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What's Happening MoCo?
An authentic, unscripted update from County Cable Montgomery highlighting items that help residents of Montgomery County. This program features interviews with elected officials, employees, public servants, and residents. It is produced by the Office of Community Engagement from the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Services. Interviews are recorded live and presented with very few edits to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the conversations.
What's Happening MoCo?
What's Happening with Health Equity in Underserved Communities?
The health disparities affecting minority communities in Montgomery County demand urgent attention and innovative solutions. In this candid conversation, Councilmember Lori Ann Sales—the first Jamaican American and Black woman to serve in countywide office—brings her unique background in public health to address the systemic challenges facing underserved populations.
In the second segment, Monica Martin, Chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, offers practical guidance for Suicide Prevention Month. She demystifies mental health support, explaining warning signs like persistent sadness, social withdrawal, and changes in sleep patterns. Martin emphasizes that seeking help demonstrates strength, not weakness, while providing concrete resources available to all county residents regardless of insurance status.
Join this important conversation about health equity, access to care, and the innovative approaches Montgomery County is taking to ensure everyone—regardless of background—can achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Good day and welcome to What's Happening Moco, an authentic, unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now, it's your host, Derek Kenney. Good day, and welcome to What's Happening Moco. In today's episode, we talk about health equity with a focus on underserved communities. Joining us in this discussion is Councilmember Lori Ann Sells, an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council. Stells is the first Jamaican American and black woman to serve in the countywide office. Sales service on the Human Uh Health and Human Services Committee and Economic Development Committees. Fantastic. How are you today?
SPEAKER_01:I'm doing excellent. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:All right. Well, thank you for joining us. Health and wellness has been a passion of this podcast for quite some time, as it has been, I think, for the entire county government this calendar year. I'm not sure if it's the fiscal year, but this calendar year, we've really been focused on health and wellness. What why do you, well, first of all, before we start, how has your summer been?
SPEAKER_01:I had a great summer. You know, I'm grateful that we have time to recalibrate and, you know, reset and refocus our agenda for the upcoming year. I think, you know, with the change in administration, it's an important time for us to uh really understand where we're going, reflect on the budget, and then move forward with urgency on, you know, ensuring we're meeting the needs of the community. So excited to get back into the swing of things.
SPEAKER_03:And as I stand it, I understand it when it comes to the needs of the community, there are certain underserved communities that are facing health and wellness challenges. Um why is that a passion of yours? And what are some of the challenges that these underserved communities are facing?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I, you know, I'm a black woman, and so, you know, that already puts me at, you know, a disadvantage. I make 40 cents on the dollar to, you know, my uh white counterparts. I am, you know, predisposed to um cardiovascular disease. And, you know, um, I can uh rattle off a number of disparities and, you know, African Americans top those lists. It's the list that we don't necessarily want to be at the top of, unfortunately. And, you know, Montgomery County is home to some of the most four of the most diverse cities in the country. And so as the counties lead for eliminating disparities in public health, it's important for me to not only, you know, be aware of the disparities, but also be intentional about the uh solutions that we need to, you know, employ to address them in a strategic way. And now more than ever before, with, you know, cuts to Medicaid and cuts to food, nutritional benefits, um, you know, our workforce impacts, you know, that's going to have cascading effects on our communities of color. And so it puts us in a very unique position to utilize, you know, shrinking resources to address growing problems and do it in a unique way that's going to reach a diverse cross-section of our community.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. And we're one of the most diverse communities in the country, not just Maryland. Uh, but speaking of uniqueness, you are actually um in a unique position as a council member to address health uh disparities or any issues when it comes to health. Yeah. Uh tell us a little bit about your background uh in health and how that helps you to position you better to understand some of what's going on when it comes to what um minorities are facing in the county.
SPEAKER_01:Definitely. You know, I'm the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and my father was in the military. My mother was a social worker with Montgomery County for over 30 years. And so she had a deep understanding of some of the challenges that our most vulnerable communities faced. And once my father finished his 20-year career in the army, he went back to school and became a nurse. And so he worked at the bedside of some of our uh sickest patients across Adice Hospital, um, Walter Reed. And so, you know, um just being exposed to that public service, you know, my first job, I spent probably eight years as a pharmacy tech working at CVS. Okay. Um, and then Kaiser Permanente. I did my internship at Kaiser before graduating with a degree in public health from College Park. And then I worked at the nation's top research institutions from NIH and left my career at the FDA to do this full-time. And so now I get to have all of that experience working on the front lines to now sitting as, you know, the board of health as a council member to, you know, work with our public health officer. Um, and that was during the pandemic when I was on the city council. And now as an at-large member, you know, being able to work with all of these partners, all six of our hospital leaders and meeting with them on a regular basis, understanding the demands on our emergency system, knowing that we have, you know, a growing number of seniors that are aging in our community. Um, and then lots of low-income residents as well, who um have limited access to healthcare resources. And so being able to pivot and adapt to the changing needs has been a challenging but rewarding, you know, we're fortunate to live in a county that has the resources to create a mobile health clinic. So, regardless of whether you live in East County or in the rural parts of our county, you know, we want to make sure that you are not at a disadvantage because of your zip code. We want to bring those healthcare resources to you. So, you know, I've been so grateful that we've been able to put a mobile clinic in, you know, the Ag Reserve. We have it in, you know, East County. Oh gosh. And so, you know, from dental services, preventative services, regular checkups, you know, we're trying to meet our residents where they're at when they can't get to the doctor's office or, you know, they have to use an emergency room to get, you know, healthcare services. And then we have so many nonprofits that have stood up and transitioned from the pandemic to serve our residents and also do it in a culturally competent way. So no one feels discomfort or experiences bias when they seek help. We want to ensure that through our minority partnerships, that they have access to culturally competent care providers.
SPEAKER_03:All right. Speaking of, um, seems like a very thoughtful approach to health care for residents and uh very considerate of those residents that may not have a relationship with their primary care doctors. We even have primary care doctors. And as you mentioned, their only uh recourse, I mean, some um resource sometimes going to the emergency room where they may not get the focused care or the knowledgeable care they they need to have.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Um, so that's not the only thoughtful approach that you've taken or that the county's taken when it comes to health care for underserved communities. You've issued uh a report from the county council's very own Office of Legislative Oversight. Um tell us a little bit about the Office of Legislative Oversight, because maybe the first time some people are hearing about that. Yes. And what is the report um that you commissioned? And then, of course, lastly, what is it saying?
SPEAKER_01:Definitely. So the Office of Legislative Oversight allows council members to do a deeper dive, a deep analysis on a particular topic. Um, so uh when I got elected, there was a Washington Post article about, you know, the impacts of the Roe v. Wade decision being overturned and what that meant for women, um, and what that meant for vulnerable women, black women in maternal health, and um, how they would be most impacted by some of these decisions. Um, we already know that, you know, if they don't have the appropriate, you know, pre- and postpartum care, that, you know, they can lose their life, their baby can lose their life, and other circumstances can impact, you know, uh child and mother, making it past um that critical uh time. And so I wanted to better understand what Montgomery County has done in the past to address Black maternal health. What were we doing here in comparison to other jurisdictions and what um was at stake, you know, what the risk factors were and any services that we could do. And I found out that we actually had a birthing center here in Montgomery County.
SPEAKER_03:A birthing center?
SPEAKER_01:We had a birthing center, and we found that, you know, creating a program where doulas and you know, other healthcare providers, midwives.
SPEAKER_03:Let's let's back up. So some of the terminology may not be understand, you know, something that can be easily understandable by the average person.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:What's a birthing center? What's a doula? What's uh what does this mean for um non-traditional um parents to be?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so a birthing center was a place where you know pregnant women could go to receive maternal health care services. They could learn more about what it takes to take care of your body and your baby after you give birth and talk to them about the labor and delivery experience. And then it actually gives you a doula, like a coach that's going to help you bring your baby into this world. And these doulas and midwives are trained to um provide culturally competent care. They help with making sure your nutrition is um, you know, where it's supposed to be, your weight, um, and any other testing that may need to be done. And that happens, you know, if you are planning to become a mother while you are, you know, going through your first, second, and third trimester. And then once you go home, they are still, you know, that source of support. They encourage breastfeeding. And so um, those healthcare professionals were, you know, standard in our birthing center. Uh, but not many health insurance providers cover those expenses.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Um, and so, you know, if you are, you know, a minority and you are giving birth, you may be experiencing pain during the labor and delivery process. Wow. And they may not believe you. You may not get the emergency care, or, you know, you may go through a C-section when you could have gone through the normal childbirth process if you just had that patient healthcare provider to coach you through that process. Um, so there's a lot of benefits that we saw that the data showed was beneficial to uh women of color, um, but that went away with the loss of the birthing center. And so, you know, even our public health officer is, you know, creating an advisory board to look at, you know, some of the challenges that are faced in, you know, um, this particular area of Black maternal health and looking at resources, services that we can provide to either recreate a birthing center here, see what the possibilities are, what the barriers are to um bringing such a center back, and then just ensuring that more black mothers are able to bring their babies to term.
SPEAKER_03:That's wonderful. And I guess healthcare begins with the birth and with the healthy mothers. And so you're talking about healthcare, that's probably the the the best starting point um that the county can uh focus on when you're talking about the the um the future of children having a great start, a healthy start is where it can start.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it actually begins before, you know. You you have to make sure that you're eating healthy, you're taking your prenatal vitamins, you know, um, that you have an environment to bring a baby into. Do you have the space for, you know, the crib? And are you aware of all of the um, you know, materials that you are supposed to have for your baby, how your baby's supposed to lay in the crib, and you know, what the most appropriate um, you know, uh way to bring the baby home and get acclimated to this new responsibility. And so, you know, we have lots of programs here in the county that we pay for um that are free to moms to ensure that they're one of my favorite words, county resources free.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, yes. So there's no barrier to getting that help.
SPEAKER_01:No, no, from the SMILE program to our other programs that, you know, help with ensuring that, you know, our mothers are maintaining a healthy weight. They are going to their checkups, um, you know, trying to ensure that babies are at a healthy weight before they leave the hospital, you know, all of that has to be determined before they even come into this world. And so having that support system and that information helps mothers, you know, so much and baby.
SPEAKER_03:So much great information out there for new parents who may not know some of the things that they may want to do that they shouldn't do, like don't land the beat with your baby, you know, yeah, you might end up smashing them, you know, especially if dads, yeah, a big dad, like you know, myself. So, you know, yeah, you wanna you wanna love and hug on a baby, but you know, don't fall asleep. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and all of these, you know, OLO reports, you know, you can go on our website, type in the search bar, any number of topics that we have explored and learn information about, you know, the racial impact, the environmental impact, and uh the financial cost of some of these decisions and how they can be implemented. They also include recommendations for improving outcomes. So it's a really good resource that we have that residents can access.
SPEAKER_03:Right. It's a very thoughtful process. And they'll, you know, uh many times um residents question how did you make this decision? Yeah. And it starts with a thoughtful process with research, recommendations, a very scholarly approach to um assessing the situation and making recommendations. What did what did this report say about the um disturbing things when it comes to um the homicide um rate and the suicide rate around among African American men?
SPEAKER_01:Well, this is Suicide Prevention Month. And so, you know, um mental health was the number one factor uh that was on the minds of residents during our community survey um that we um sent out to residents. We do it every other year, and it has been the number one issue since the pandemic. And so, you know, our council president, Kate Stewart, she hosted an event about, you know, mental health. We've also recognized mental health um awareness month. Uh, I believe that's in May to raise awareness about the resources that are available, you know, um, from everyone, you know, it's not just our kids. And, you know, we are we even put resources into the budget to ensure that our correction officers had access to mental health resources in our correctional facilities. Um, we've seen our officers, you know, commit suicide right here in Montgomery County. So we don't want anyone to um, you know, not have access to these important resources. And, you know, I'm so disappointed that, you know, that our young black boys are, you know, at the top of this list for suicide rates and homicide. Um, and gun violence is at the center of this discussion, you know, um, the country has been in turmoil because of gun violence, you know, and uh we're not thinking about who's most impacted. And so I'm glad that we're having this timely discussion because, you know, at the end of the day, it's in the numbers who's being impacted and what are we doing about this? You know, guns are too available to our kids. And if they don't have access to the necessary resources for mentoring or um things to do out of school time, positive experiences or um, you know, ways to resolve conflict in a meaningful way, they are going to quickly resort to, you know, making rash decisions that have long-term effects. Um, and so, you know, we are seeing that, you know, the CDC said that, you know, 40% of the deaths among black men age 15 to 34 um have primarily been by firearms.
SPEAKER_02:Oh no.
SPEAKER_01:Um, we're also seeing that firearms were involved in over 90% of the homicides among black males aged 15 to 44.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, god.
SPEAKER_01:Um, so just to think that our young men don't know how to resolve conflict or think that they are in situations where that is the only answer is a scary reality that I don't think we are, you know, doing enough about, you know, I don't know who's talking to our young men, or, you know, they don't always have someone to go to. And do they feel comfortable being vulnerable? Do we give them the space to feel vulnerable? What messaging are we putting out for our young men to seek help and feel comfortable asking for help? And so, you know, it's it's very important for us nowadays to ask our kids how they're doing.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:We quickly, you know, want to make sure that they are getting good grades, they're showing up, but are they really showing up and are we showing up for them?
SPEAKER_02:Right.
SPEAKER_01:We're asking a lot of our educators, and you know, they are on the front lines of check in with our students. But when you have a classroom of 30 plus students, you don't have a paraeducator, you don't have, you know, the support to not only meet these benchmarks that are required in our blueprint, but also ensure that your kids are mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to learn, it creates just uh incredible amount of concerning factors for our students and then our families.
SPEAKER_03:So And uh it's just important to note that it's it's okay to not be okay. Yes, and a lot of times kids don't, with all that their parents are probably dealing with or their families are dealing with, um, you may not know that it it's okay as a young kid, you know, to not be okay, and that your feelings do matter, and that it's um okay to share that with your parents or with a a concerned adult and seek help. Um and even for families that in many cases mental health is a bad word when you start thinking you immediately go to crazy, my baby ain't crazy. It's not crazy. Um human beings have uh needs and there's need to care. There's certain um things in place to help us with our mental well-being. Yes um that can help to dissuade us from um bad outcomes. And you're talking about that now. The report shows that there's a need, and you've shown that council is looking to provide some type of services to help to address that need. Um what other barriers are there to health care um that exists now among other served communities? Uh not not all of them. You scale a couple of them, just quite a few barriers, but I mean, just a few.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, financial, it's expensive. You know, if you don't have insurance, it's hard to find a healthcare provider. And so, you know, through our um Black Physicians Health Network, we are able to provide culturally competent access to free mental health services for our residents. Um and, you know, we stood that program up during the pandemic, and it's continued because we saw the demand. Yeah. Um, we saw that there was still a need. Um we kudos to them.
SPEAKER_03:They were at the Friendship Picnic and Ready Health. And when I talked to Ready Health, they had given away 60 free flu vaccinations. Very. Which, of course, will not only help the health and well-being, but for families where sickness or of a one-week flu could be the difference between paying the rent that month. That's such an important resource that the county is helping to uh put out there. So kudos to that program that you mentioned just now, the um Black Physician Health Network. Black Physicians Health Care Network. Wonderful, wonderful. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:And we also have our wellness centers that are at some of our schools. We're trying to expand uh those wellness hubs so that, you know, our students and their families have access to these preventative and uh regular services, whether it's, you know, classes where they can access mentors or uh they can even just talk with someone about um any physicals that they need to participate in extracurricular activities. We're trying to meet our residents where they are. And, you know, we work with our nonprofits to make sure that we also have culturally competent care. You know, we have a nursing shortage that's impacting how many people can even be served. That's why we have some of the longest emergency room wait times in the nation. So, in addition to the financial costs, in addition to the cultural limitations on who can give you culturally competent care, do we have the staff? Can you access this care? And then are you dealing with the stigma associated with accessing this care? And, you know, that and that's where the problem lies, you know, making it normalizing getting help. We normalize getting, you know, our twice a year visits to the dentist and knowing that when, you know, we have a cavity, we go to the dentist, knowing that when something doesn't feel right in our body, we see our primary care provider.
SPEAKER_02:Right.
SPEAKER_01:But what are we encouraging and how are we educating our young people about how to seek help and when, what's appropriate, and what does that look like, and why you should feel comfortable in doing so, and why it's part of our overall holistic health.
SPEAKER_03:Oh, wow. That's daunting. It's we applaud you for taking on such an intimidating uh cause or uh such as this. You've seen the data. Yeah. So you know there's a serious need, and you've seen the budgets over the years, you know there's limited resources. Um, but you're taking on this with a very conscientious and thoughtful approach, uh, with uh an eye on impact in the community. Uh what do you see on the horizon in terms of initiatives? I know it's early on, but what types of things that might be in the works that could be encouraging or something to rally around for the community in Montgomery County, Maryland?
SPEAKER_01:You know, I think we're going to have to take a more holistic effect approach to addressing these challenges. Um, you know, education is number one, you know, ensuring that, you know, our community understands the resources that are available to them, ensuring that they are available in a variety of mediums, languages, um, and ensuring that, you know, our residents see themselves in the messaging that we create, the marketing for them to access these resources. And, you know, we are supporting our students through the pipeline to pursue these, you know, uh career um opportunities, you know. Um, we also have to, you know, invest in these awareness campaigns. We have to advocate for policy changes. We know that, you know, this year we have funded our budget, but next year, you know, we don't know what's gonna happen. We had the highest uh job loss from the federal impacts here in the county. So we know that there are a lot of people here that don't have health insurance. Cobra's expensive. Um, the Affordable Care Act, they are potentially going to be cutting the subsidies that made it affordable to access care in that marketplace. Um, you know, October 1st is right around the corner. If this budget isn't funded, there's going to be a lot of people who are going to be hit with a lot of challenges that we're going to have to absorb. Um, and so, you know, we we're bracing, we're working with our health and human services department. You know, we're in close communication with our federal partners to understand how to communicate, you know, what we can continue to, you know, encourage our residents to access. Um, but it's it's really going to come down to keeping those lines of communication open and uh ensuring that we are raising awareness about the services that are available to our residents.
SPEAKER_03:Speaking of services that are available, the resources available in the county. Yes. We're going to change hats. I'm going to take my host hat off. I'm going to give it to the very capable and eloquent, uh, and of course, better on the lens uh than I am, um, Councilmember Sales. And she will be talking to a county representative about the resources available when it comes to health, wellness, and well-being in the county.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome.
SPEAKER_03:So, up next, look forward to something better.
unknown:What?
SPEAKER_01:Welcome back to What's Happening MoCo. I am Councilmember at Large, Lorian Sales, and I am so excited to share this platform with our Chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, uh, Chief Monica Martin. Thank you so much for joining us.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you for having me here. Such a pleasure.
SPEAKER_01:Of course. Why don't you share a bit about yourself? You've been in this role. Has it been a year yet? It will be in another 10 days. So almost. So we are almost at your one-year anniversary, and you have been with us for quite some time in different roles, made it through the pandemic, and now leading our behavioral health and crisis services. So tell us a bit about your journey and what this year has been like for you.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you. I will, but I can't do that without first thanking you, Councilmember Sales, for your service to the whole county and especially on the Health and Human Services Committee and as a clinical licensed social worker to your mother for her 30 years of service as a social worker here in Montgomery County. Um, on the Forget that in your first term as a council member, you very proactively reached out to come to visit one of our Linkages learning sites and learned about some of our integrated primary and behavioral health care for our youngest students at MCPS. So, so thank you for that. So, as I just shared, I'm a licensed clinical social worker. So I'm a clinician by training, and I've had the privilege and honor of working for Montgomery County's Department of Health and Human Services for 18 years at this point. Before then, I was doing a lot of work focused on youth and families. That's how I came into this county work. So I was a clinician that specialized in working with adolescents and their families, working in the private nonprofit sector and a behavior health organization that served the Baltimore and DC greater Washington metropolitan area. So I'd done that for eight years, focusing on prevention and early intervention in the beginning, partnering with the county's Department of Health and Human Services to expand some of those school-based initiatives and programs at that time when our linkages learning initiative was expanding in the Up County region in particular. But prior to that, I had done work as a hospital social worker. I had done work as a social worker serving migrant populations and in rural Virginia. I had done school-based work as well, hence the circle back around to the passion for integrating mental health care into our schools. And then when I came to Montgomery County in HHS, that's exactly what I stepped into, kind of furthering those school-based partnerships within our children, youth, and family services division. Yeah. To be at school-based, school linked, all kinds of different avenues to try to, again, reach more youth and families in that wonderfully accessible location of the schoolhouse and the community that surrounds it. So a year ago I came into this role and kind of back into my clinical roots in terms of overseeing some of our services that serve the most vulnerable of our residents in terms of those that experience the greatest disparate disparities and the greatest barriers to accessing behavioral health care as part of our local public safety net. So this is where I am now. And I'm so privileged and honored to be here with you today. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you for sharing that with us, Ms. Martin. And so this is Suicide Prevention Month. Sure is.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, thank you for uh speaking so eloquently to all the uh barriers that so many populations face in um really accessing all the resources and supports they need to be healthy, period. It all contributes to uh escalating uh uh states of mental health distress if you don't have access to healthy resources, period, as you're growing up and disenfranchised and doing so. But in terms of the term self-love, um it can sound abstract or or cliche, but it's really about how we treat ourselves, especially when no one's watching. That's the key thing. That's the qualifier that I always put out there. Yeah, especially when no one else is watching. So it's really the ongoing practice of valuing, respecting, and caring for yourself physically, emotionally, mentally in all realms, through your actions, through your boundaries. It's a very important one aspect of self-love, and through self-talk. Um, so it is everything from getting enough rest and not glorifying burnout to giving yourself permission to feel emotions without judgment, to saying no to things that drain you, even when you're expected to say yes. So it's those kinds of things that um we need to do for ourselves to keep our thought ourselves healthy and on our best.
SPEAKER_01:No, that's so important, you know. As woman, you know, I think in our parents' generation, it was glorified to be superwoman. And I'm so glad that our generation has learned about the burnout culture, and we are now um trying to model healthier ways to, you know, exercise self-love and hopefully instill that in the next generation. And so you mentioned some small practices that our, you know, young people and community can do. Um, you know, how does this contribute to, you know, overall better mental health and overall wellness?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it um really makes a huge, huge difference. Um, if I can elaborate a little bit more on if people don't know about this concept, many people have heard about it, um, but don't know whether or not they're practicing it in their day-to-day lives. Yeah, um, I always say, and you'll hear anyone who's familiar with this concept say, if I treated myself like someone I deeply cared about, what would I do differently today? Uh for me, when I feel like I'm struggling with self-love, I think about my dear grandmother, my 96-year-old grandmother uh in in Puerto Rico, who um is still with us and probably will outlive all of us, um, but who is so endeared to me. And I think if she were saying this to me right now, if she were feeling this right now, if she were doing this right now, what would I be saying back to her? Um, and so it's it's really important to try to have that perspective with yourself, to try to adopt that self-compassion. Um, because when you replace that harsh self-talk that many of us have grown up with, uh when you replace that with kinder, more understanding words such as, I'm doing the best I can right now, and that's enough, right? I'm enough. When you allow yourself to make mistakes and to love yourself through those mistakes, I love the term that um I adopted at some point that I'm a recovering perfectionist. It's a lifelong journey. And it's and and I've I've built a small community of recovering perfectionists along with me in the workplace. We have conversations around this. Um, that all allows us to again take a step back from the immediate situation because we have to learn that narrative, that self-talk. It allows us to regulate our emotions, which reduces stress hormones, which helps with our overall health. Um, it allows us to prioritize ourselves and again not be in relationships that are codependent or toxic, right? Part of that, what I mentioned earlier was the boundaries piece, learning to how to say no, understanding that no is a complete sentence. Uh and it's okay to be said, um, and not just, you know, once. It doesn't mean that you're throwing a tantrum, especially as a woman, if you're setting a boundary or otherwise. Um, there's so many things that um youth as well can do for themselves in in situations where they are um seeing themselves reflected through the eyes of, for example, social media. That is so important that adults model for youth, unplugging, intentional unplugging from social media use from the electronics. Oh, yeah, to ensure that there's the capacity, again, to instill conversations, intentional conversations, whenever possible, around that positive self-talk that is so important to have. So um no, the the benefits are are immense. It reduces anxiety and depression, absolutely. Um, it helps to kind of lift the mental load of the worries that lead to anxiety and depression. Um I could go on.
SPEAKER_01:The benefits are yes, I'm I'm glad that we have, you know, the county's respect fest happening where um, you know, our young people are really driving the communication, the around healthy relationships and boundaries and yes, knowing that no is okay and being comfortable with it. And so I'm glad you mentioned that boundaries. And so being chief of this department, you know, what are some common signs that someone should reach out for professional support instead of trying to push through and, you know, try to navigate this challenging time on their own?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think first and foremost, it's important to always remember that it's always okay to reach out. It is never a mistake to reach out. If it turns out you're reaching out and you're speaking to a mental health professional or a call taker on our 988 line, or your primary care physician and you're sharing, I'm having these thoughts. Um, these are my new behaviors. I'm finding myself avoiding certain things. Whatever's happening for you, I'm not enjoying what I used to enjoy. Whatever that is, um, anyone in the helping profession is going to be, first of all, um very, very affirming that you have done that because that's a source of strength, reaching out for help. It's not a sign of weakness. Um, and if it turns out you don't need therapy right away, they're gonna make that assessment and they're gonna support you through that. And that's okay. Um, having said that, it is normal for all of us to have our ups and downs. Absolutely. And there are certain times when it really is important for us if we notice these uh things in ourselves or for um our loved ones, if we're noticing in our loved ones, for us to prompt them to reach out for support with uh certainly persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, right? So not temporal, not for a short period of time, but for weeks or months without relief. That is definitely a sign. Um, as I mentioned earlier, the loss of interest in activities that you once enjoyed, um, having not just nerves or stress, but overwhelming anxiety or panic, so constant worry, racing thoughts, certainly panic attacks, um, anxiety that interferes with your daily life or with your decision making, right? Paralysis due to the stress that you're feeling, difficulty uh regulating emotions. So if you're someone who typically doesn't express anger and suddenly you're you're having intense anger, irritability, or it's a you know, slowly escalating thing that you notice, or or the converse, emotional numbness. You're not expressing the emotions you typically would have expressed. Um, if you're having mood swings that affect your relationships or your work, uh if you have changes in sleep or your appetite, those are symptoms that often accompany depression or anxiety. And certainly if you find yourself withdrawing and isolating, if you're avoiding the social interactions you used to enjoy, if you're feeling disconnected from others, even if you're still interacting with them, but you're feeling like people aren't hearing me, people aren't seeing me, they're understanding me, or I don't want them to right now. Yeah. Because it's too scary to think about what they might see or what I might see reflected in them if they shine a mirror on me, right? So those are all signs that you should reach out. Certainly thoughts of self-harm or suicide. That is an emergency. Do that right away. But it's absolutely critical that we know, just like with any aspect of our overall health and wellness, prevention and early intervention is key.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:It absolutely can turn the curve on experiencing uh more symptoms later, um, more anxiety, more depression, more debilitating uh situations. So reach out when in doubt.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you. Always a good time to reach out and have someone you can trust when you're feeling down. And so I know that um, you know, you mentioned it's always a good time to reach out. And what can friends and family members do? Um, what are some of the warning signs that they should recognize to support a loved one and encourage them to take that next step to get help?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So obviously having observed anything that I already, you know, shared, um, but again, there could be there's different signs for different people, um, trouble concentrating or completing tasks or maintaining productivity that's important. If you notice that on a colleague at work, for example, um, if someone expresses um sentiments such as are feeling stuck or unable to move forward in life, if you see your loved ones um taking on some unhealthy coping behaviors, so the increased use of alcohol or drugs or other risky behaviors, um, or again, um, distractions or avoidance um behaviors, such as uh binge watching, overeating, things like that to avoid emotions, if that's a shift in what someone um is doing typically. Um if you're seeing that someone's trauma or grief seems to be unresolved after a loss, after abuse, after a major life change, um, if they're sharing that they're having flashbacks, nightmares, or they're avoiding reminders of some of their past and experiences they've been through. Um, all of these things are things to watch out for. And what's really important is that you should never be afraid to directly speak to someone that you think, even if it's not true, even if it turns out they're just fine and they're just having a day. Okay, it's never wrong to check in, right? Better be safe than sorry. Um, supporting someone struggling with their mental health can really it can be challenging, but also deeply meaningful. So um the way to approach it is to start with eye sentences, right? Where we talk about a lot. So I've noticed you seem really down lately and I'm concerned, right? It's about your observations, it's about your worries. Um, you want to make sure to avoid judgment. You're not trying to fix or problem solve. You want to listen with empathy, be an ear. Um, you want to encourage professional help seeking. And um, I've often said, do you want me to go with you to your first appointment with a therapist? Um, normalize the idea of therapy and help seeking by comparing it to seeking help for physical health, right? Because mental health struggles are they're brain-based issues. They're part of our biology and physiology. We are all one being. It's very important. Um, it's important to be patient and consistent with our loved ones, especially those that are struggling with ongoing mental health uh concerns. Healing is not linear, just like it isn't for a lot of other chronic conditions, physical conditions. So um ensuring that you kind of stay the course with them, respecting boundaries, but also checking in. There's so many ways that's this is, you know, in the digital age, this is what's great. You don't have to show up at someone's door, you don't have to pick the phone and call. You can do a text, you can do a chat, just little check-ins can make all the difference. And um offering very practical support, running errands, watching kids, things that just relieve a burden for someone who's going through a mental health struggle.
SPEAKER_01:Nice. Those are such helpful tips to recognize. And, you know, just thinking about our kids and how much time they spend on social media and, you know, being a parent and checking in and asking those questions. Who are you talking with? Who are you surrounding yourself with? And, you know, understanding the vulnerabilities that, you know, our um young people could be exposed to on those online platforms, chat rooms. And so it's great that parents and loved ones can check in.
SPEAKER_00:And it's critical to get into that world, right? No teenager is going to be like, sure, here's what's happening. I'm gonna but if you get into that world with genuine interest, which comes out of love for our kids anyhow, yes, um, and just have um really uh you know honest interest in what's happening for them online in their online lives, you'll get bits, you'll get enough.
SPEAKER_01:Make a difference. Yep, yep.
SPEAKER_00:And then monitor on the side. So if you have access to monitor directly and could do it, do it. Yes, definitely.
SPEAKER_01:And so for someone new to therapy, the process of finding a provider can feel overwhelming. Yeah. Where can we direct our community, our young people? Where can they start?
SPEAKER_00:Well, for our young people, you have many more resources in your school building now than um we used to hear in Montgomery County even just uh five years ago. Um, we have big schools. We're a large community, we're a diverse community. So I say that with all respect and um affirmation for those that might still feel alone in their school or in their community. However, you have beyond your school counselor, you have, depending on if you're in um primary or secondary school, you have parent community coordinators who also are there for young people, school administrators. Um, we have lots of programs in MCPS right now to support you with. You already mentioned the wellness centers earlier that are available in many high schools in Montgomery County. We have the Bridge to Wellness Initiative that is available in all of the remaining high schools in Montgomery County. Um, the important thing is that you reach out to someone you trust, whoever that may be.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Um, and if that's not an adult, if you really do not think you can talk to an adult, confide in a trusted friend. Yeah. Right. And that's why it's really important that we have so many youth-led peer initiatives.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_00:Um, and that we have youth trained in mental health first aid and um all kinds of strategies to support each other and connecting um fellow peers to care and connecting them to trusted adults to support them.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, we're very fortunate in Montgomery County and at the state to have uh well-funded and accessible resources. And so uh thinking about those resources, how can patients ensure the therapist is a good fit, whether that's culturally, emotionally, practically, insurance, location, language barriers? That can be tough.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That can be tough.
SPEAKER_00:Um, you have to think about it as it's a say, you know, we we shop for primary care physicians sometimes, right? If we're lucky and we have options, which not all of us are, right? Um, but I will say the the first step is certainly if if you do have insurance, whether it's public insurance or private insurance, that you look at the number of the back of that card that might look like a number that you're you know looking at to get your flu shot or to get your um well visit, you call that number. Mental health parity exists in this country um legally, and you ask around you you ask for the resources for behavioral health and that kind of support. If you're not finding what you need there, um many insurance companies now will, of course, have online directories, just like you might for, you know, dentist, um, again, whether it's public or private insurance. Um and you can um you can use filters to search by location. It's really important that you, you know, don't have to take three buses or drive um an hour to access someone that you can um uh seek help with. Um they have languages, most of them as well. Um, you know, in terms of culturally competent care, a lot of them don't have race. Some of them have pictures. Yes. But um, I tell anyone who has seeking a therapy, I say whether or not your insurance company or the provider that you first go to says that they offer this, ask for a one-time free consultation. Many, many clinicians will do this. Um not all will. I'm not saying that all will, but ask for it, right? You are the consumer. Uh, ask for it. Um, many will do this, especially upon requests. They'll spend 20 minutes or half an hour with you. You can kind of interview them, yeah, get to know them a little bit. It's confidential. Um, and it gives you a sense of who they are before setting up an appointment.
SPEAKER_01:Um good. And I know that you know, telemedicine is also on the rise. Absolutely. Addressing barriers to accessing care is becoming more and more easier to um seek out. So what do you suggest if someone tries therapy and doesn't connect with their first provider? How can they advocate for themselves and still uh continue to seek the care they need?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um the first thing I recommend is that you share your thoughts and feelings about this not being a good match directly with the provider.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:You may be surprised, and the provider may respond in a way that helps you feel safer, more connected, especially depending on how long you've invested in that particular, you know, relationship or clinical relationship. Um that can be a very challenging scenario to feel comfortable sharing that. So it it may or may not be the right choice for everybody in that situation. But if you feel like you can do it, I recommend it because you're seeing you should be seeing a professional. And if they are a professional, um, not only might um they be able to change how they're supporting you in a way that is a better fit, but if that is not the case, they may be your best friend in helping you find your next best fit as well. Um, now, again, if you don't feel like you can speak to this person in that way, then clearly that's not a safe place for you to be receiving therapy anyhow. Um, and so um, you know, again, depending on your insurance status, it's important to go through um through uh your insurance payer to try to find the best fit, but there are other options as well. And so I just want to make sure that folks know that um, again, both public and private insurance uh insurers do have now uh individuals that are called health coaches or care coordinators that you can reach out to and say, look, I did this, it didn't work, I don't have time to keep shopping for someone else. Please help me out. You get to talk to them typically, and they you they get a sense of what it is that you're looking for and what you want. And they might be able to support with kind of casting the net on what other providers are in your network or um can be seen through your insurance and help make that match with you and for you. Um, if you do not have insurance, because many people do not, or you do, and the copay is too high and the deductibles are too high for you to afford it, know that you have other options. Um, I need to repeat that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is an emotional support lifeline. You don't have to be in um in a situation that you assess to be a crisis to call and get support, including support around how to access treatment. Um, here in Montgomery County, we have a service in our behavioral health and crisis services division that's called Access to Behavioral Health. So this is for adults who have no insurance or who have Medicaid or Medicare. And you can access that service by calling 240-777-1770. And they can support you with information and referral services. They can provide a screening for you over the phone, virtually or in person. And this is for mental health assessments and for treatment for mental health and substance abuse concerns. You can walk in in person without an appointment at 27 Courthouse Square, suite 101, right here in Rockville. And uh if you do have insurance, public insurance, bring your proof of insurance and/or income information. Um, it's also a service that's available to provide telephone consultation for not just our residents, but professionals are referring agencies. Um, so if you're connected to someone, uh, if you're, for example, at a at a at a clinic and you have a wait list and people reaching out saying, where else can I connect? Um, you can call Access to Behavioral Health Services to get consultation about how to direct people that are looking for care. We're also fortunate in the state of Maryland to have what's called a health coverage assistance team. This is a state resource that can help you get answers to your health insurance questions if you're uh experiencing barriers, whether you're uninsured or insured. They address health insurance problems and concerns. Uh, it's also a place where you can file a complaint about your health insurance if you need to or your concern, but they connect you to resources as well. So they can be reached at 410-468-2442 or via email at hcat.mia at marilyn.gov.
SPEAKER_01:All right. Well, thank you again, Ms. Martin, for you know, bringing your talents here to Montgomery County. Thank you for sharing your perspective on mental health and ways we can uh seek out resources right here in the community in a healthy way. And thank you to everyone who joined us uh for this incredible segment and discussion. And uh that's our show for what's happening in Moco. Thank you. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:Thanks for listening to What's Happening in Moco. Please subscribe to get your favorite podcast platform.