Project Grant H79SM091124

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the Maryland Department of Health $735,000 on September 30, 2026, under the Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program (Assistance Listing 93.532, Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance) to implement the Maryland Connected Communities Initiative (MCCI), a statewide youth suicide prevention and early intervention program targeting individuals ages 10 to 24.

MCCI integrates evidence-based screening, risk response and follow-up, training, family engagement, mentorship, and postvention across school systems, pediatric and public health settings, and youth workforce programs. The initiative launches in 10 pilot jurisdictions representing Maryland's geographic, demographic, and service-delivery diversity, with phased statewide expansion over the five-year period of performance. The program is designed to reach at least 25,000 youth, screen at least 10,000 for suicide risk, and train at least 2,500 adults. Work is performed in Catonsville, Maryland with a completion date of September 29, 2031. The initiative responds to Maryland's worsening suicide trajectory: suicide deaths rose in the state from 2023 to 2024 despite declining nationally, and suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death among Maryland residents ages 15 to 24. Males up to age 24 die by suicide at approximately four times the female rate, driven primarily by firearms, while females report substantially higher rates of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts.