Marcus Youth and Family Center
A warm, supportive place for children ages 4 through 17 and their families, with play therapy for younger children and individual, group, and family therapy for teens.
Young adults · Ages 16–25
Maryland Healthy Transitions
Support for transition-age youth ages 16 to 25 with education, employment, housing, and family psychoeducation as they move into adulthood.
Overview
Maryland Healthy Transitions (MD-HT) is a program dedicated to supporting transition-age youth (TAY) between the ages of 16 and 25. This age group is particularly vulnerable to emotional and behavioral disorders, with nearly one in four young adults experiencing a mental illness. Despite this, many TAY do not receive the necessary treatment. The primary goals of MD-HT are to:
- Increase awareness of the mental health challenges faced by TAY
- Enhance early identification of mental health conditions in this population
- Provide targeted services and supports to assist TAY as they transition into adulthood
Background
MD-HT aims to improve outcomes for Transition Age Youth with serious mental health conditions by focusing on key areas such as employment, housing, mental health, co-occurring disorders, education, and criminal justice involvement. The program also strives to:
- Promote youth self-determination
- Engage and support families
- Enhance the skills of behavioral health practitioners with developmentally appropriate and evidence-based practices tailored to the needs of TAY
- Connect local initiatives in the specified counties with state-level program and policy development to address broader system and financing issues
- Disseminate and replicate successful strategies to other regions across the state
Interventions
- Supported Education: Assisting young adults in achieving their educational goals, such as completing high school or enrolling in college.
- Supported Employment: Providing assistance in finding and maintaining employment.
- Supported Living: Offering support with daily living goals and maintaining a stable home life.
- Family Psychoeducation: Helping families understand their child’s mental illness through evidence-based practices.
Contact information
- Arundel Lodge, for Anne Arundel County: Tonisha Patterson, Outreach and Education Specialist, tpatterson@arundellodge.org
- Crossroads Community (Mid-Shore Area): Rebecca Lepter, Outreach & Education Specialist, 443-988-2101
- MD-HT, University of Maryland School of Medicine: Sylvia McCree-Huntley, EdD, Outreach & Education Lead, 410-706-0981
For more information, visit Maryland Healthy Transitions on Facebook (opens external site).
Related services
Supported Employment Program
Employment Specialists help adults find, get, and keep meaningful, competitive jobs based on their interests, strengths, and goals, with support that continues after placement.
Rapid Access for Youth (RAY)
Walk-in therapy, medication management, and family education for young people ages 6 and up, with extended hours, telehealth, and no referral process.