24-Hour Crisis Hotline: (410) 685-2830, Press Option 5
24-Hour Compliance Hotline: (410) 685-2830, Press Option 6

Outpatient Mental Health Center

If you are at a crossroad in your life where you are seeking therapy to address short or long-term problems; emotional turmoil; trauma; psychosis; low self-esteem; unresolved conflicts, and other cognitive, emotional, or behavioral issues, you are making a great choice. There is nothing “crazy or wrong” of you by seeking therapy to help you to discuss, explore, and process your thoughts and feelings to better understand yourself, appropriately cope with matters, make better decisions, and love yourself, so you can live your best life. There are numerous benefits of receiving counseling including emotional healing, healthier relationships, better self-esteem and image, improved communication skills, self-discovery, and more. 

evidence-based practices

Beacon of Hope is an Outpatient Mental Health Center (OMHC) offering individual, couple, family, and group therapy services as well as medication management to children, adolescents, and adults with persistent emotional, behavioral health, and substance use disorders. Beacon of Hope uses evidence-based practices like motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, functional family therapy, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicines as these treatment models are scientifically proven to track the efficacy of treatment, produce positive results, and improve outcomes. Moreover, these treatment models and services give the assistance clients need to reduce or manage their mental health symptoms by improving their coping and daily living skills and quality of life.

Our OMHC is a multi-disciplinary and integrated behavioral health center, in which services are provided onsite in our office and offsite in community-based settings such as the client’s home, school, library, etc. Our staff includes experienced, competent, and empathetic professionals who are licensed and certified with their appropriate Maryland licensure boards. Staff members include a psychiatrist, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses. The journey of healing and recovery is different for each client. Thus, we use the client-centered/person-centered approach to work together to coordinate and collaborate each client’s individual treatment with his/her involvement, including his/her other service care providers and support systems; with the goal of preventing restrictive levels of service like psychiatric inpatient hospitalization or residential placement.

Your Personal Care and Wellness Team

Mental Health Therapist

A licensed and experienced mental health provider who may have specific certifications such as Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and Certified Anger Management Treatment Professional (AMTP). S/he will use evidence-based practices to help you to discuss, process, cope, and reduce symptoms while on your journey to recovery.

Psychiatric Provider

Is a licensed and certified medical provider who practices as a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse, in which s/he completes a diagnostic evaluation of you to determine a medication regimen, and monitors your anti-psychotropic medication use.

Administrator

Assists you with scheduling and maintaining your appointments with your specific treating provider.

If you, your child(ren), family member, or friend would like help with managing anxiety, depression, Bi-Polar, Schizophrenia, ADHD, PTSD, or any other mental or behavioral health symptoms, please call us at (410) 685-2830, so we may support you or your loved on a personal journey of healing, wellness, and recovery.

Outpatient Mental Health Center (OMHC)

  • Children, adolescents, and adults
  • Medication Management
  • Individual, Couple, Family, and Group Therapy
  • Eligibility: Medicare, Maryland Medicaid, Self-Pay

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What ages do you provide services to?

We provide services to children, adolescents, and adults; starting at 5 years old and over.

How long will I be in therapy?

The duration a person receives therapy depends on his/her presenting problems and attainability of his/her treatment goals. An individual may need treatment for short-term problems and symptoms such as stress management, while another person may need long-term services for chronic, long standing problems, and suffering. Additionally, it depends on the client’s urgency, commitment, and effort to work on the problem(s).

Do you provide in-home therapy?

Yes. We provide onsite services at our office including therapy/counseling, medication management, and laboratory services. We provide offsite therapy/counseling services in a community-based setting including private residence, group home, school, library, and other community settings.

I want my child to see a therapist at school. Can I be a part of their treatment if they do?

Yes, we welcome your involvement in services at your child(ren)’s school.

I don’t understand confidentiality rules. As a parent, shouldn’t I know what’s going on for my child?

Confidentiality is an important part of treatment. Our mental health therapist/psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse will work with you and your family to understand the importance of confidentiality while also opening up lines of communication in your family when this is the goal. You and your mental health therapist/psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse will want to talk about how factors such as age and safety needs affect the role of confidentiality in your child’s treatment.

I need an after school or work appointment. Do you have those available?

Yes. We offer evening hours for our medication management and counseling services.

How can I start therapy services with you?

The first step is to call the office at (410) 685-2830 for a free 10 minutes consultation. Therapy is a serious matter to us as you will share your vulnerabilities. Therefore, the therapeutic fit and relationship between the client and therapist/psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse is important. This consultation will give us an opportunity to listen to your questions, answer your questions, and determine if we are an appropriate provider for you. Please do not provide personal details, but rather general questions such as “How do you treat an anxious client? What’s the maximum appointments I can have each week?, etc.” If we determine there is not a therapeutic fit, we will provide you with appropriate referrals and/or actions you may take. If you select us as your provider, the next step is an intake process in which we obtain demographic information like your contact information and insurance coverage. Afterwards, we will schedule you for an onsite/offsite initial appointment and continued appointments.

What happens at the initial appointment?

Your initial appointment will include an orientation in which we review policies and procedures, you sign appropriate forms, and complete a comprehensive, diagnostic assessment detailing specific personal information, current situation, and experiences from birth to the present. Also, we may determine your diagnosis(es) and the appropriate plan of treatment to help address your needs. This appointment will take about 60 minutes.

Do I need to bring any paperwork to the initial appointment?

Yes. Please bring your driver’s license or picture identification card, health insurance card, medication list, court order, custody agreements, and/or doctor’s note.

What is coaching, and is it the same as counseling?

Coaching is not the same as counseling. Counseling focuses on pathology; an individual’s past and present; trauma; emotional conflict; dysfunction; unresolved issues, and the healing process. In contrast, coaching assumes the individual is well, whole, and high functioning. It focuses on the present, future, and growth of an individual. Coaching focuses on a healthy, motivated person’s present life, and desire for a fulfilling and rewarding future. A person may seek assistance with goal setting, life planning, professional/personal balance, and more. Coaching is a collaborative and supportive measure in which an individual has face-to-face sessions, telephone conversations, or video conference visits with his/her coach to discuss and share his/her needs, wants, dreams, and desired goals while following an action plan, and modifying it when necessary. The coach serves as an accountability partner to the client by holding him/her accountable for reaching his/her goals and living a balanced life. Coaching does not involve counseling, and is not covered by insurance.

What insurance plans do you accept?

We accept Medicare, Optum, Maryland Medicaid, and the following managed care organizations:

  • Aetna Better Health of Maryland
  • Amerigroup
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Jai Medical Systems
  • Maryland Physicians Care
  • MedStar Family Choice
  • Priority Partners
  • United Healthcare
  • University of Maryland Health Partners

We also accept self-pay, which payment is due at the time of service.

Do you offer a sliding scale fee?

We offer sliding scale fee discounts for individuals who have financial obstacles and cannot afford the full fees for our treatment services. We offer sliding scale fee discounts to individuals with all incomes at/or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Our sliding fee scale discounts are based on household size and income. To qualify, a potential client has to complete a sliding scale fee application and bring proof of income to his/her first appointment. Documentation of income include federal and state tax return; two recent paycheck stubs; current bank statement; unemployment benefit award letter; any other benefit award letter, etc.). Please note, we require tax documents for individuals who are self-employed. The potential client will receive the sliding fee discount, if s/he qualifies based on the income guidelines.

How do I pay for services?

Payment is expected at the time of each appointment including insurance co-payment. Please use our online client portal to make an online payment. Our client portal is safe and secure as it uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an encryption protocol, to protect your payment information. You can make an online payment by check, credit card, or debit card. There is a convenience fee for credit/debit card payment. Payments are processed in real time or on the same day as you make the payment. If you make an online payment on Saturday or Sunday, your transaction is processed the following Monday.

We also accept office payments in the form of a certified check or money order. The certified bank check or money order should be made payable to Beacon of Hope; certified bank check or money order should state Beacon of Hope Wellness Center for alcohol and drug treatment services. No personal checks or cash are accepted.

How will you protect my personal information?

You will have to sign an authorization for release of information if you want us to speak about your care to another person or provider (family member, doctor, social worker, etc). We will not speak with other individuals or providers, or acknowledge you are a client without your written consent. However, we are mandated reporters who are required by law to release personal information without your consent if we suspect abuse, neglect, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, or other imminent harm.

Where is your office located, and telephone number?

We are located in the Upton district of Baltimore City at 1721 Pennsylvania Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217. Our office is ADA accessible. There are both metered and free street parking. Also, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Upton subway station and bus lines are conveniently located across the street from our office building.

Can I choose a particular therapist?

We believe it is important to match you with the right therapist. At intake, we will ask your preferences for qualities such as therapist gender or specific treatment approach as well as your preferred location for care. We will do our best to honor your request when we are able.

Facility

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm
Early morning, evening, and week-end appointments may be available by request.

Call us

(410) 685-2830

Located at

1721 Pennsylvania Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21217

Request Services

Call us

(410) 685-2830
Monday - Friday
9:30am - 4:30pm

Make a refferral

Appointment Request

(for current clients)

24-Hour Crisis Hotline

If you are experiencing a crisis or an emergency, please call our 24-Hour Hotline, day or night, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call us

(410) 685-2830 press 5

24-Hour Compliance Hotline

You may anonymously and confidentiality voice your concern by calling our 24-Hour Compliance Hotline.

Call us

(410) 685-2830 press 6