Baltimore Child and Adolescent Response System (B-CARS)

Since 2000 B-CARS has provided a unique and comprehensive array of brief community based services for families and children experiencing a self described psychiatric crisis.

These services include:

A 24/7 Crisis Hot line
Intensive Individual/Family Therapy
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
Therapeutic Behavioral Support and Behavior Planning
Supportive School Consultation and Advocacy
Home Based and Overnight Respite

Most recently B-CARS has worked in partnership with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (BCDSS) to provide supportive Stabilization and Crisis Intervention Services for children in traditional, kinship, or treatment Foster care. The same of array of services are offered to foster families and services are accessed by referral from a DSS caseworker and/or a family can request services themselves. B-CARS is also a crisis provider for Wraparound Maryland's RTC Waiver population.

To access B-CARS Services, Please use the guide below

Source of Referral	Eligibility Criteria	Contact Information
Biological Parent School Pediatrician Hospital Any concerned person	Child is under 18 and living with their biological parent Baltimore City Resident Experiencing a self described mental health crisis Has Medicaid Insurance or is Unisured Eligible for traditional B-CARS	24 hour Hotline: 410.752.2272
Kinship Parent/Guardian Foster Parent Foster Care Caseworker Therapeutic Foster	Child is in kinship, traditional or treatment Foster care Stabilization and support is needed to prevent a placement disruption or help a child assimilate to a new placement Child needs mental health crisis intervention Eligible for: B-CARS DSS Stabilization	Foster Parents: Contact your caseworker and ask that a referral be made, or if urgent assistance is needed – call the Screening Unit at (410) 361-2235 and ask that an immediate B-CARS referral be made Caseworkers: Use the forms located on the DSS intranet or this website. If urgent response is needed call the B-CARS supervisor on call.
Wraparound MD staff Parent of a child enrolled in the RTC Waiver	Client is enrolled in the RTC Waiver and B-CARS is identified as the crisis responder. Eligible for RTC Waiver Crisis Response	Call the B-CARS Supervisor on call.

In the case of the traditional B-CARS program, the goals of treatment are to avoid an inpatient hospitalization, stabilize the crisis and link children and families to services that will help them long term. The goals of the DSS Stabilization partnership include the above as well as the goal of providing assistance to avoid any placement disruptions.

Other Resources

Frequently Asked Questions
BCDSS Program information
Program brochures
Contact us, ask a question, request brochures, request a speaker, at bcars@cc-md.org
Sign up for the B-CARS enewsletter

Contact: Nellie Power,Program Director: 410.727.4800.x.102
To access service (Hotline) : 410.752.2272

Services

Baltimore Child and Adolescent Response System (B-CARS)

To access B-CARS Services, Please use the guide below

Source of Referral

Other Resources