Salisbury, MD: Life Management of Maryland, LLC (LMM) proudly announces its newest milestone in community engagement as it joins the ranks of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce. In celebration of this new membership, LMM will host a ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 4pm. Life Management of Maryland, LLC (LMM) was established in 2012 by executive director, Jeri Jones as a local agency providing telehealth and in-person individual and family counseling to children, adolescents, and adults on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“I began private practice in downtown Salisbury 12 years ago, before telehealth was as popular,” said Jeri Jones, owner, Life Management of Maryland LLC. “My practice grew so quickly through word of mouth. At that time, I was a solo provider and did not know if I could take on more clients if more people knew about me. Now, I am ready for people to learn more about the services available and what my practice has to offer.”
Jones spent over twenty years in the mental health field serving youth and adults on the Eastern Shore with a primary focus on reducing the need for emergency and hospital admissions, out-of-home placements and reducing the public health crisis of suicide. Her experience involved working in human services to provide and manage patient-centered care in various school and clinical healthcare settings. Her additional areas of expertise include risk management, recruitment and professional training and development.
Partnerships Fuel Pilot Program
Life Management of Maryland partnered with Imagine Living Well to launch a pilot program with Somerset County Public Schools to bring outside partners into schools to assist with mental health support for staff, students in grades 8 through 12 and their families. The team used feedback from the students, staff, and parents to lay the foundation for the program.
“When Jeri, Meg and I started training together, the energy we shared was something special,” said Chalarra Sessoms, licensed clinical social worker. “We felt with the knowledge we had as a collective and our encouraging spirit, we could be an example of how wellness can be achieved. And everyone is worthy of a life well lived.”
“As a teacher and resident of Somerset County, this community is a hidden gem and worth the commitment to see it thrive,” said Meg Cohen, project manager. “Just by giving students a caring space to talk about their feelings and experiences and reinforcing its ok to talk about it, provided an opportunity for them to trust us. They didn’t hold back and shared aspects of their lives that we could connect with to help them understand and validate what they were feeling. Educators give it their all trying to educate, and many times behaviors can stand in the way. We are making it our goal to listen, understand and provide tools for them and their families to work with in their everyday lives that will help them project who they are and how they want to live.”
“One student said something that really stuck with me,” said Jones. “She said everyone wants to talk to students and younger people about mental health, depression, and risk of suicide, but then nothing happens. Now what? I don’t think they know what to do next.”
Jones and her team listened and acted. They launched a 16-month evidence-based program with the school system that included an interactive mental health assembly and engagement with the parents and families. They also recruited a team of college students from Salisbury University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Swarthmore College, Howard University and Frontier Nursing University currently studying education and linguistics, social work, pharmacy, and nursing to assist with the program.
“Somerset County Public Schools is excited to continue our partnership with Life Management of Maryland through the consortium grant,” said Tracey Cottman, supervisor of student services for Somerset County Public Schools. “Jeri and her team provide invigorating, educational and critical services to our students, staff, parents, and the community. They have a strong commitment to the well-being of others, and it shows in their consistent earnestness to provide quality programming.”
“After learning about the challenges faced by students, parents and educators in the aftermath of a global pandemic, I felt compelled to take action,” said Jones. “We ventured into school settings to engage directly with students to learn more about their understanding of mental health. Early on we realized we would not be able to make a difference if we only spoke to students, so we invited parents, teachers, and other staff to collaborate on fostering holistic well-being at home and in school. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with students offering valuable feedback, parents displaying curiosity, and faculty and staff showing genuine interest. Encouraged by this reception, we are enthusiastic about delving deeper into these discussions and exploring new avenues for support.”
The pilot program was launched at Washington High School in Princess Anne, Maryland. The expansion of the program through the consortium grant will continue to serve students, staff and families from Washington High School & Academy, Crisfield High School & Academy, and Somerset Intermediate School.
“Crisfield High School’s goal is to send out into the world intelligent young people who are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges that they will face,” said Marlena Turner, community school liaison, Crisfield Academy and High School. “Reducing the stigma around mental health, providing learning focused on improving mental wellness, coping and conflict resolution, are some of what we hope our students leave our school having a better understanding of. Providing students and families with opportunities to work with mental health professionals, such as Life Management of Maryland, is just one more way we can strengthen our students and community and set forth into the world the best of the best! “
The Imagine Living Well in Schools program is reaching 1,400 students in Somerset County Public Schools with the goal of serving as a hub to bring families, communities, and partners together to remove barriers to learning and strengthen connections to improve student outcomes.
Ribbon Cutting Event Details
What: Life Management of Maryland Ribbon Cutting
When: Thursday, May 23, 2024, 4pm
Where: Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship
212 W Main Street, Suite 205, Salisbury, Maryland
For more information about Life Management of Maryland, LLC call 443/503-3481, email Jeri Jones at jones@lifemgtmd.com or visit lifemanagementofmaryland.com.
The Imagine Living Well in Schools program is supported by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission and Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the Commission or Consortium.
