Q. What does the Bureau of Mental Health/Core Service Agency do? A. The Baltimore County Bureau of Behavioral Health/Core Service Agency (C.S.A.) is a unit of the Baltimore County Department of Health that is responsible for the planning, development, and monitoring of the public mental health services for Baltimore County residents. The Baltimore County C.S.A. coordinates mental health services for all ages, and oversee a network of providers offering outpatient clinics, day and residential rehabilitation services, case management, crisis services, and a host of specialized programs for various age groups and special populations. Back to top Q. How large is the Baltimore County Core Service Agency (C.S.A.)? A. The Baltimore County C.S.A. consists of 14 staff members divided into three teams to administer and coordinate various services available to Baltimore County Residents through contracted providers. These three teams are Child and Adolescent Services, Adult Services, and Administrative Services. Back to top Q. What human service agencies does the C.S.A. work with? A. The Baltimore County C.S.A. work closely with the following Baltimore County agencies and private sector groups to develop and refine services for the shared populations they all serve. Office of Emergency Services Division of Rehabilitative Services Other community education and advocacy groups
Back to top Q. What role does the Baltimore County C.S.A. play in the State's Public Mental Health System? A. The Baltimore County C.S.A. works in partnership with the Mental Hygiene Administration and Maryland APS Healthcare, the administrative services organization, to facilitate the access to care for clients and the service authorization and payment to providers. The C.S.A. serves as the local control and resource to address barriers encountered by either providers or clients in the provision of these mental health services. In addition, Quality Assurance personnel are responsible for identifying and/or responding to complaints and/or concerns related to the provision of these services. Back to top Q. How can I get more information about the Baltimore County C.S.A.? A. For more information about the Baltimore County C.S.A., call 410-887-2731 or send an e-mail to rblankfeld@baltimorecountymd.gov. Q. How can I schedule an appointment for publicly funded mental health services? A. There are several local clinics in Baltimore County that accept Medical Assistance as well as the uninsured if they have a Pharmacy Adult Care Card. For a list of providers in your area, please contact Maryland APS HealthCare at 1-800-888-1965. Back to top Q. Where can I find a list of clinics and/or providers of mental health services in my community? A. There are many local clinics throughout Baltimore County that provide a wide array of mental health services. For additional listings please contact Maryland APS Healthcare at 1-800-888-1965 for additional listings not found on this site. Back to top Q. How can I get services if I don't have insurance? A. If you do not have insurance, you should apply to the Department of Social Services for Maryland Medical Assistance at 410-853-3000. You should also to apply to Maryland Primary Adult Care Program in the event that you do not qualify for Medical Assistance at 1-800-226-2142. Back to top Q. How can I get assistance paying for my medicines? A. In many cases where County residents do not qualify for Maryland Medical Assistance, they do qualify for Maryland Primary Adult Care Program. Call 1-800-226-2142 to apply. In some cases, a psychiatrist or physician may have samples of medicines used in the treatment of mental illness. As a last resort, the Bureau of Behavioral Health/Core Service Agency has a one-time only grant fund, which can assist qualifying applicants with their medicines used for the treatment of mental illness. This fund is intended to assist those who are currently waiting for approval of their Medical Assistance or Pharmacy Assistance and the application (PDF) must be completed by a social worker, therapist, or other mental health professional. Back to top Q. How do I file a complaint about mental health services in Baltimore County? A. To file a complaint regarding services received in Baltimore County, contact the Bureau of Behavioral Health/Core Service Agency at 410-887-2731. Back to top Q. What services are available for individuals under 18 with a mental illness? A. If your child is covered by your private insurance plan, you must contact your insurance company for a list of covered providers convenient to you. If your child has insurance coverage through the State of Maryland, contact any Outpatient Mental Health Center (OMHC) in Baltimore County to discuss the covered evaluation and treatment needs of your child, or contact Maryland APS Healthcare at 800-888-1965 to find an OMHC location convenient to you or to discuss benefits that your child is eligible for. Back to top Q. What services are available for individuals between the ages of 17-22 with a mental illness? A. For most persons under the age of 21 who are attending college, their parent's insurance carrier will continue their coverage. Additionally, most colleges and universities have health and/or counseling centers that provide a wide array of mental health services, even for students who do not have other forms of insurance coverage available to them. For persons in this age group who are not covered by insurance, and cannot obtain their own private coverage, it is important to apply for Maryland Medical Assistance at 410-853-3000 and/or the Maryland Primary Adult Care Program at 800-226-2142. In the event that an individual does not have private insurance and does not qualify for any other forms of assistance, please contact the Bureau of Behavioral Health at 410-887-2731 to discuss other treatment options, or contact the Baltimore County Crisis Response Team at 410-931-2214 to discuss the option of visiting the urgent care clinic for more immediate needs. Back to top Q. What services are available for an adult/elderly person with a mental illness? A. If you know an adult or elderly person who has been diagnosed with a mental illness, or who needs an evaluation to find out whether or not they suffer from a mental illness, contact the private insurance carrier for a listing of accepted providers. If the adult does not have a private insurer, they may qualify for coverage through the State of Maryland. To apply for Maryland Medical Assistance in Baltimore County contact the Department of Social Services at 410-853-3000. Many people who do not qualify for Maryland Medical Assistance can still qualify for Maryland Pharmacy Assistance, to find out more about the process for applying to Maryland Primary Adult Care Program call 800-226-2142. To find out more about mental illnesses as well as the public and private agencies who serve persons with mental illness, visit the Mental Health Resources page. Additionally, if you are concerned about an elderly friend or relative who you know or believe needs help obtaining services for a mental illness, contact the Bureau of Behavioral Health by calling 410-887-2731. Ask to speak with a representative from the Geriatric Services Team. Back to top Q. Where can I find more information online regarding mental illness? A. There are many helpful web sites online that address various topics related to mental illness. Back to top Q. How do I open a new program in Baltimore County? A. For individuals and/or groups who are interested in becoming a licensed provider of any kind of mental health service within Baltimore County, please contact the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Office of Health Care Quality at 410-402-8030. You may also contact Carol Morgan at the Baltimore County C.S.A. at 410-887-2731. Back to top Q. How do I learn about COMAR regulations that pertain to my program? A. The most current COMAR regulations, also known as Code of Maryland Regulations, can be found online through the Division of State Documents. The Mental Hygiene Regulations can be found under Title 10, Subtitle 21 of COMAR regulations. Back to top Q. How can I receive notices regarding meetings and trainings offered by the Baltimore County Health Department of Health? A. Call the Bureau of Behavioral Health at 410-887-2731 to have your agency's information added to the "All Provider" contact list. This will allow your agency to receive information regarding provider meetings, trainings, and other events that are offered by the Baltimore County Bureau of Behavioral Health/Core Services Agency. Back to top Q. How can my program resolve billing issues for publicly funded mental health services? A. Billing for publicly-funded mental health services is handled by MAPS-MD. If your agency is having difficulty with the billing process, you should contact a representative of MAPS-MD at 1-800-888-1965 for further assistance. Back to top Q. How can I find a licensed assisted living facility for consumers who are interested in this service? A. The Office of Health Care Quality (OCHQ) licenses assisted living facilities in the State of Maryland. OCHQ maintains a current listing of these facilities on their web site. The listing is organized alphabetically by County. Back to top Revised November 16, 2009 | 
Courthouse 