Raise your paddles for a good cause!

Join Arundel Lodge, Saturday, October 19, 2019 at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis for cocktails, dinner, dancing, live entertainment, and raising funds for a great cause! One of the highlights of the Hope Re-Imagined: All Aboard Gala is the Auction, with over 50 fabulous items and experiences. Take a sneak peek at some of the auction items you can bid on at the event!

Belleview Sunset Cruise

Grab three of your best gal-pals or a couple to double date with and savor a leisurely two-hour sunset cruise for four on Spa Creek aboard the Belleview, a classic 29’ Dyer. It will be a view you won’t want to miss!

Home Décor, or Something More?

This beautiful wooden bowl is perfect for anyone’s home! It will serve you well at dinner parties or compliment your home’s décor in any room!

The City that Loves you Back!

It’s just a hop, skip and a short drive to Philly, and there’s so much to do! While visiting this historic town you’ll be have access to some of the best places: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the National Constitution Center, and the 11th Hour Theater! Relax between all of your adventuring with a two night stay at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District with breakfast for two. Start packing now, because this trip is one you won’t want to pass up!

Questions? Want to donate to our Auction?

Contact Shelby Sharp at [email protected] or 443-433-5900 ext. 5907

Clink & Sip

You and eight of your friends will enjoy a tour and tasting at The Vineyards at Dodon, a 555-acre historic property and the largest working family farm in Anne Arundel County! Your tour will begin taking in the views and rich history of the property. Then you’ll get the inside scoop on how Dodon creates a diverse, well-balanced ecosystem, perfect for producing a great tasting wine. Saving the best for last, your group will end with a wonderful wine tasting with views of the beautiful property. Cheers!

Save the Date! 2019 Hope Re-Imagined: All Aboard Gala

Raise awareness! Eliminate stigma! Make a difference!

  • One in five American adults and about 16 percent of youth under 18 years will experience a mental health disorder in any given year regardless of age, race, religion, gender, or economic status, and substance use disorders in Anne Arundel County are rising at an alarming rate.
  • Arundel Lodge is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides treatment programs and services for more than 3,000 children, adults, and families annually, impacted by mental health and substance use disorders.
  • Your support of Hope Re-imagined: ALL ABOARD!  benefits community members and helps Arundel Lodge keep its doors open for community members in need. YOU will be associated with:
  • Bringing community awareness to the matter of mental health disorders like bi-polar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression, ADD, ADHD, OCD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders—AND the endless possibilities for recovery that exist through treatment
  • Fighting stigma that prevents individuals in our community from getting the help they need
  • Making treatment available for more children, adults, and families in our community
  • Spreading the word about Arundel Lodge—so that community members who need a place where they can feel welcomed, respected and cared for, know where to go
  • Helping families who have lost hope experience “Hope Re-imagined”

Sponsor! Donate! Join us!

Contact Shelby Sharp 443-433-5900 ext. 5907 or [email protected]

Arundel Lodge Receives $50,000 Grant for Medication Assisted Treatment

The opioid crisis in America is a growing problem. In Anne Arundel County, the situation does not fare well.

The photo below, taken just outside of the police station in Edgewater on September 13, 2019, shows that in Anne Arundel County alone, 623 community members have overdosed on Heroin, and 102 of those people died this year as a result of an overdose. Just six months ago (March 2019), there were 119 members of the community who had overdosed, with 20 of them resulting in death. This epidemic is affecting the community, and quickly, with these occurrences climbing by almost 20% in only six months.

Unfortunately, community members who experience opioid use disorders typically cannot simply stop using opioids abruptly and it is not always advisable to do so. Stopping “cold turkey,” has a low incidence of recovery success (fewer than 25% remain in recovery for one year) due to intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Quitting abruptly can cause seizures, arrhythmia, hallucinations, and other life-threatening medical conditions. That being said, many individuals do overcome opioid addiction and live healthy, productive lives.

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Chaney Impact Fund, First Step Recovery Center at Arundel Lodge is expanding their medication assisted treatment (MAT) program. The Chaney Impact Fund is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. The mission of the Chaney Impact Fund is to nourish communities in Anne Arundel and Calvert Counties by supporting youth as the foundation for building healthier neighborhoods, today and in the future. One of the funding priorities of the Chaney Impact Fund is mental health and substance abuse treatment. Grants are made to nonprofit organizations that support substance use prevention at the grade school level, treatment, and education. “The Chaney Impact Fund is so proud to support Arundel Lodge’s MAT program. We know substance abuse is an uphill battle, and if this helps to save even one more life, we consider it a success,” says RG Lare, President of the Chaney Impact Fund.

“Addiction changes brain chemistry, so fewer than 25% of individuals who try to stop using opioids ‘cold turkey’ remain in recovery, due to intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But 40% – 60% of people who receive a combination of counseling and medication-assisted treatment, do overcome opioid addiction and live healthy, productive lives,” says Mike Drummond, Executive Director of Arundel Lodge. “One particular advantage to helping community behavioral health centers, such as Arundel Lodge, who have longstanding expertise with substance use disorders and mental health treatment, is that the integration of mental health and substance use treatment services helps increase chances of recovery success,” Mr. Drummond adds.

MAT uses a combination of counseling and behavioral health therapy, along using an FDA approved medication combining buprenorphine and naloxone, which curbs cravings, decreases withdrawal symptoms, and reduces the risk of relapse. Additionally, using Suboxone eliminates the need for hospitalization in most cases.

How it works:
Medication-assisted treatment is an important, effective treatment for opioid addiction. The NIH states that “providing for the global availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction is more important than ever.” MAT uses a combination of two drugs, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, helps in weaning individuals from opioids; Naloxone, an antagonist, alleviates cravings for 24 hours, giving Individuals a fighting chance. MAT treatment happens in three phases:

1. Induction Phase – medically monitored startup of FDA approved buprenorphine products treatment performed in a qualified physician’s office or certified Outpatient Treatment Program. The medication is administered after abstinence from opioids for 12 – 24 hours and the individual is in the early stages of withdrawal.
2. Stabilization Phase – begins after a person has discontinued or greatly reduced their misuse of the problem drug, no longer has cravings, and experiences few, if any, side effects. The buprenorphine dose may need to be adjusted during this phase.
3. Maintenance Phase – starts when a person is doing well on a steady dose of buprenorphine. The length of time of the maintenance phase is tailored to each individual and could be indefinite.

“The most important part of this program is the ability it has to decrease overdoses and essentially save lives,” says Arundel Lodge’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic Director, Leigh Ragan, a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

“The Chaney Impact Fund is contributing to something that is going to make a real difference for individuals and families in our community, and we are grateful for their partnership” adds Mr. Drummond.

Treatments will be done at First Step Recovery Center of Arundel Lodge, located at 1819 Bay Ridge Avenue in Annapolis and at Arundel Lodge’s main campus location, 2600 Solomons Island Rd, Edgewater, MD 21037.

If you or someone you know is in need of Medication Assisted Treatment, contact Leigh Ragan, LCADC at 410.280.2333 ext 1004 or call Arundel Lodge’s main number 443-433-5900.


For resources and to learn more:

(Improving Public Health Through Access to and Utilization of Medication Assisted Treatment, 2011) (Drugabuse.gov, 2016) (SAMHSA, 2019)


Drugabuse.gov. (2016, November). Effective Treatments for Opioid Addiction. Retrieved from Drugabuse.gov: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction

Lubran, T. K. (2011, October 24). Improving Public Health Through Access to and Utilization of Medication Assisted Treatment. Retrieved from ncbi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210600/

SAMHSA. (2019, May 7). Buprenorphine. Retrieved from Samhsa.gov: https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/treatment/buprenorphine

Expanding Telemental Health

Arundel Lodge is proud to announce that its Telemental Health Program is now available to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals (HOH) across the state of Maryland. Arundel Lodge has been providing telemental health services for Deaf and HOH individuals on the eastern shore of Maryland for the past five years with financial support from Midshore Behavioral Health. Deaf and HOH individuals have been able to go to a partner agency, and through a video conferencing system engage with a therapist, fluent in American Sign Language, who is located at our main campus in Edgewater. Currently, there are six sites for clinic-based telemental health services in Easton, Chestertown, Cambridge, and Salisbury.

Thanks to a grant from the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), therapy services for Deaf and HOH individuals are now available from the convenience of a home computer, personal laptop, smart phone device or tablet.

Although access to mental health care can be challenging for many, people who are deaf/HOH, especially those living in rural areas, face additional barriers:

  • The inability of hearing providers to communicate with their Deaf/HOH patients
  • Poor interpretation or lack of qualified interpreters
  • Limited English language skills by Deaf/HOH patients which prevent adequate discussion of symptoms
  • Lack of culturally competent providers who are familiar with Deaf culture and are fluent in American Sign Language
  • Lack of specifically-targeted services for Deaf/HOH individuals

Deaf or HOH individuals with a mental illness require specialty care from providers who are culturally and linguistically competent and who have the training and credentials needed to provide mental health and psychiatric treatment. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of such providers, making our partnership with MAERDAF especially important.

Telemental health services are particularly suited for treatment of Deaf and HOH individuals since the visually-oriented technology is often already familiar through the personal use of videophone, video relay services, video remote interpreting, and other visual technology and social media applications like Skype. Signed communication and nonverbal context cues, such as body language and physical expressiveness can be conveyed through video technology. Arundel Lodge’s home-based telemental health therapy uses real-time video to allow individuals to communicate directly to their provider from any location. The video platform complies with federal regulations for privacy.

Young Adults Make Their Way Successfully Towards Adulthood

In January 2018, the Supported Employment Transition Age Youth Program (SEP-TAY) at Arundel Lodge will celebrate one year of operation. The youth served have been making great strides as they’ve worked toward high school graduation, enrolling and completing college, and finding their career of choice. They are learning that their diagnosis does not define them nor dictate their ability to pursue their dreams and be successful.

Daisy’s Story

“Daisy,” has been in the TAY Program since April 2017. She is a bright, energetic, and captivating young woman who was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder at age 20, and has utilized behavioral health services since age 12. Daisy was severely abused as a child and experienced many other traumatic events, such as a parent’s death on her birthday, being robbed at gunpoint while working at McDonald’s, and multiple evictions of her family from their home. “Daisy” also, struggles with panic attacks. “Daisy” is currently pursuing admission to Anne Arundel Community College to work towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian. She is in the process of updating her security guard license so that she can work to pay for school. “Daisy’s” most recent success has been securing her first apartment for herself and her brother. They moved into their new home on December 22nd!

TS’s Story

“TS” was diagnosed with PTSD at age 6 after being in a car accident that killed his grandmother, who was raising him at the time. “TS” struggled in school until he dropped out at age 16. Now at age 20, he is managing his PTSD and effectively coping with symptoms of bipolar disorder. In September 2017, “TS” returned to school to earn his High School Diploma through the External Diploma Program. He plans to attend a trade school after earning his diploma and has independently started a retirement fund with earnings from his job as a stocking clerk.

  • These young adults have found success in obtaining employment, avoiding hospitalization, and making wise decisions about their future. “TS” and “Daisy” are on the right path to transitioning successfully into adulthood and it is important to celebrate milestones. Recently, the SEP-TAY Program completed their last event of the year with a celebration dinner at Genghis Grill and a team-building challenge at the Mission Escape Room in Waugh Chapel. SEP-TAY Program youth stepped out of their comfort zone and learned to rely on each other to help solve clues and make their escape from the Alice in Wonderland and Santa’s Workshop rooms.
  • Currently we have 22 young adults in the SEP-TAY Program. Karon Wilson, therapist and Manager of the SEP-TAY Program reports, “In the upcoming year, we plan to do more teambuilding events, college tours, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to learn the importance of giving back to the community.” Monthly group sessions will also include Self-Motivation Skills, Critical Conversations, and Dream Development. They will continue to discuss budgeting, coping skills, health improvement, and job hunting and keep working on interviewing skills, college preparation, and real world living.
  • Arundel Lodge extends a big shout out to SEP-TAY Case Manager, Victoria Bing, and SEP-TAY Supported Employment Specialist Tonisha Patterson! These ladies work tirelessly to help Transition Age Youth in our program reach their goals. Karon says, “They are fierce, compassionate, dependable and brilliant thinkers. I couldn’t ask for a better team!” Thank you to Karon and his team for making a difference in the lives of young adults in our community.