Community members, experts and local leaders will gather at a town hall meeting in Wheaton Tuesday night to discuss new initiatives aimed at tackling addiction, violence and mental health issues plaguing Montgomery County’s adolescents and young adults.
The conference, “Supporting At-Risk Youth,” is sponsored by the Wheaton Urban Neighborhood Advisory Council and will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Wheaton Library and Recreation Center, 11701 Georgia Avenue, according to a county press release.
Montgomery County Mayor Marc Elrich will be at the town hall meeting to talk about the county’s progress in combating youth substance abuse and plans for the future.
“Addressing youth violence, substance use and mental health issues is a top priority for me and for the entire county government,” Elrich said in a statement. “I understand the despair families feel when their child is in trouble, and I know there is much more work to be done.”
At the town hall, attendees will hear from mental health experts and community leaders and engage in candid dialogue during question-and-answer sessions, according to the release. There will also be information booths with resources on mental health services, youth services, outreach services, and harm reduction and prevention.
Identity, a Gaithersburg community organization focused on serving Latino youth in the county, will provide an update on a pilot initiative with the county that combines “direct street outreach and comprehensive family services” aimed at getting young people struggling with substance abuse into treatment, according to the release.
Other speakers scheduled for the event are Montgomery County Health Department Director Kisha Davis, Steve Neff, director of student personnel and attendance services for Montgomery County Public Schools, and Nora Morales, program director for Identity.
Additionally, dinner and childcare services will also be provided, the announcement said.
You are encouraged to register for the event, which can be completed through this link.
