Central Maryland Regional Crisis System

Transforming Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services

The Central Maryland Regional Crisis System (formerly called the GBRICS Partnership) is a network of behavioral health crisis response services supported by the Greater Baltimore Regional Integrated Crisis System (GBRICS) Partnership project.

Launched in 2020, the GBRICS Partnership is a five-year project that will invest $45 million of catalyst funding to transform crisis response services in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County and Howard County. The GBRICS Partnership project will expand the capacity of mobile crisis teams and community-based providers to reduce police interaction and overreliance on emergency departments.

 

Overall Goal: Reduce unnecessary Emergency Department use and police interaction for people in behavioral health crisis.

1. Regional Call Center

Create one regional hotline connected to a comprehensive call center that will use specialized technology to quickly and effectively help callers access the immediate support they need.

2. Mobile Crisis Teams

Expand capacity of mobile crisis teams (non-law enforcement) so they are available 24/7 across the region. 

3.Walk-in/Virtual Crisis Services

Expand same day virtual and walk in services to immediately address the needs of people in crisis. 

4. Community Engagement and Outreach

Work with communities to increase awareness and utilization of the hotline and new services. 

GBRICS Partnership Project

GBRICS Map

Who developed GBRICS?

The GBRICS Partnership project was developed by a broad coalition of 17 hospitals, four local behavioral health authorities, and many behavioral health experts and community leaders across the four local jurisdictions. Together they form the Central Maryland Crisis Response System. Here is the full list of project partners.

Initial investment of funding for the project was made available by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission Regional Partnership Catalyst Grant Program. For the full list of collaborators, see the full GBRICS Partnership Project Proposal.

Community Engagement

The project committed early on to meaningful community engagement to help inform system change and the design of project-funded services. As a part of this commitment, the Community Engagement Committee (CEC) and Local Community Engagement (CE) Subcommittee conducted an online survey and roundtable discussions between July 2021 and March 2022.

Results, themes and next steps influenced by more than 500 residents of the Central Maryland Region (Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County and Howard County) have been compiled into the 2021-22 Community Engagement Report.

GBRICS Council 

The GBRICS Council guides the overall strategy, implementation and sustainability of GBRICS Partnership project initiatives. The Council has 21 seats, intentionally structured to include key partners.

Council Meetings

GBRICS Council meets quarterly. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings.

2022 Meetings:

  • December 12, 5:00 p.m.

Past Meetings:

GBRICS Project in the News

Resources