Struggling with substance use or do you know someone who is?
Walk in 24 hours a day and get compassionate support. No insurance, referrals or appointments needed.
Grassroots offers free, 24-hour services to clients with substance use concerns. Individuals can walk in anytime to our crisis center to meet with nurses and trained crisis personnel and access free screenings, assessments, counseling, short-term withdrawal management, referrals to treatment, peer support and more.
Our program serves as a bridge to treatment by meeting individuals where they are, removing barriers related to health insurance, transportation, and mental health needs, and offering support until we can connect them to care and long-term treatment.
Our goal is to support all of our consumers by helping connect them to the appropriate level of treatment – inpatient or outpatient, detox, rehab, hospitalization or another type or program. We help them sign up for insurance, make financial arrangements with treatment providers and provide transportation.
Individuals who call or visit Grassroots can receive free, 24-hour phone or walk-in support in a variety of situations, in addition to substance use concerns. This includes psychiatric crises like depression, isolation, anxiety or suicidal thoughts; homelessness or housing insecurity; access to necessary assistance like food and hygiene items; and connection to a variety of resources or treatment.
“A model for other crisis centers! If only all crisis centers operated like this one! Kind and caring. No judgment here. Just help. They try to restore the sense of value in their clients.” - Crystal, Grassroots consumer
Grassroots is a safe place for individuals seeking help for any substance misuse, ages 12 and older, from any location. Free services are available at our 24-hour crisis center at 8990 Old Annapolis Road, Suite A, in Columbia. Individuals can also call our crisis line at 410-531-6677 anytime for support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need insurance to be helped by Grassroots?
Grassroots services are free, do not require insurance and are available to all 24-7.
Do I need to be a resident of Howard County to get help from Grassroots Crisis Center?
No, Grassroots provides free, 24-hour services to individuals throughout Maryland who are struggling with substance use and may need help accessing support for substance use-related concerns/crises.
Why should I trust Grassroots?
Grassroots is accredited by CARF International, the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to mental health, crisis and substance use disorder programs. According to CARF, “this achievement is an indication of [our] organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of life of persons to be served.”
What should I expect when I visit Grassroots?
An individual can walk into Grassroots’ 24-hour crisis center in Columbia and be seen immediately with no need for insurance, referrals or an appointment. Our caring and compassionate team of nurses, crisis counselors, peer recovery specialists and clinicians provide a welcoming and judgment-free environment. If you are medically stable, individuals can visit Grassroots instead of waiting in the ER for hours.
Grassroots will provide free access to screening, crisis stabilization, counseling and withdrawal management. Our team can usually connect someone to treatment within a matter of hours. Of those who seek substance use services, 85% were referred to treatment and 78% enrolled in treatment. We also provide harm reduction services like Narcan/nalaxone and fentanyl/xylazine test strips.
Does Grassroots provide transportation?
Yes, we want to remove all barriers preventing you or your loved ones from getting the help that you need, which includes transportation to and from Grassroots. Please call us at 410-531-6677 for more information.
Also, once treatment is identified, Grassroots will work to arrange all next steps including transportation from Grassroots to the treatment program and helping with insurance.
Grassroots’ Impact
Grassroots has been an integral part of the human service system in Central Maryland for 55 years. Last fiscal year, Grassroots helped over 72,000 individuals in crisis on our 24-hour crisis line, provided 3,165 face-to-face counseling sessions, responded to 1,278 community crises through the Mobile Crisis Team and provided substance use disorder crisis stabilization for 159 individuals, all free of charge. We also provided shelter services, including emergency shelter, cold weather shelter and code blue shelter, to 586 people, 223 of whom were children.
Grassroots offers free, 24-hour services to clients with substance use concerns. Individuals can walk in anytime to our crisis center to meet with nurses and trained crisis personnel and access free screenings, assessments, counseling, short-term withdrawal management, referrals to treatment, peer support and more.