Charles County Commissioners Joint Public Safety Forum - October 28, 2025

The Charles County Board of Commissioners held a joint public safety meeting on October 28, 2025, to hear from first responders, law enforcement, school system, health department, and the Sante Group regarding mental health crisis response. The meeting focused on the potential expansion of mobile crisis services in the county, coordination among agencies, and funding strategies. The forum was led by Commissioner President Collins and included a roundtable discussion with Sheriff Barry, Dr. Abney (Health Department), Jason Stoddard (School Safety), La Plata Police Chief Bill Smith (via phone), State's Attorney Tony Covington (online), Delegate Edith Patterson, and representatives from the Sante Group.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of October 7, 2025 Minutes: A motion was made and seconded; all commissioners voted aye. Approved.
• Blue Crabs Stadium Naming Rights: Acting Deputy County Administrator Daniel Mitchell presented a request from Crabs on Deck LLC to exercise naming rights under Section 8.3 of the concession agreement. A specific motion was made and seconded; all commissioners voted aye. Approved. Staff will prepare a press release for the name announcement.

Discussion Items

• Sante Group Presentation on Mobile Crisis Team: CEO Michelle Grigsby Hackett and Director of Advancement Libby Jones presented data on the Southern Maryland Crisis Response Program. Key metrics: In FY25, the program saved an estimated $5.97 million by diverting 1,300 individuals from emergency rooms (saving $1.95M), over 1,000 emergency petitions ($3M savings), and over 200 criminal justice diversions ($600K). The Charles County residents make up 56% of dispatches for the regional team (shared with St. Mary's County). Response times averaged under 60 minutes; a dedicated Charles County team could reduce these to around 15 minutes. Client satisfaction in Charles County was 100% (based on 21 surveys). The team anticipates a 68% annual increase in calls with 911 integration, projecting 200 dispatches per year by year three. A hybrid regional model was suggested: a Charles County team during peak 16-hour periods and shared overnight coverage.
• Sheriff Barry's Remarks: He highlighted three concerns: increasing juvenile involvement in serious crime, prevalence of handguns tied to drug activity, and the impact of mental health challenges. He noted that from September 2023 to September 2024, his office responded to 404 incidents with a mental health nexus (330 requiring emergency evaluations). He expressed support for a dedicated mobile crisis team to allow warm handoffs and reduce officer time on mental health calls.
• Dr. Abney (Health Department): Emphasized the shortage of mental health providers in the county, especially those accepting patients with little insurance or Medicaid. She noted that while a mobile crisis team would help, the lack of long-term providers remains a critical gap.
• Jason Stoddard (School System): Stated that school psychologists and counselors do not provide therapy, and there is a shortage of community mental health providers for students and educators. He reported a dramatic increase in assaults on teachers by young students (second grade and below). He noted that a mobile crisis team would have limited direct integration into schools due to legal constraints, but could help address trauma brought to the classroom.
• La Plata Police Chief (via phone): Indicated that his department deals with many mental health crises, including from the hospital and a new recovery center. He supported the mobile crisis team as a complement to existing crisis intervention training.
• Commissioner Bowling: Stressed the need for coordination via MOUs among all agencies, and for shared funding. He noted the state already contributed $500,000, and suggested splitting costs among the county, school system, sheriff, DES, health department, and town. He emphasized that a dedicated mobile crisis team would save each agency money in the long run.
• Commissioner Stewart: Asked Sheriff Barry how the mobile crisis team would work operationally. The sheriff explained it would not reduce call volume but would allow warm handoffs, reducing time spent on scene and hospital visits, and hopefully address chronic issues.
• Commissioner Coates: Raised the shortage of mental health providers and asked about a pipeline with College of Southern Maryland (CSM) to develop workforce.
• Delegate Patterson: Offered to arrange a site visit in Baltimore to study wraparound programs. She confirmed the $500,000 state grant is encumbered and available until May 2029, and assured that the funds would not be taken back.
• Funding Discussion: St. Mary's County secured additional BHA funding (approx. $350K) for the regional team, making St. Mary's calls a priority starting January 2026. Charles County's current funding for the regional team ends in December 2025. The Health Department identified $200,000 (including $92K already expended) that can be reallocated for fiscal year 2026. A grant application under HB/SB 599 was submitted last Friday.

Key Outcomes

• Directive to Staff: Commissioner President Collins directed staff from Emergency Services, Health Department, and Sante Group to follow up on funding gaps, MOU drafts, and report back to the commissioners before the end of 2025 to ensure continuity of services. The goal is to avoid a lapse in mobile crisis response for Charles County when the current regional funding runs out.
• Next Steps: A future agenda item will include a staff directive that outlines a collective funding approach, including sharing costs among county government, school system, sheriff's office, and other partners. Commissioners will also explore using funds from the opioid lawsuit settlement if data supports it.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:00 PM (after the transcript ends).