Maryland

COUNSELING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES

CASA, Inc.
116 W. Baltimore Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Office: (301) 739-4990
24-hour Hotline: (301) 739-8975
24-hour TTY Hotline: (301) 739-1012
Website: www.casainc.org

Citizens Assisting and Sheltering the Abused (CASA) provides comprehensive services for children, teenagers, and adults in Washington County who have been affected by domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse, and rape. Services include: 24-hour hotline; crisis intervention and counseling for survivors, family, and friends; legal advocacy; educational workshops; and information and referrals for survivors of sexual assault. Fees are based on a sliding scale and no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.

Center for Abused Persons
2670 Crain Highway, Suite 303
Waldorf, MD 20601
Office (TTY): (301) 645-8994
24-hour Hotline: (301) 645-3336

Center for Abused Persons provides services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Charles County. Services include: 24-hour hotline; crisis intervention; hospital and legal accompaniment and advocacy; and individual counseling for survivors of sexual assault. Services are provided on a sliding scale, and no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.

Crisis Intervention Center
P.O. Box 980
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Office (TTY): (410) 535-5400
Baltimore Area 24-hour Hotline: (410) 535-1121
Washington Area 24-hour Hotline: (301) 855-1075
24-hour Teen Hotline: (410) 257-2216
Website: www.calverthealth.org

The Crisis Intervention Center serves residents of Calvert County who are survivors of family violence, sexual assault, and other crimes, and their loved ones. Services include: 24-hour hotlines; crisis intervention; information and referrals; shelter; individual and group counseling; advocacy and accompaniment; and support groups. All services are free and confidential.

Family Crisis Resource Center
146 Bedford Street
Cumberland, MD 21502
Office: (301) 759-9246
24-hour Hotline: (301) 759-9244
Website: www.fcrcinc.org
Email: fcrc@allconet.org

Family Crisis Resource Center (FCRC) provides comprehensive services to survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and abuse, and incest in Allegany County. Services include: 24-hour hotline offering crisis intervention and support, as well as information and referrals to appropriate FCRC services and community resources; police, court system, and hospital advocacy and accompaniment; individual and joint counseling; legal assistance; and support groups for survivors of sexual assault. Referrals are taken from Allegany County Detention Center to provide counseling and education regarding domestic violence and sexual assault to inmates. All FCRC services are free and confidential.

For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center
300 Talbot Street
Easton, MD 21601
Office: (410) 822-1018
24-hour Hotline: (410) 820-5600
Toll-free 24-hour Hotline: (800) 310-7273
Website: www.forallseasons.org

For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers comprehensive services to survivors of rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse in Caroline, Kent, Dorchester, Talbot, and Queen Anne’s Counties. Services include: 24-hour hotline and crisis intervention; court and hospital advocacy and accompaniment; counseling for child and adult, survivors of rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse and and their loved ones; bilingual advocacy, interpretation, and crisis intervention for Latino/a survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; and information and referrals. All Rape Crisis Center services are free and confidential.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland
241 West Chase Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Office: (410) 837-5445
General Hotline: (410) 837-8888
Youth Hotline: (410) 234-8057
Youth Hotline Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 6-8pm EST
Website: www.glccb.org
General Email: info@glccb.org
Youth Email: digits@glccb.org

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) seeks to achieve equality, understanding, and respect for the diversity of the greater Baltimore GLBT community while also providing quality support services, facilities, and professional resources for the development and well-being of individuals and groups. GLCCB offers support groups for women of color; lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women; and for adult males who love men. GLCCB also provides a peer counseling, information, and referral service staffed by trained peer counselors for GLBT adults and a Youth Hotline for GLBT youth ages 21 and younger. These services are available in-person, by appointment, by telephone or via the internet. To schedule an in-person appointment, call the GLCCB office line. All services are free and confidential.

Health Education Resource Organization, Inc.
1734 Maryland Ave
Baltimore, MD 21201
Office: (410) 685-1180
Website: www.heroinc.moonfruit.com
Email: info@hero-mcrc.org

Health Education Resource Organization, Inc. (HERO) is Baltimore's oldest and largest non-profit organization dedicated to the provision of HIV/AIDS-related services. HERO services for people affected by HIV/AIDS and associated conditions include: free and confidential HIV counseling, testing, and referrals; prevention education; mental health counseling; case management and client advocacy; mental health and substance abuse treatment; housing assistance; a legal services clinic; primary medical services for the insured; and financial assistance to eligible clients. HERO also operates the At the Door Re-Entry Program to prepare HIV+ prisoners in the Baltimore Metro area for release. Only individuals referred to HERO through the MDOC are eligible for this program. HERO also provides referrals and linkage to care to any Maryland prisoner in need of HIV/AIDS-related services. Services are provided on a sliding scale, but are free for individuals without the capacity to pay.

Life Crisis Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 387
Salisbury, MD 21803
Office: (410) 749-0632
24-hour Hotline (TTY): (410) 749-4357
Website: www.lifecrisiscenter.org
Email: info@lifecrisiscenter.org

Life Crisis Center provides violence prevention and crisis intervention services for survivors of dating and domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse, in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. Services include: 24-hour hotline and crisis intervention; individual and group counseling; shelter for women and children; legal assistance; medical, legal, and emergency room accompaniment for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; anger management groups; and information and referrals. Life Crisis Center is willing to provide services to survivors in detention, but does not have any programs in the detention center at this time. Services are free or offered on a sliding scale, depending on the resources of the client. All services are confidential.

Maryland AIDS Administration
500 North Calvert St., 5th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Office: (410) 767-5227
Toll-free: (800) 358-9001
MADAP: (800) 205-6308
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm EST
Website: www.dhmh.state.md.us/AIDS

The AIDS Administration, established in 1987 as a division of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, funds services for persons with HIV or AIDS, operates Maryland's (AIDS Drug Assistance Program (MADAP) and health insurance premium payment assistance programs, educates the public and health care professionals about HIV and AIDS, and monitors the disease in Maryland. (MADAP) helps low to moderate income Maryland residents who are HIV-infected purchasing purchasing the medications they need to treat HIV. The AIDS Administration can also offer referrals for counseling, HIV testing, housing assistance, and other needed services to anyone who contacts them.

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault
1517 Gov. Ritchie Highway, Ste. 207
Arnold, MD 21021
Office: (410) 974-4507
Toll-free Sexual Assault Information and Referral Hotline: (800) 983-7273
Website: www.mcasa.org
E-mail: info@mcasa.org

The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc. (MCASA) is the statewide collective voice advocating for accessible, compassionate care for survivors of sexual crimes, and accountability for all offenders. Established in 1982 as a private, not-for-profit organization, MCASA works closely with local, state, and national organizations to address issues of sexual violence in Maryland. MCASA is a membership organization that includes the state’s 18 rape crisis centers, as well as criminal justice agencies, health care personnel, other allied professionals, concerned individuals, survivors of sexual violence, and their loved ones. Survivors of sexual assault in Maryland can locate the nearest rape recovery center through the MCASA website or by contacting the statewide Sexual Assault Information and Referral Hotline.

Power Inside
P.O. Box 4796
Baltimore, MD 21211
Office: (410) 889-8333
Website: www.powerinside.org

Power Inside is a multidisciplinary program that is committed to building self-sufficiency and preventing incarceration among women and families in Baltimore through direct client services, advocacy, leadership development, and public education. Power Inside offers the following services for women during incarceration and post-release: individual assessment and referrals; case management; weekly support groups and workshops for women in jail, prison, and the community; peer support, referrals, and self-help materials for women in prison through the mail; and advocacy and support for women in prison as well as women on parole, probation, and who are awaiting trial. All services are free of charge and available to any woman who contacts Power Inside.

Rape Crisis Intervention Service of Carroll County
P.O. Box 1563
Westminster, MD 21158
Office: (410) 857-0900
24-hour Hotline: (410) 857-7322
Website: www.rapecrisiscc.org

The Rape Crisis Intervention Service of Carroll County (RCIS) is a non-profit agency that provides comprehensive services to survivors of sexual violence in Carroll County. Services include: 24-hour hotline; crisis intervention; individual and group counseling; court, police, and hospital accompaniment; and information and referrals for survivors of sexual assault and their non-offending friends and family members. RCIS is willing to provide free crisis counseling to survivors of sexual assault at the Carroll County Detention Center, but does not provide services to perpetrators of sexual violence. All crisis services are free and confidential;a small contribution is requested for group counseling, but is not required.

Sexual Assault Crisis Center of the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
1517 Ritchie Highway
Arnold, MD 21012
Office: (410) 626-7800
24-hour Hotline: (410) 222-7273
Website: www.ywcaaac.org
Email: contactus@ywcaaac.org

The Sexual Assault Crisis Center provides services to survivors of sexual assault and to their family and friends in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Services include: 24-hour anonymous hotline; crisis intervention and counseling for adult and child survivors of sexual assault, as well as their family and friends; hospital, medical, and legal accompaniment; support groups; and information and referrals to other agencies and resources to assist survivors. The Sexual Assault Crisis Center is able to respond to letters and phone calls from survivors of sexual abuse behind bars to provide support and information. The first six counseling sessions are free, and a sliding scale is used for on-going counseling. Donations are encouraged, but not required for support groups. All other Sexual Assault Crisis Center services, including crisis intervention and accompaniment, are free.

STTAR Center
9810 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite C
Columbia, MD 21046
Office: (410) 290-6432
24-hour Hotline: (410) 997-3292
Website: www.sttarcenter.org
Email: info@sttarcenter.org

STTAR Center provides specialized services to trauma survivors in Howard County and surrounding communities. Services include: 24-hour hotline and crisis intervention; emergency room support and accompaniment for survivors of sexual assault; crisis counseling and emotional support for survivors participating in Howard County criminal court proceedings; individual psychotherapy for adolescent and adult survivors; counseling for spouses, partners, or significant others to address secondary trauma and support the adult survivor’s recovery; and time-limited psychotherapy groups, depending on demand. STTAR Center accepts most major insurance and offers a sliding scale for fees. No one is turned away for lack of funds.

TurnAround, Inc.
401 Washington Ave.
Towson, MD 21204
Office: (410) 837-7000
24-hour Hotline: (410) 828-6390

Baltimore Office
2300 N. Charles St. #202
Baltimore, MD 21218
Office: (410) 837-7000
24-hour Hotline: (443) 279-0379
Website: www.turnaroundinc.org

TurnAround, Inc. is a private non-profit organization dedicated to serving survivors of rape, child sexual assault, domestic violence, and childhood sexual abuse through its three locations in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Services for survivors of sexual assault include: 24-hour hotline and crisis intervention; Emergency Room Companion Program, offering 24-hour accompaniment, support, and information at the hospital; individual and group counseling for adult, teenage, and child survivors, as well as their families; as well as information and referrals to other needed services, such as legal assistance. With the cooperation of correctional facilities, TurnAround can offer on-site counseling, case management, and support groups for survivors of sexual abuse in jail or prison. All TurnAround services are free.

LEGAL RESOURCES

ACLU of Maryland
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Ste. 350
Baltimore, MD 21211
Office: (410) 889-8555
Fax: (410) 366-7838
Website: www.aclu-md.org
E-mail: aclu@aclu-md.org

Current or former inmates can write to the ACLU of Maryland at the above address to request legal and proactive assistance to improve the conditions of confinement and prison official misconduct. The ACLU will ONLY respond to written letters. Writers should explain the situation, what administrative action was requested and/or taken, and what kind of assistance the writer requests. The ACLU may provide services by asking for a change in conditions of confinement or medication, etc., and on occasion will take a case if it may bring about institutional change. They do not handle criminal work regarding the purpose for incarceration.

Anne Arundel County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
Office: (410) 280-6961
Website: www.aabar.org/find.html

All types of cases are handled. There is a $30 fee for a half-hour consultation with an attorney. Although no pro bono programs are currently offered, callers meeting a financial hardship requirement may be eligible for post-consultation reduced fees if they opt for further legal assistance.

Baltimore County Lawyer Referral
Room 100
County Courts Building
401 Bosley Avenue
Towson, Maryland 21204
Office: (410) 337-9100
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am-4:30pm
Website: www.bcba.org/community_resources/
comprehensive_guide_lawyer_referral.asp

You will be interviewed over the phone by an attorney to determine the nature of the problem. If necessary, you will be referred to an attorney in your area who has experience with your type of legal problem (including criminal law cases). A $35 fee will be charged for a thirty minute in-person consultation with the lawyer. If further legal service is required, fee arrangements will be made between you and your lawyer.

Caroline County Public Library
Office: (410) 479-1343

The Public Library acts as the Lawyer Referral Service for the Caroline County Bar Association. A reference librarian will put you in touch with an attorney who handles your type of case (criminal and civil cases included). The attorney will then conduct a half-hour consultation session for a flat rate of $25. If you cannot afford any type of consultation, ask the librarian for a pro bono referral for your case, available through the statewide Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN). You must qualify financially to receive pro bono services.

Carroll County and Frederick County Lawyer Referral Service
Office: (410) 857-1451
Toll-free: (800) 649-1090
Website: www.frederickbar.org/findanattorney.html

Volunteer attorneys, all members of a county bar, are referred to callers based on their experience with different kinds of cases. All case types are handled. There is a $25 fee for a half-hour consultation with an attorney. Currently there are no pro bono or organized reduced fee services available through the referral services, though individuals may try to arrange fees with their attorneys post-consultation if they opt for further assistance.

Charles County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
Office: (301) 609-9350

No pro bono or reduced fee programs available. Criminal and personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. If you have financial resources, call to see if they can handle your case type.

Howard County, Prince George's County, and DC area Lawyer Referral Service As provided through the Howard County Bar Association
Office: (410) 313-2030
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-6pm
Website: www.howardcountybar.org/lawyer_referral.htm

All case types are handled. There is a $40 fee for a half-hour consultation. No pro bono services are currently offered. If callers wish to continue their attorney consultation past the first half-hour, they are generally subject to regular attorney fees, approximately $200 per hour but vary according to lawyer and type of case. Payments are made at time of call either through a mailed-in money order, check, or credit card.

Jewish Legal Services Clinic
5750 Park Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215
Office: (410) 542-6300 x200 (voice mail) or (410) 466-9200

The Jewish Legal Services Clinic is open ONLY on the second Monday of each month, 7:00- 8:30 p.m. This walk-in clinic offers services to mostly Jewish clients who meet low income eligibility. Volunteer attorneys conduct a half-hour free consultation with clients handling all (non-fee generating) cases and sometimes give referrals for pro bono or reduced fee legal assistance. Occasionally Russian translators are available.

Prince George's County, Howard County, and DC area Lawyer Referral Service As provided through the Prince George's County Bar Association
Office: (301) 952-1440
Toll-free: (866) 757-7785
Toll-free (888) 367-5252 (To use this number, callers must identify themselves as intending to hire an attorney for assistance after the half-hour consultation.)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-6pm
Website: www.pgcba.com/law-ref.htm

All case types are handled. There is a $39.95 fee for a half-hour consultation. No pro bono services are currently offered. If callers wish to continue their attorney consultation past the first half-hour, they are generally subject to regular attorney fees, approximately $175 per hour but vary according to lawyer and type of case. Some attorneys will offer reduced fees for civil cases. Clients facing financial hardship who cannot afford the initial consultation fee or are looking for pro bono or reduced fee services are referred to or should contact the Prince George's County Law Foundation at (301) 864-8354, Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The Lawyer Referral Service for these counties also will connect you to the national Legal Advice line. Callers pay a flat rate of $34.95 for legal advice with an attorney at no time limit on the call. However, these attorneys only give legal advice and are not available for hire or further assistance. All case types handled.

Sexual Assault Legal Institute
P.O. Box 8782
Silver Spring, MD 20907
Office: (301) 565-2277
Fax: (301) 565-3619
Toll-Free: (877) 496-7254

SALI provides direct civil legal services for victims and survivors of sexual assault regarding: • College Administrative Hearings • Privacy Issues • Peace and Protective Orders • Family Law Matters (intimate partner assault) • Employment • Housing • Crime Victims Compensation • Referrals for Tort Cases • Any other civil matter relating to sexual assault (some limitations regarding incest)

GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

Inmate Grievance Office, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
115 Sudbrook Lane, Suite 200
Pikesville, MD 21208
Office: (410) 585-3840
Fax: (410) 318-6015
Email: igo@dpscs.state.md.us

The Inmate Grievance Office reviews all grievances filed by state prisoners who have complaints against prison officials and correctional officers or regarding prison policies and conditions of confinement. Inmates with grievances against prison officials (not against other inmates) should write to the address above. Inmates must first exhaust all appropriate administrative services offered at their prisons. Those grievances that are not administratively dismissed for procedural or substantive reasons are scheduled for hearings to be conducted by Administrative Law Judges. The hearings are held in correctional institutions throughout the state. Some hearings are conducted by videoconferencing. The presiding judges issue their decisions in writing. If a judge concludes that a grievance has merit and recommends specific remedies, the written decision is forwarded to the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for review and final action.

Internal Investigative Unit, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
P.O. Box 418
8510 Corridor Road
Savage, MD 20763

The Internal Investigative Unit conducts criminal and administrative investigations of serious misconduct within the DPSCS. In addition to conducting investigations within statutory authority, the agency is the Department’s liaison with allied federal, state and local law enforcement agencies providing investigative services and support to their investigations.

Office of the Inspector General
6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215
Office: (410) 585-3240
Toll-free: (888) 764-3180
Email: oig@dpscs.state.md.us

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is a part of the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The OIG is responsible for conducting a full range of independent and objective audits, inspections, management analyses and investigations. These assessments help to safeguard and efficiently manage the department’s resources, operations and business functions, and to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse. This office also coordinates the department’s legislative audit response process, and provides technical assistance and advisory services to its audit customers. Inmates who have been sexually assaulted in detention can write to the OIG to report the abuse and any concerns regarding the handling of investigations into such abuse.

JDI has directly contacted each organization listed in the Resource Guide in hopes of pointing survivors toward those currently accepting new clients. However, the inclusion of any group or individual in the Resource Guide does not necessarily constitute an endorsement or recommendation by JDI, nor can JDI guarantee the availability of the services described here.