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Grassroots Is Moving!!!


In light of the fragmented way that we receive information, I was curious to see if my readers knew about the recent move of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. Most had not. From the press release:

Grassroots Crisis Intervention is excited to announce that we have moved in order to substantially expand our 24-hour crisis intervention, mental health, substance use disorder, housing support and suicide prevention services. This expansion will help Grassroots meet the increased demand for urgent and ongoing mental health and substance use disorder services in Howard County. Individuals can access enhanced free, 24-hour walk-in crisis stabilization and related services, counseling, homeless services, resources and more at 8990 Old Annapolis Road, Suite A in Columbia.


When most of us think of Grassroots, we think of the shelter on Freetown Road, and possibly the Route 1 Day Center. Those facilities aren’t moving.

While the Grassroots Emergency Shelter will remain at its current location at 6700 Freetown Road in Columbia, crisis walk-in services for people anticipating or experiencing homelessness will be conducted at the new facility on Old Annapolis Road to help determine housing options and access various resources. Grassroots remains open to the possible expansion of its much-needed emergency shelter services. 

Essentially what this means is that the new location on Old Annapolis Road is where everyone would go first for help with:

  • crisis intervention 
  • mental health
  • substance use disorder
  • housing support 
  • suicide prevention


Grassroots is the 24/7 single point access for behavioral health, crisis and homeless services for individuals and families. - - Grassroots website 

I highly recommend going to their website and reading about their history. 

History: Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center

Grassroots began in 1969 in response to a growing problem of drug misuse among young people in the community. The building most of us think of as “Grassroots” didn’t open until 2008. That means that in 2010 when my daughter and I met up with the late Bob Moon to donate a plant for the children’s playground, that facility hadn’t really been around all that long. 

It’s funny how I somehow thought they had been there forever.

What does this information mean to you? How can you use it? The most obvious use is that you will now know the right place to go if you or someone in your immediate circle needs help. Next up would be a situation where you come upon someone in crisis and you know they need help. If you are directing them to the services at Grassroots you want to send them to 8990 Old Annapolis Road, Suite A. You might be putting them in a taxi and paying the fare, so make sure you have the correct address.

What else do you need to do with this information? Share it. Your own personal reach on social media is different than mine. Someone you know doesn’t know this yet. Having this information could be lifesaving in a crisis. And you never know who that might be. It’s as import to know as the number for the fire department or paramedics. 

Grassroots maintains a 24 hour crisis hotline: 410-531-6677.

The national crisis line number is 988.

You can support Grassroots (which is an independent nonprofit) by sharing this information and by donating. 

Columbia, the New American City, was founded in 1967. Grassroots was created in 1969. All communities have challenges - - no matter how aspirational they may be. 




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