Maryland’s Helpline, 211 press 1, is a free and confidential, 24 hour a day, 365 days a year information service for individuals and family members facing mental illness and/or substance use disorders. This service provides help and support, and referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. 211 press 1 can also help if you are feeling overwhelmed, or feeling like hurting yourself or someone else.
You can also call the national suicide hotline, which is available 24/7 at 800-273-8255 or visit the nearest Emergency Room for a psychiatric evaluation and referral to further resources. However, if you or someone you know is facing a life-threatening emergency or expressing an immediate suicidal intent, dial 911.
A comprehensive, geographically-based listing of Mental Health Resources throughout the State of Maryland
Villa Maria Community Behavioral Health Resources of Catholic Charities has numerous clinics throughout Maryland. Counseling, psychiatry, substance use disorder treatment and related services are provided to children, adults and families at the various locations as well as 120 public school partnerships. They are able to accept Medicaid and Medicare as well as out of network self pay.
Offers a referral base of qualified Catholic therapists. The goals of CatholicTherapists.com are to help those seeking therapy and coaching, or even those just seeking to learn more about the emotional life, to find professionals who are Catholic and faithful to the magisterium of the Church as well as to find psychological information that is consistent with Catholic Church teaching.
A professional counseling center with two locations (Towson and Silver Spring, MD) providing outpatient therapy, candidate assessments, and spiritual direction for Catholic clergy, religious, and laity. Caritas is committed to providing excellent care at a reasonable cost, and will assist their clients with receiving out-of-network coverage.
The Psychology Division at the Loyola Clinical Centers offers a full range of outpatient services that are designed to meet their clients’ psychological, emotional, and academic needs. Counseling is offered on a sliding scale fee by Loyola University graduate student clinicians who receive direct supervision and expertise from multiple professors licensed to practice psychology in Maryland. Since the Loyola Clinical Center is a training facility, fees are already substantially lower than those provided by private practitioners. However, additional reduction of fees is available through our sliding scale to those who demonstrate financial need.
Catholic Psychotherapy Association: Offers a referral base of qualified Catholic therapists. The mission of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association is to support mental health practitioners by promoting the development of psychological theory and mental health practice which encompasses a full understanding of the human person, family, and society in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Sheppard Pratt’s Psychiatric Urgent Care offers in-person and virtual care options for individuals of all ages who need immediate psychiatric assessments or referrals to a higher level of care; rather than going to an ER. Offered at their Towson and Baltimore/Washington campuses, their professionals will refer you or your loved one to the right care. Their care options include:
1. Psychiatric Urgent Care
2. Outpatient therapy and medication management
3. Community & Family Supports
4. Care coordination & in-home services
Learn more about their services using Sheppard Pratt’s Care Finder tool on their website.
Sheppard Pratt hospitals and some programs participate with Maryland Medicaid and Medicare and many major insurance companies (including CareFirst, CIGNA, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Kaiser). Because of variations between policies, it is best to contact your insurer directly to determine whether they are in their network for your plan.
The Kennedy Krieger Behavioral Psychology Department provides in-patient and out-patient services to children and families with a variety of behavioral health needs. Kennedy Krieger is contracted with many commercial insurance providers, and with Medicare and certain state Medicaid plans. Under these contracts, their services are usually considered in-network. If your insurance provider does not contract with Kennedy Krieger for your insurance plan, please check with your provider anyway to determine any out-of-network benefits you may have.
NAMI Maryland provides educational resources and events, statewide outreach, advocacy and affiliate organizational support. NAMI Maryland provides the free trainings that allow NAMI affiliates to deliver NAMI programs. Local NAMI affiliates in Maryland offer free peer support, education and outreach programs, and engage mental health advocates in their communities.
Free therapy may be available for those who are sad, grieving, stressed or want to make a change in their lives. The Pro Bono Counseling Project assists families, couples and individuals. Services are available via teletherapy (video conferencing), and during the COVID-19 pandemic, telephone only therapy has been authorized in Maryland. The Pro Bono Counseling Project’s mission is to ensure that Marylanders with limited resources requesting mental health care are provided access to volunteer licensed mental health professionals and other necessary supportive services.
Divine Mercy University (DMU) is a Catholic graduate school of psychology and counseling, founded in 1999 as the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. The University is dedicated to the scientific study of psychology with a Catholic understanding of the person, marriage and the family. The University offers a Doctoral (Psy.D.) degree in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Psychology and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Counseling.
