Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced this week that Howard County Government will provide $260,000 in emergency funding to the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center to make up for the loss of federal government contract funding.
The emergency funding was immediate and replaced an emergency budget gap resulting from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s decision to not use Grassroots as a designated 988 Lifeline National Back-up Center. The organization had functioned as a back-up center for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). The money from Howard County will help cover overhead costs while Grassroots develops a long-term plan.
“Grassroots Crisis Intervention is a critical part of Howard County’s behavioral health safety net, providing lifesaving crisis services to residents when they are at their most vulnerable,” Ball said. “When federal contracting decisions undermine the resources available to organizations like Grassroots, the consequences are felt right here in our community, not just by the dedicated professionals who lose their jobs, but by the people who rely on 988 and other crisis services when they need help the most.”
Grassroots has served as a National Back-Up Center since 2022, responding to national 988 chats and texts when call volumes were high and local centers could not respond quickly. Its staff of 62 includes crisis counselors, supervisors, program managers, and navigators. Since it opened, Grassroots staff have answered more than 140,000 chats and texts, helping people navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives. The center has also consistently met and exceeded all quality-related performance metrics since becoming a National Back-Up Center.
“Grassroots is extremely grateful for County Executive Calvin Ball’s impactful contribution of $260,000 to support our operating expenses for FY27 following the discontinuation of our 988 National Back Up Call Central contract,” said Dr. Mariana Israelson, executive director for Grassroots Crisis Intervention. “This helps assure that the doors of our crisis center can remain open for all who need crucial crisis, mental health, substance use, suicide prevention and homeless services in Howard County and Central Maryland. …We remain committed to our neighbors and ensuring that no one has to go through crisis alone.”
The $260,000 emergency funding will help but does not come near to the $5.7 million provided by the government’s contract. Grassroots still has an immediate budget gap and cannot cover its expenses, including rent for its Crisis Center. The Crisis Center is where Grassroots operates its 24-hour hotline and provides free, 24-hour walk-in crisis services, substance use program, Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Mobile Crisis Team, intake for homeless services, and 24-hour food and hygiene pantry.
As a result, beginning Sept. 29 Grassroots will have to lay off its National Back-Up Center employees. Ball announced steps Grassroots and the county’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) are taking to help the impacted employees, including job assistance, career counseling services, help with unemployment and health insurance, and more.
While Grassroots will no longer serve as a National Back-Up Center of 988 Lifeline, it will continue to serve as a 988 Lifeline local crisis center for residents of Howard County and Central Maryland. There will be no change to crisis services for Howard County residents and community member who call 988 when they are going through a crisis.
