“If a kid had a chance, go ahead and take it.” he said. “Attack the space and get the ball on the ground in front of the goal.”

Kai Gibson heard his coach’s plea and stepped up, scoring two goals in the opening moments of the second half. The Huskies held on defensively, stalling the Mavericks’ offense to walk away with the 3-1 victory Monday night.

“They’re a solid program and they’ve got a good team,” Rich said. “This was a great win for us.”

After a slow start in the first half, the Huskies came out aggressive and active from the beginning of the second, keeping the ball moving with precise passes and leading one for good looks close to the goal.

“That’s how we’re going to generate chances this year,” Rich said. “Then, we need guys to be confident and fire away when they get a good look.”

Gibson had no issue taking open shots Monday. After Phil Toliver weaved through three defenders, his beautiful cross set up Gibson for a goal. Mere seconds later, the junior found the back of the net once again as the Huskies took control.

“I’m out here to finish,” Gibson said. “If they play the ball through, I’m just there to outrun the other team and score.”

After Benjamin Phillips scored the lone goal for the Mavericks in the first half, the chances became scarce for a young Manchester Valley team looking to find it’s rhythm and stamina. Passes became erratic and easily picked off by the Huskies. Alex Martinez had a good look in the second half, but sailed it over the crossbar as the Mavericks failed to convert.

“We played half a game today,” Mavericks coach John Woodley said. “We have a very young team and we need to come out and learn what it takes to get going for a full game.”

The early season matchup against an out-of-county opponent allowed both teams to learn a lot about themselves. No matter the result, Rich and Woodley each feel there is a lot to build on after Monday.

“We’ve got three new starters on defense, so there’s going to be mistakes.” Rich said. “We’re not going to let one mistake throw off our whole mentality. I think we’ll get better every game with that back four.”

For Woodley, he noted his young team showed promise in the first half. With a roster that boasts only six seniors and a schedule littered with tough battles left and right, he is confident his team will get better fast.

“There’s a lot to build off,” he said. “We just have to put together two solid halves, we do that and we’ll be OK.”

The Huskies will host Rising Sun on Thursday, while the Mavericks will look to bounce back with a road trip to Oakdale to face the Bears.

Patterson Mill 3, Manchester Valley 1

Goals: PM- Kai Gibson (2), Reza Mousavi (1). MV- Benjamin Phillips (1)

Field hockey

Francis Scott Key 5, Frederick 0: The Eagles blanked Frederick led by a hat trick from Jena Stambaugh. She scored once in the first quarter and twice in the third. Josie Bachtel and Dory Kelley also found the cage for FSK. Audrey Baugher had two assists, while Carley Topper and Bella Mazan also handed out helpers.

Westminster 3, Bel Air 2: Vivian Dunn scored the game-winner in the second overtime for the Owls. Ava Piluk tallied Westminster’s first two goals with Dunn assisting on both. Bel Air got a goal from Bella Leon to open the game, and another from Paige Feick on a penalty stroke that tied the game late in the fourth quarter. In goal, Natalie Schultz made six saves for the Owls and Sydney Kennedy made eight saves for the Bobcats.

South Carroll 3, Linganore 2: Megan Maynard, Emily Maynard and Olivia Carter all had goals as the Cavaliers held off Linganore. Alayna Enoff, Dakota Clemens and Kayla Janyska all had assists. In goal, Caelin Lopes made four saves.

Franklin 4, Winters Mill 2: The Indians went on the road and neither the Falcons, nor their grass field, could stop Nora Tromble. The junior scored all four goals in Franklin’s win. Riley Dell and Cici Coco scored for Winters Mill. Addy Vanlandingham made 10 saves in goal.

John Carroll 4, Mercy 2: Four Patriots scored in the win with Sara Shorts, Cate Bianco, Annie Minoglio and Mia Castellano all recording goals.

River Hill 3, Atholton 0: Katelyn Sauritch led the way for the Hawks (1-0) in the season-opening win with a goal and an assist. Carolyn Dzubak and Gabby Bergstrom also scored while Maya Chan had an assist. For Atholton (0-1), Adara Baldini made 24 saves.

Centennial 3, Howard 0: Caroline Cudzilo led the Eagles (1-0) in a season-opening win with a pair of goals. Claire Whipkey added a goal and an assist, while Jane Baldy pitched a shutout with four saves.

Reservoir 8, Oakland Mills 0: The Gators offense exploded in the season-opening win. Freshman Sam Feher netted a hat trick and added an assist in her first varsity action. Senior Claire Kimnach added two goals, while senior Sandra Salkini had a goal and a game-high three assists. Junior Annie Riley scored the game’s first goal, while Madi Ellis also scored on a feed from Radhika Shah.

Football

Patterson Mill 25, Digital Harbor 12: In the conclusion of a game suspended Friday because of a lighting issue, the Huskies scored the final 18 points. Digital Harbor went up 12-7 before RJ Wilhelm scored a touchdown for the Huskies and the extra point put them ahead, 13-12. Mason Hemelt had a pick-six for a touchdown and Brycen Hunter closed out the scoring with a 1-yard run.

Patterson Mill boys soccer gets 2 second-half goals from Kai Gibson in 3-1 win over Manchester Valley

Boys soccer

North Harford 4, Elkton 0: Matthew Deily scored twice and assisted on a third goal in the Hawks’ shutout win. Ryder Taylor and Sebasteyan McNally also scored, while Jamail Holmes tallied two assists.

Pikesville 2, Western Tech 1: Anderson Marquez hit the back of the net with less than five minutes remaining to like Pikesville to the win. Ablante Fesseha scored for the Panthers in the first half. In goal, junior Josh Kaplan made four saves.

Towson 5, Franklin 1: Zach Shrager scored twice, while Will Heacock, Jacob Martinez and Mason Westfall also tallied goals in the win. The Generals built a 3-1 lead by halftime.

Girls soccer

Catonsville 2, Mount de Sales 1: Ella Lesniewski scored off an Elin Mellendick assist for the Comets and Kaitlyn Bachtel scored the team’s second goal off a free kick.

Bel Air 3, North East 2: The Bobcats surged ahead after a 1-1 halftime tie. Ally Mace hit the back of the net twice to lead Bel Air to the win. Eve Krout also scored. Sarah Ravadge, Aubrey Blackburn and Kaitlyn Primus had assists and Emerson Schiller made three saves in goal.

Harford Tech 8, Elkton 2: Laney Weaver and Brooke Pollack each recorded hat tricks in the Cobras’ blowout win, and Abby Downes scored twice.

John Carroll 4, Elizabeth Seton 0: Clara Madore had a hand in all four Patriots goals, scoring two and assisting on two. Bella Ottone and Cali Fridel also hit the back of the net. Lily Baumgartner had an assist.

Severn 5, Glenelg Country 2: The Admirals jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead. Five players scored in the win: Tessa Patel, Layla Epps, Sophia English, Madison Watson and Irelyn Beaulieu. Patel, Eliza Grace Beard, Carys McKenzie and Nina Ambro all had assists.

Westminster 2, Dulaney 0: Clara Kemp (6 saves) and Andi Zaslow (4) split time in goal to combine for the shutout over the Lions. For the offense, Emmerson Hill and Jenny Vasquez scored goals with Riley Taylor and Mikayla Britz handing out assists.

Golf

Dulaney 161, Western Tech 216: The Lions topped the Wolverines led by Quinn Collins with a 37 and Eli Mace with a 39.

Boys volleyball

Patterson Mill 3, Edgewood 0: The Huskies cruised, 25-8, 25-13, 25-10. Cullen Young led the win with eight kills and five aces. Jake Rakaczky also served fived aces for the Huskies. Aidan Mackowiak chipped in four kills.

North Harford 3, C. Milton Wright: The Hawks swept the Mustangs, 25-11, 25-12, 25-16. Mike DeJesus picked up 21 digs in the win and Jackson Armiger tossed up 23 assists. Chance Kobus and Jordan Bogarty shared the team lead with eight kills each.

Girls volleyball

Annapolis 3, Frederick Douglass 0: Christen Brisbane put down 12 kills to lead the Panthers in their sweep. McHale Hughes tossed up 15 assists while getting three kills of her own. Lindsay Lyman had four kills and six blocks, and Carolin Heyder chipped in four aces and three kills.

Century 3, Francis Scott Key 1: The Knights won, 25-21, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16. Stephanie Villanueva had nine aces and served the match’s final nine points with the set tied at 16. Corinne Zepp added six aces. Gabby Zajaczkowski and Hannah Heffernan each put down 11 kills. Heffernan added 15 digs for a double-double. Zepp led the defense with 28 digs. Julia Boone set up a balanced Eagles offense with 20 assists. Samantha Miller led with six kills. Ripleigh Maring and Kiersten Johannes each added five kills and Maring adding six blocks and Johannes five.

Perry Hall 3, Oakland Mills 1: Abbie Znamirowski had 10 aces and Addison Dunlap was close behind her with eight as the Gators won, 25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17. Dunlap also tossed up 13 assists. Milana Scaccio had six kills and three aces.

To submit scores and stats, email mdscores@baltsun.com with a full box score, including first and last names of the players.

“Carroll County saw an increase in confirmed lab reports for COVID over the summer, but we have seen a decrease in the last couple of weeks,” Maggie Kunz, health planner with the Carroll County Health Department said. “Carroll County stayed at a low hospital admissions level as well, but we have seen an increase in COVID-related deaths in the last several weeks.”

As of Sept. 4, the most recent numbers available from the state, there have been 536 deaths in Carroll County attributed to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in 2020. That number is up from 526 recorded deaths as of July 16.

COVID cases continue to increase in all parts of the U.S., with KP.3.1.1 being the predominant variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are promoting the updated COVID vaccines, which match more current strains of the virus,” Kunz said. “It’s important to get the updated vaccine because, like other vaccines, protection from the COVID-19 vaccine decreases with time and the new vaccines offer the best protection from current strains.”

But even those who are vaccinated have contracted the virus.

“The shots aren’t meant to prevent every COVID infection, but to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death,” she said. “People who recently had COVID may delay getting [another] vaccine for three months.”

The health department is expected to have a limited number of vaccines available this fall, which will be reserved for adults and children without health insurance.

More information will be available on the department’s website, https://health.maryland.gov/carroll/Pages/Flu-COVID-19-RSV-Vaccines.aspx.

Pharmacies in the county will also be administering vaccines for people 3 years of age and older, Kunz said.

People can search for nearby pharmacy information at https://www.vaccines.gov/en/.

The proposal would carve a 70-mile-long path through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties. The $424 million project has a proposed date of operation of June 2027. Jason Kalwa, who manages the energy project for the Public Service Enterprise Group, said in July that the project will provide a much-needed upgrade to the energy grid, which will benefit Carroll residents and others.

The project has drawn criticism due to its potential to invoke eminent domain, harm the environment, hamper the economic productivity of Carroll farms, reduce property values, pass on costs to energy consumers, and detract from the beauty of nature. Ready stands with other Carroll lawmakers in opposing the plan.

“There have been a number of property owners who’ve been contacted by individuals who are attempting to buy up their land,” Commissioner Joe Vigliotti said at a county meeting on Thursday. “I’m not quite sure whether this is some kind of a scare tactic or a scam, or somebody looking to exploit the situation, but if somebody does try to pressure you into selling your property, say no.”

Ready said he would not tell someone what to do with their property, but he urges residents to not panic or act in fear when evaluating an offer.

“It’s not really illegal for somebody to send you an offer or to say they want to make an offer on your house,” Ready said, “but obviously there can be predatory practices, and we want to keep an eye on that for sure.”

The state senator advises residents to consult real estate or land experts before even entertaining an offer.

Joanne Frederick, director of Stop MPRP, a community advocacy group with hundreds of members and thousands of email recipients that was formed to oppose the project, said last month that agricultural land can be hard to accurately value. She discourages anyone from signing anything that would sell or grant access to their land.

“The first thing that everyone needs to know is do not sign anything,” Frederick said. “If someone knocks on your door and says, ‘We want to talk to you about using your land for power,’ just politely but firmly tell them you’re not interested in and send them on their way.”

Vigliotti asked anyone contacted to reach out to and share details with commissioners, Ready or Stop MPRP.

“All this information, as it comes to light, is incredibly important,” Vigliotti said, “because we all have to be aware of what it is we’re facing. This attempt to buy a property seems to be the latest in a series of interesting incidents.”

Ready said there are many unknown elements regarding the proposed transmission line, and it is unclear what recent property acquisition offers mean for the project, if anything.

“The residents and voters of Carroll County have said that multiple times,” Kiler said. “We have met with governor, a number of his secretaries and delegates, and senators, multiple times. I don’t feel we would have a stronger voice in Annapolis if we had a county executive.”

Kiler said since 1968, county residents have voted against switching to charter government three times.
“The last charter proposal in 1998, was defeated by an almost 3 to 2 margin,” he said. “In addition, Code Home Rule was rejected by the voters three times, most recently in 2006. Based on these precedents, we can only conclude that our citizens are satisfied with the commissioner form of government in Carroll County.”

What do you think about Carroll County changing its form of government?

The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll.

To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.

This assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that our political views shape how we perceive the role of government in society, and in the context of the BOE election, they certainly influence how candidates view the role of the school system. This isn’t a call to inject political agendas into our schools, but rather a call for transparency. Voters deserve to understand a candidate’s management style and worldview, which are often closely tied to their political affiliations.

In fact, knowing a BOE candidate’s political affiliation is crucial.

No candidate on the ballot is free from political affiliations. How can you tell? Follow the money.

Take Muri Dueppen and Amanda Jozkowski, who are running as the “Slate for Student Success.” They’ve collectively received donations from prominent Democratic politicians or their campaign committees including Jamie Raskin, Dutch Ruppersberger, David Trone and Sarah Elfreth. They’ve also garnered support from the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee and several other Democrat-aligned PACs.

On the other side of the aisle, candidates Greg Malveaux and Kristen Zihmer have received backing from numerous Republican politicians. Justin Ready, Chris Tomlinson, Haven Shoemaker, Nino Mangione, Susan Krebs and other key Republicans have provided financial support either directly or through their committees, along with nearly all the Republican clubs in Carroll County.

When you cast your vote for the Board of Education, it’s essential to vote your conscience and consider your political affiliations. And be wary of any candidate who claims to be above politics. Transparency about a candidate’s political leanings is not only beneficial but necessary in ensuring that voters make informed decisions about who will influence the future of our children’s education.

Bryan Thompson is a Westminster resident who has four children in Carroll County Public Schools. 

In September 2022, Carroll County commissioners purchased 326 acres adjacent to the Northern Landfill in Westminster for about $13 million. During their weekly meeting Thursday, they were briefed on plans to improve operations at the now-526-acre Carroll County Resource Recovery Park & Northern Landfill on Baltimore Boulevard.

The county has expanded the landfill to develop more sustainable and environmentally safe options to dispose of the county’s trash for residents and businesses, Cliff Engle, chief of Carroll County’s Bureau of Solid Waste said.

Plans for future improvements include:

• Additional capacity.
• Transfer station for recyclables and trash.
• Consolidated area for residents to dump trash.
• Landfill upgrades, such as a new entrance, roads, maintenance shop and scale house.
• Resource recovery park for yard waste, organics recycling and construction and demolition materials.
• Possible solar field.

Environmental assessment studies on the property have been completed, which included locating wetlands, deep slopes, water resource conservation easements, forest conservation easements and an existing rubble area that could be an obstacle to future development.

The county is now engaged in engineering, design and permitting. State permits are expected to be complete in 2027. Federal permits will be also needed, along with a permit to construct a new entrance to the landfill.

“All of those studies brings us to where can we go as far as potential development areas,” Engle said.

Cost estimates are currently being developed, he added. Public hearings and special websites to communicate updates are also under consideration.

In fiscal 2023, the county disposed of 137,000 tons of trash at the Northern Landfill. The county also recycled 19,000 tons of materials, including household and commercial recyclables, yard waste, and scrap tires during that year.

In August 2023, the county agreed to continue its more than three-decade contract for trash and recycling services with the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority — an independent state agency that assists seven counties plus Baltimore City with waste management. The commissioners unanimously approved the annual contract with the authority in the amount of $180,966.26, which is about a 3.95% increase over the fiscal 2023 membership fee, according to Engle.

Due to rising costs to process trash at the Northern Landfill the tipping fees charged to dump garbage there increased on July 1, 2023. Tipping fees are paid by those who dispose of waste, based on weight.

The cost of dumping general household trash increased from $65 per ton to $66 per ton, and the charge for the disposal of construction and demolition trash jumped from $80 a ton to $82 a ton, according to a county news release. Money collected from tipping fees goes into the county’s Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, which pays for recycling, the management of solid waste, the transfer station and operating the Northern Landfill.

The family-oriented event is a favorite among members of the extensive Carroll County running community. The 5K course follows old, paved golf cart paths that meander along a stream past trees in their colorful fall costumes through a lovely, natural environment. Walkers are welcome. A participant can either run the 5-kilometer course; or walk 3 kilometers and enjoy some of the most picturesque views in the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to the great photography opportunities, Wakefield Valley is quickly becoming a birdwatcher’s paradise.

According to Carroll County Food Sunday Executive Director Caroline Babylon, proceeds from the race help support the Food Sunday milk voucher program, along with its other supplemental nutrition efforts for the Carroll community. (Babylon is this writer’s wife. She is one of two part-time employees of Food Sunday, I am one of the more than 70 volunteers.)

According to the Food Sunday website, https://ccfoodsunday.org/, “Food Sunday’s mission is to provide emergency supplemental food weekly in a way that enhances human dignity.” Food Sunday distributes a weekly grocery package, based on household size, that is meant to supplement food needs. It includes meat, eggs, bread, canned and boxed foods plus milk and fresh vegetable vouchers.

Food Sunday has been providing supplemental and emergency food assistance to the Carroll County community since 1982. According to a recent interview with Babylon, “The number of families served has increased steadily since the summer of 2023, when the average was 371 per week. It is now over 400 per week, and in August 2024 we served over 500 families per week. There is a very real need for food right now in this community.” Many of our fellow community members are struggling and the demand for the services provided by social-safety net services such as Food Sunday is high.

Babylon reports that Food Sunday “served 1,788 unique households throughout 2023. Six hundred ten of those were new families to the service. Food Sunday provided 605 families with a complete Thanksgiving meal and provided Christmas hams to 513 families…”

The annual Milk Run is one of the best fundraisers for Food Sunday. Along with the increase in the demand for the food services that Food Sunday provides has come an increase in the organization’s expenses. Food Sunday operates solely on volunteer donations and does not accept government stipends – except for a helping hand from the Carroll County commissioners and from the county government, which provides the organization with space to operate in the Distillery Building on Railroad Avenue in Westminster. Last year Food Sunday spent $515,987 on food to distribute.

Over the years the leadership of Food Sunday has become known for out-of-the-box thinking, with creative approaches to the services it provides. One of Food Sunday’s most innovative efforts is the milk voucher program. According to information provided by Food Sunday, the food bank “provides vouchers with a dollar value predicated upon family size that can be redeemed with the purchase of any milk product at participating local grocery stores. The grocers are then reimbursed for the redeemed vouchers by Food Sunday. This program allows [the food bank] to provide liquid protein without the logistical challenges of stocking and distributing milk.”

“The milk voucher program gives funding to families to purchase the milk of their choice,” according to Food Sunday. “They can get whole milk, 2%, chocolate and even almond or coconut milk as part of their weekly diet. The voucher program uses 7 stores throughout the county, including Weis, Millers, Kenny’s, Martins, Jiffy Mart, Penny Mart and Victory Mart. Many thanks to those stores for participating. Families can purchase the milk of their choice in the location they choose.

“Milk is a difficult product to handle in a food pantry,” reports Food Sunday. “It is heavy. It goes out of date quickly. There are many different types of milk. The milk voucher program lets the clients have milk choices.”

Food Sunday reports: “Since 2022 we have expanded the milk voucher program by providing our vouchers to other pantries throughout Carroll County, which broadens the receipt of milk to all parts of the county. In 2023 we redeemed milk vouchers totaling approximately $125,000.”

In 1982 Dominic Jollie encouraged the religious community to collect food at Sunday services that would be distributed through a countywide food bank network that was incorporated as Food Sunday. According to Jollie, “To know hunger exists and to do nothing is the shame and bane of human life.”

In Westminster, Food Sunday can be found at the Citizens Services Building, 10 Distillery Drive: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10-11:15 a.m. and 1-2:15 p.m., and Saturday: 9-11:15 a.m. In Eldersburg, it is located at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 915 Liberty Road, every Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon. In Taneytown, it is at Trinity Lutheran Church, 38 W. Baltimore St., every Thursday 9:30-11:15 a.m.

The entry fee for the Milk Run is $36. The cost for students, and members of the Eldersburg Road Runners or the Westminster Road Runners’ Club, is $21. For more information, email ccfsmilkrun@gmail.com or visit the Milk Run’s Facebook page or ccfoodsunday.org.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. His Time Flies column appears every Sunday. Email him at kevindayhoff@gmail.com.

Rothstein, a retired colonel and former garrison commander at the Fort George G. Meade U.S. Army installation in Anne Arundel County, said several years ago, just after he retired, a young soldier came up to him and thanked him for saving his life. The soldier reminded Rothstein of a time years earlier when Rothstein checked in on him and shared that this intervention led him to seek help for PTSD and ultimately find healing.

Rothstein said it was a surprising example of the positive affect you can have on other people, without knowing it. He shared the story after reading aloud a proclamation declaring the month of September Suicide Prevention Month in the county.

“Suicide is preventable,” Rothstein said, reading aloud the official proclamation. “Through building awareness and essential skills, anyone can support people at risk. Asking someone if they’re thinking about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide. It can open a conversation that can save a life.”

Rothstein noted that it was important for the county to discuss suicide prevention this month but emphasized prevention efforts shouldn’t end when the month does.

“We really should remind ourselves it’s a proclamation for prevention every day,” he said. “I’ve shared with you my stories … and the importance of resilience and reducing the stigma (of mental health crises), putting people in positions where they feel there’s no way out …

“We need to intervene, one person at a time, one group at a time. I believe it is our responsibility and calling in our community to intervene.”

Rothstein made the remarks while wearing a black baseball cap with a large “988” on the front, aiming to bring awareness to the existence of the 988 Helpline, which anyone can call to seek help during a mental health crisis. Confidential help is available at that phone number and online at https://988helpline.org/ 24 hours a day.

County officials emphasized Thursday that suicide prevention is a community effort, and that Carroll County has many resources in place to help.

Amy Laugelli, director of prevention services for the Carroll County Health Department, discussed the array of free services, trainings and resources available via the health department.

“We want to prioritize connecting to hope,” she said. “We want to normalize talking about this. … Trainings can help people get comfortable with recognizing warning signs of suicide.”

The county marks the first “988 Day” on Sunday, with the theme of “No judgment, just help,” and the goal of getting the word out about using the 988 Helpline. World Suicide Prevention Day is Sept. 10, and health department employees will wear yellow to show solidarity “that we are all in this together as a community,” she said.

On Sept. 14, the Out of the Darkness Community Walk will be held at Krimgold Park in Woodbine, from 9 a.m. to noon, to raise awareness about suicide prevention, in association with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Similar walks will happen all over the country that day, she said.

Veronica Dietz, director of crisis services at the health department, noted the success of the county’s Crisis Intervention Team, which has trained about 100 law enforcement officers from all municipal police agencies, the sheriff’s office and state police, as well as correctional deputies, dispatchers, and officers who work at McDaniel College and Carroll Community College. The officers are trained to ask six specific questions to gauge if the individual they are dealing with is at high, moderate, or low risk for suicide.

“Oftentimes people call 911 because they are in a crisis. 988 is the place to call for a behavioral health crisis, taking some of the responsibility off of law enforcement,” Dietz said. “What we understand about suicide is that there is a level of ambivalence that is pervasive. Most people don’t want to die, they don’t want to be in the extreme behavioral health crisis that they are in. What they’re dealing with are overwhelming feelings and that leads to these thoughts of suicide.”

When people are given the opportunity to talk about what they are feeling, they take it, she said.

“If we can have an officer who is compassionate and empathetic,” who can offer people a listening ear as well as resources,” Dietz said, it “will ensure that individuals in our community will get connected more appropriately and more effectively.”

According to the health department’s website, Crisis Information Team trained officers “have been given intensive training to recognize symptoms, defuse situations, and provide assistance. This way of response allows situations to be handled in a manner that reduces arrest, trauma, injury, or even death during mental health crisis calls and promotes linking people with behavioral health concerns to behavioral health professionals and programs designed to coordinate diversion from jail and/or unnecessary use of the emergency department​.”

The Carroll County Health Department partners with Carroll Community College to offer free Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid classes every month. These eight-hour courses aim to teach a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to people with signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in a crisis, and connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social or self-help care.

In addition, the county’s Suicide Prevention Coalition just started up again, and hopes to identify local contributing factors to suicide in order to better direct funding, Laugelli said. The health department is working on communication efforts and raising awareness on social media and will soon hire a part-time staff member who will focus exclusively on doing that, Laugelli said.

Laugelli also noted the Sources of Strength program in Carroll County Public Schools, a youth suicide prevention project “designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse,” according to the school system’s website.

Dietz emphasized that the community should feel empowered to talk about suicide openly, as it is the best way to help those who need it.

“It’s a myth that talking about suicide will make people think about it and go do it,” she said. “In fact, we know that asking the question, ‘Hey, have you been thinking about killing yourself? Have you ever thought about going to sleep and never waking up? Have you ever had thoughts about not wanting to be here?’ Those are the absolute questions to ask because it gives the person struggling with that relief to know that someone sees them.”

Dietz told commissioners they should “know that we are diligently working to make this completely preventable type of death extinguished.”

Find out more about the health department’s programs at https://health.maryland.gov/carroll/Pages/Behavioral-Health.aspx. Register for the free Mental Health First Aid classes at https://www.carrollcc.edu/mental-health-first-aid/.