas of Aging Services, Behavioral Health, Child and Youth Services, Durable Medical Equipment, Employment and Community Services, Medical Rehabilitation, Opioid Treatment Programs, and Vision Rehabilitation Services.
Persons served play an active and vital role in the CARF accreditation process, from helping to develop the international performance standards to giving input on the quality of services they receive. Through accreditation, providers like Caroline County Behavioral Health demonstrate their belief that all people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, have access to needed services that achieve optimum outcomes, and are empowered to exercise informed choice.
Appointments & Eligibility
To be eligible for our services, you must have Medicaid or Medicare. We do not accept private insurance at this time but can help make referrals to other treatment providers or offer treatment with an income-based sliding fee scale. School-based services are provided to all students, regardless of insurance.
To access treatment or help, call (410) 479-1882. Dial 7-1-1 to place a call through Maryland Relay.
Location, Contact & Hours
All in-person Behavioral Health clinical services are provided at the Health Department, except for school-based services or those provided through the Mobile Treatment Unit.
Caroline Health and Public Services Building
403 S. 7th Street
Denton, Maryland 21629
Phone: (410) 479-1882
Dial 7-1-1 to place a call through Maryland Relay.
Fax: (410) 479-4918
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Some programs may have evening appointments available.
National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. You don’t have to be suicidal to use or benefit from the 988 Lifeline. It offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to counselors who can help people experiencing any kind of emotional distress, including those experiencing emotional difficulty or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in response to a specific incident or ongoing issue.
There are three fast and easy ways to access 988 Lifeline services:
- Call 988 from any phone or cell phone (services available in English & Spanish, additional languages supported through Language Line solutions)
- Text 988 from your cell phone (English only)
- Chat through the Lifeline website at www.988lifeline.org/chat (English only)
Eastern Shore Mobile Crisis
The Santé Group serves as the Eastern Shore’s primary mental health and crisis intervention resource for children, adults, and families. To access 24/7 crisis support, contact the Eastern Shore Crisis Response Hotline at (888) 407-8018. Dial 7-1-1 to place a call through Maryland Relay.
The Caroline County Behavioral Health Division does not provide crisis response services and our phone lines are not monitored after hours.
Our Prevention Program philosophy is based upon the concept of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Our goal is to promote the personal and social growth of the individual and deter the use/abuse of alcohol and/or other drugs.
Prevention Office employees are available to speak to groups on topics concerning alcohol and other drug use/abuse. We are a free resource to the community. We also assist community groups, agencies, and individuals in providing programs and activities to prevent alcohol and other drug use/abuse.
Our Prevention team is available to help educate the community through speakers, meeting attendance, and participation in community events. We can also provide educational resources and Narcan training. 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.
To connect with our Prevention staff for community education or Narcan training, call (410) 479-1882. Dial 7-1-1 to place a call through Maryland Relay.
Treatment
- FY2022 Behavioral Health Resource Guide: A comprehensive guide to behavioral health services available in our area, created by Mid-Shore Behavioral Health.
- Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator: A confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems.
- Maryland Midshore Intergroup: A local Alcoholics Anonymous organization serving Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties with many local and virtual AA meeting options.
- Narcotics Anonymous Meeting Search: Locate in person or virtual NA meetings near you.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. Call 1-800-273-8255.
For Families
- Maryland Coalition of Families: A state-wide nonprofit dedicated to connecting, supporting and empowering families who are experiencing behavioral health challenges through family peer support.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Maryland: Offers support and education for individuals living with mental illness, their family and friends, and community partners.
- Al-Anon/Alateen Meeting Finder: A mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. Alateen, a part of the Al-Anon Family Groups, is a fellowship of young people (mostly teenagers) whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking.
- Nar-Anon Mid-Atlantic: The Nar-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship for those affected by someone else’s addiction. Offers in person and virtual meetings in Maryland and Delaware.
- Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families: Online, telephone, and local meetings for those that have been affected by the substance use or dysfunctional behavior of others.
- Prevention
- Parent & Caregiver Resources: Provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, these help you start—and keep up—the conversation about the dangers of drinking alcohol and using other drugs at a young age.
- “Talk. They Hear You.”: Aims to reduce underage drinking and other substance use among youths under the age of 21 by providing parents and caregivers with information and resources they need to address these issues with their children early and often.
