Santé, the Eastern Shore’s primary mental health and crisis intervention resource, is serving the Queen Anne’s County community with an 18 minute average response time. The organization operates a 24/7 hotline and Mobile Crisis Response Teams staffed by licensed counselors and therapists, providing immediate access to support for children, adults, and families struggling with mental health issues, substance use, or behavioral crises.
Bridging a Critical Gap
Queen Anne’s County faces a significant shortage of mental health resources, with only one mental health provider for every 951 residents. Santé’s mobile crisis response teams are trained to meet people where they are—at home, in public spaces, or wherever a person in crisis is located—providing on-site assessments, de-escalation, and connection to ongoing care. According to Kathy Hanna, education outreach coordinator, this approach means fewer emergency room visits, fewer unnecessary arrests, and stronger connections to community-based care.
Comprehensive Support and Training
The organization works to ensure sustainable recovery by coordinating outreach and establishing both coping skills and resource connections before teams leave the scene. Santé also provides educational and training services for first responders, education systems, and other organizations, focusing on de-escalation and mental health response. The teams include peer support specialists who draw on their own experiences—such as peer specialist Lexi Whiteley, who grew up in foster care—to provide personal connections with vulnerable community members and demonstrate that “hope is possible.”
Access and Clarity
Santé emphasizes that all calls are confidential and the organization does not define anyone’s crisis. Clinician Amanda Spada noted that community outreach helps people understand available resources before they feel they have no more options. A common misconception is that Santé operates like Child Protective Services, but the organization will not remove children during crisis responses. Anyone in Queen Anne’s County can call 888-407-8018 for crisis help, and all Maryland residents can also reach the suicide and crisis lifeline by calling 988.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.myeasternshoremd.com/qa/community/sant-on-the-road-with-crisis-and-mental-health-support/article_4395ca56-2fd5-452b-a4b2-fbbd460dcdee.html