Community Behavioral Health Association of MD

03/05/2026

Advocates know Maryland lawmakers are working with a tight budget this year but worry that another year without rate increases for behavioral health professionals will worsen a 34,000-person workforce shortage and threaten the services that struggling Marylanders need.

Advocates know Maryland faces a tight budget this year, but worry that another year without rate increases for behavioral health workers will worsen a 34,000-person workforce shortage and threaten the services that struggling Marylanders need.

02/26/2026

Thank you to the hundreds of advocates and CBH members who showed up to speak out for behavioral health at the Behavioral Health Coalition's 2026 Keep the Door Open Rally!

02/25/2026

https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2026-02-25/lawmakers-advocates-push-maryland-general-assembly-for-more-mental-health-funding

The state faces a 38,000 shortage of behavioral health workers by 2028.

02/25/2026

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/behavioral-health-programs-funding-maryland-session-2026/70497136

Senate leaders and advocates urged the Maryland General Assembly to preserve funding for behavioral health programs.

02/04/2026

Interested in legislative advocacy but not sure where to start? This training led by The Youth Power Project is for peer advocates, youth leaders, and emerging changemakers ready to turn lived experience into real mental health policy change. Learn how mental health policy is made, how to share your story strategically, and how to engage state and federal lawmakers. Gain practical tools to pitch legislation, identify policy gaps, and advocate sustainably while protecting your wellbeing.

Registration link: https://bit.ly/4ruePuK.

01/30/2026

Our members at work.

01/12/2026

Between 2023 and 2025, deaths by su***de in Montgomery County rose almost 26%. When times are tough, we must strengthen our safety net for those most at risk.

Data, and conversations with those who work in the field, show that residents of Montgomery County are struggling mentally, and that demand for mental health services has increased.

12/16/2025

Congratulations to Joseline Peña-Melnyk on her election as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates! 🎉

CBH is excited to congratulate Speaker Peña-Melnyk and to thank her for years of leadership on health and behavioral health issues in Maryland. Through her work on—and leadership of—the House Health and Government Operations Committee, she has been a strong, consistent voice for the public behavioral health system and the community providers who serve Marylanders every day.

Her leadership has helped move forward important work around behavioral health access, workforce stability, Medicaid policy, and ensuring community-based providers have a seat at the table in health policy conversations.

We’re grateful for her partnership over the years and look forward to continuing to work together as she steps into this new role. Congratulations, Madam Speaker!

11/23/2025

Maryland must sustain its CCBHCs to take advantage of growing opportunities in health care oriented for CCBHCs.

The National Council of Mental Wellbeing and NASMHPD announce a multistate project to improve access to behavioral health care services.

05/24/2025

More than 1.8 million Marylanders rely on Medicaid — that’s nearly 1 in 4 of us. Over 700,000 are children. It’s the largest funder of mental health and substance use care in Maryland. This is what’s at stake. Cuts aren’t just numbers — they’re harm to REAL people. They WILL deepen the behavioral health crisis.

05/20/2025

CBH is pleased to share a new video from our friends at PEER and IRIS Project Maryland:
“Making Our Case for Change” spotlights how peer-led research can improve programs, strengthen the workforce, and deliver more effective, life-saving behavioral health services.

Featuring peer leaders and advocates, the video encourages deeper engagement with:
- Program evaluation & quality improvement
- Community-driven data collection
- Academic partnerships that elevate lived experience

Let’s help build the case for change — together.

“Making Our Case for Change” features leaders from the peer movement speaking to the value of research as a tool to improve programs, advance the peer workfo...