April 14, 2021

County to Host Virtual Spring Mental Health Forum on ‘Confronting Barriers to Services’ on Thursday, May 6


"Confronting Barriers to Mental Health and Addiction Services" will be the next in the series of free virtual mental health forums conducted by Montgomery County. The forum will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 6.

The event will focus how equity, isolation and the digital divide impact mental health, substance use and services for children. The impact of the COVID-19 health crisis also will be discussed. The forum also will address possible future directions for treatment and recovery services.

The event will feature three presentations, followed by a question-and-answer period with the presenters.

The scheduled featured speakers are Alan Leshner, the former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; Elizabeth Guroff, director of Trauma-informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health; and Donna Keating of Montgomery County’s Community Engagement and Digital Equity Programs.

The event is free, but registration is required. Participants will receive a link to join the Zoom event upon registration. Individuals who need special aids to participate in the event, including sign language interpretation or translation assistance, should email Diane Lininger at diane.lininger@montgomerycountymd.gov no later than Tuesday, April 20. She also can be contacted for more information about the forum.