A January 2019 Executive Order 01.01.2019.02 by Governor Hogan established a Commission to Study Mental and Behavioral Health, which met for the first time on March 19 in Annapolis.  Its membership includes Bhaskara Tripuraneni, M.D., a child psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente, as one of six public members.  The Commission’s charge includes, but is not limited to, reviewing:

1. Access to a continuum of mental-health treatment services
2. Improving statewide, comprehensive crisis response system; and
3. Ensuring parity of resources to meet mental-health needs.

Subcommittees are expected to cover the following areas:

• Financing & Funding
• Youth & Families
• Crisis Services; and
• Criminal Justice

The Commission will hold regional meetings in Western, Eastern, Southern, and Central Maryland to solicit public comment and testimony.  Deadlines required by statute are an Interim report due July 10 and a Final year end report due December 19.