Deputies in Calvert County now have a new resource to provide comfort to children experiencing crisis. The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Calvert County Local Behavioral Health Authority (LBHA) to equip patrol deputies and school resource officers with comfort bags. These bags contain a variety of soothing and grounding tools for individuals experiencing traumatic situations such as abuse, neglect, accidents, homelessness, or disasters.
According to the LBHA, comfort bags are a simple yet effective way to distract children in crisis from their current situation. The bags contain various items, including coloring books, mini stuffed animals, earphones, dry-erase boards with markers, fidget toys, Play-Doh, sunglasses, stress balls, and more. These items aim to give the children something to focus on other than the traumatic event they may have just experienced.
The partnership between the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and the LBHA is just one of many efforts to support children in crisis in the community. The LBHA is a local organization that provides behavioral health services to residents of Calvert County. They work to improve the overall well-being of individuals and families through prevention, intervention, and treatment services.
The comfort bags provided by the LBHA are just one of their many initiatives aimed at helping children in need. They also provide crisis intervention services and support groups for children who have experienced trauma. Additionally, the organization offers mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and housing assistance to individuals and families in need.
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office has long been committed to the safety and well-being of children in the community. In addition to providing comfort bags, they also have a school resource officer program that places law enforcement officers in schools to build positive relationships with students and to enhance school safety. The deputies in this program also teach classes on topics such as cyber safety and anti-bullying.
The partnership between the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and the LBHA is an important step in providing support to children in crisis. The comfort bags are a tangible way to provide comfort and care to children during a difficult time. As Sheriff Evans said, “We are grateful for this partnership and the resources it provides to our community.”
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who knows a child in need of assistance to contact the LBHA. The organization has a crisis hotline that is available 24/7 and can be reached at 410-535-1121. By working together, the community can continue to provide vital support to children in need.