Support for Every Stage of Your Journey
At CCYSB, we provide expert, comprehensive outpatient therapy options tailored to help you navigate life’s challenges and foster long-term mental wellness. When you or a loved one needs supportive, specialized care in a secure setting, our agency is here to walk alongside you.
Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to providing confidential, evidence-based services tailored to your unique goals. We recognize that every individual’s path to wellness is different, which is why we offer client- centered clinical support for a wide variety of needs and diagnoses, including but not limited to:
- Depression, anxiety, and stress management
- Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
- ADHD and executive functioning support
- Substance use disorders
- Life transitions and personal growth
Why Choose CCYSB?
- Individualized Support: Personalized care plans developed collaboratively to address your specific goals.
- Trauma-Informed Care: We understand that difficult life experiences can shape how people view themselves, others, and the world around them. Our trauma-informed approach emphasizes safety, respect, collaboration, and empowerment while helping individuals build on their strengths and move toward their goals.
- Evidence-Based Clinical Care: Access to proven therapeutic approaches for both general wellness and intensive mental health needs.
- A Safe, Secure Space: A confidential, non-judgmental environment designed for open conversation and genuine progress.
- Community-Centered: Dedicated to serving the residents of Carroll County with dignity and respect.
The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program is a client-centered, community-based mental health service model that has received substantial empirical support for facilitating community living, psychosocial rehabilitation, and recovery for persons who have the most severe and persistent mental health illnesses and have not benefitted from traditional outpatient programs.
ACT is assertive community-based mental health and case management that’s individualized and based on the client’s needs. According to those needs, an individual has access to a multi-disciplinary team composed of the following:
- Psychiatrist & Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Psychiatric Evaluations, Medication Management
- Social Workers
- Clinical Assessments, Individual and Group Counseling, Support with Daily Living, Case Management
- Substance Use Specialist
- Individual and Group Counseling Related to Substance Use Disorders
- Employment Specialist
- Support and Advocacy for Employment Goals
- Peer Support Specialist
- Support with Daily Living, Case Management
- Nurses
- Assessing and Monitoring Psychiatric and Medical Concerns, Medication Management
- Housing Case Manager
- Support and Advocacy for Securing and Maintaining Housing
The goals of the program are to stabilize individuals so they can safely function and remain in the community, reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits, and re-engaging consumers when appropriate in traditional outpatient services. ACT team members work with clients in their homes, neighborhoods, and community locations, providing on-call phone support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Eligibility:
- Carroll County residents who are 18-years-old or older, having a severe and persistent mental illness
- Individuals who have targeted psychiatric diagnosis as designated by the State of Maryland’s priority population
- Individuals who have had multiple hospitalizations and/or emergency room interventions over the past year, and/or legal involvement due to their psychiatric illness
- Individuals who have a history of missed appointments or non-compliance with traditional outpatient mental health services
- Individuals who voluntarily agree to receive ACT community-based therapy and rehabilitation services
Referral Process:
- Contact the ACT Program Director to initiate a referral
- Shari Bowman, LCSW-C, 443.244.8691
- When an opening occurs, the Program Director will conduct a face-to-face evaluation
- The referral source/consumer will be informed of the evaluation results and recommendations
- If appropriate, the client will be authorized by Optum MD for ACT mobile treatment
**The use of evidence-based interventions aligns with our agency’s vision to be the foremost mental health provider for youth, adults, and families in Carroll County by providing innovative, culturally sensitive, and highly-effective treatment. CCYSB curently uses five treatments which are evidence-based models requiring fidelity to the model.
People Cared For
Program Director
This program serves youth ages 16-24 who are not in school, not employed, and who may be homeless. CCYSB, along with Human Services Programs (HSP) and the Carroll County Workforce Development (formerly BERC) partner to provide a coordinated county-wide approach to re-engage these youth and reduce youth homelessness.
People Cared For
Program Director
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral treatment originally developed to treat chronic suicidal ideation, self-harm behaviors and traits of borderline personality disorder. The treatment model has proven effective in treating other complex, and challenging disorders such as substance dependence, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD].
The term “dialectical” means a synthesis or integration of opposites. The primary dialectic within DBT is between the seemingly oppositestrategies of acceptance and change. For example, DBT therapists accept clients as they are while also acknowledging that they need to change to reach their goals. In addition, the skills and strategies taught in DBT are balanced in terms of acceptance and change.
The overarching goal of DBT is a life worth living. Clients who commit to participating in DBT will learn skills to help accept certain aspects of their lives while working on changing other aspects. These skills consist of: mindfulness skills, distress tolerance skills, emotion regulation skills, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.
Clients who wish to participate in comprehensive DBT must commit to all four components of the treatment model:
- Individual DBT Sessions
- Focused on enhancing client motivation
- Helping clients apply DBT skills to specific events in their lives
- Weekly sessions run concurrently with DBT Skills Group
- DBT Skills Group
- Focused on enhancing client’s capabilities by teaching behavioral skills to practice and use in day-to-day life
- DBT skills are introduced and discussed in the group setting – homework is assigned for clients to practice applying the skill to build mastery
- Meet on a weekly basis
- Enrollment for two six-month cycles ensures that skills are covered and mastery is attained
- Phone Coaching
- Therapists provide clients with in-the-moment coaching on how to use skills to effectively cope with difficult situations that present in their everyday lives.
- DBT Therapist Consultation Team
- Teams meet weekly and are composed of individual therapists and group leaders involved in the DBT program
- Designed to help therapists maintain competency and motivation so they can provide the best treatment possible
**The use of evidence-based interventions aligns with our agency’s vision to be the foremost mental health provider for youth, adults, and families in Carroll County by providing innovative, culturally sensitive, and highly-effective treatment. CCYSB curently uses five treatments which are evidence-based models requiring fidelity to the model.
People Cared For
Program Director
CCYSB offers several adult group therapy options for men and women (ages 18 and up). Group Therapy helps clients manage depression, anxiety, anger, substance use issues and more in a supportive, nonjudgmental, peer and therapist based environment. While Group Therapy can seem overwhelming and anxiety provoking, studies have shown its effectiveness in helping people find feedback and support they need to make changes and improve their lives. Adult groups are led by licensed, experienced, and qualified group therapists, focusing on co-occurring issues while using the group dynamic to bring about effective change, teach skills, and foster connection for clients.
People Cared For
Program Director
The Mobile Treatment Team utilizes a service-delivery model that
provides comprehensive recovery-oriented treatment to people with severe and persistent mental illnesses. It is comprised of a multidisciplinary mental health and support staff, whose primary functions are to provide nursing, therapy, case,management, and medication management services to individuals to assist them in successful community living.
Mobile Treatment works with individuals for whom traditional treatment provided by community mental health outpatient services has not successfully met their needs. Mobile Treatment interventions (e.g., treatment and rehabilitative services) take place in community locations. This includes the client’s residence, place of employment, and, at times, shelters, jails, and hospitals.
People Cared For
Program Director
Ready to get started? Connect to Care Today
Beginning your recovery or mental health journey doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. We offer two convenient ways to complete your initial referral and paperwork process.
Carroll County Youth Service Bureau is dedicated to providing integrated, evidence-based behavioral health treatment approaches for youth, adults, adolescents, and families experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues.
In response to recent changes in external program funding, CCYSB is proactively restructuring our Open Access model. By shifting our focus toward streamlined phone intakes and dedicated paperwork hours, we are optimizing our staff resources to ensure our community still has a clear, reliable path to care. Our updated process ensures that every individual seeking help receives immediate assistance with their initial entry paperwork and a guaranteed clinical assessment slot scheduled within one (1) week.
Temporary Transition Notice: June 15 – June 30, 2026
Please note that from June 15 to June 30, 2026, there will be no walk-in hours for referrals or assessments. CCYSB will continue to provide scheduled assessments during this two-week window. To schedule, please call our referral line at 410-848-2500, option 1, or email us at op_referrals@ccybs.org. Our newly restructured walk-in hours will resume on July 1, 2026.
People Cared For
Program Director
Services include assessment, individual, family and group therapy, psychiatric evaluations, medication management, psychosocial evaluations, and liaison with school and local service agencies. CCYSB’s programs and services provide a full-range treatment options to meet the needs of individuals and families experiencing the negative impact of mental health and addiction concerns.
People Cared For
Program Director
CCYSB offers psychiatric services (assessment and medication management) to clients who receive psychotherapy services within the Clinic, Family Preservation, and the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program. These medical services are provided by licensed psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.
People Cared For
Program Director
Our Substance Use Disorder Services provides a full range of assessment and treatment services to meet the needs of youth, adolescents, adults, and families experiencing the negative impact of addiction. Our objective is to provide comprehensive recovery-oriented services with the goal of intervention, education, and treatment.
