The Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted to approve $55,280 in spending authority to the Carroll County Health Department to fund oversight and monitoring of the county’s Substance Use Recovery Treatment Services program.

County staff introduced the request and Lauren McCarthy, executive director of Mountain Manor (also referred to in the meeting as Maryland Treatment Centers), described services offered at the Sykesville facility, including 24/7 triage beds, a 12-bed withdrawal management (detox) unit and longer-term residential treatment beds. McCarthy said the triage unit provides rapid access to stabilization and connection to follow-up care and described it as a “critical bridge between crisis and stabilization.”

The spending authority will cover the cost of administrative fees and program monitoring for the term of the county’s agreement. County staff said the amount is included in the fiscal year 2026 adopted budget. Commissioners moved and seconded the spending authority and the motion carried in open session.

Why it matters: Commissioners and county staff described the Sykesville facility as a locally available option for residents in crisis that can reduce strain on hospital emergency departments and law enforcement by offering a lower-threshold, 24/7 intake and rapid transition into appropriate levels of care. County and provider officials said triage referrals come from hospitals, drug treatment court, detention centers and other local behavioral health entities.

Details from the presentation: McCarthy told the board Mountain Manor Sykesville operates a 60-bed campus that includes 12 detoxification beds, 42 long-term residential beds and six triage beds. The triage stays are funded through federal dollars filtered through the Local Behavioral Health Authority (LBHA) for people with opioid or stimulant use disorders; that funding pool has decreased over time, McCarthy said, and the triage length was recently reduced from 10 days to four days per stay. She also provided utilization figures: in 2024 the shoemaker short-term withdrawal management program enrolled 143 patients and Mountain Manor Sykesville enrolled 150 patients in long-term programs; triage admissions and referrals have been increasing in 2025.

Commissioner discussion and public-safety context: Commissioners and other officials asked about eligibility (the Sykesville site accepts adults; referrals for people under 18 are routed to adolescent units elsewhere) and follow-up care. Board members asked county staff to push referral information more widely to law enforcement, EMS and partner agencies so first responders are aware of the option and can use the triage intake when appropriate. County staff said an easy, PDF-based referral/intake link exists and that the county will continue to distribute it to stakeholders.

Vote and next steps: The board approved the $55,280 spending authority for program oversight and monitoring; county staff and the health department will continue to perform the monitoring work described in the county memorandum of agreement.