Launching of the City of Takoma Park Mental Health Outreach Pilot Program

The City of Takoma Park is pleased to announce the hiring of the first mental health counselor for a two-year pilot program to provide comprehensive mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park. Jill Larson is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C).

Ms. Larson joins Takoma Park from the Montgomery County Crisis Center to provide mental health mobile outreach, petition evaluations, on-scene support, Domestic Violence lethality screens/referrals, on-scene grief support, training, and other resources as needed for City staff. In addition to supportive mental health resources, Ms. Larson is a current Crisis Intervention Team instructor for thought disorders and will provide in-service training and consultation for City staff enhancing the community’s overall response to mental health crises.

Before becoming a social worker, Ms. Larson spent 17-years as a Police Officer in Minnesota. Her experience includes working in the human and sex trafficking units, negotiations, investigations liaison, and as a Field Training Officer.

Ms. Larson is looking forward to providing mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park and cultivating a supportive collaboration with all stakeholders in Takoma Park.

Ms. Larson can be reached at JillL@takomaparkmd.gov and 301.891.7149.

The pilot program is a joint collaboration between the City of Takoma Park and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the pilot program is to put in place and evaluate a response system that focuses on diverting mental health calls for service from the police-only or police and counselor model to a counselor-only response.

This two-year pilot program is being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and reflects the city’s commitment to compassionate community care. An additional mental health counselor is expected to join the program in the coming months.