 Councilmember Luedtke speaking at a recent County Council meeting
Mental and behavioral health crises are increasing and we have an urgent responsibility to safely and effectively support those in crisis and those impacted by them. That means our first responders must have the skills necessary to respond to emergency calls about an individual in crisis so they can de-escalate difficult situations and get people the follow-up support they need.
One model, known as a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), is being used nationally and internationally to defuse potentially violent situations, connect people with the services that can support them, and reduce arrests. It pairs police officers with mental health clinicians and social workers so they respond to calls together. This is called co-response and was recently explored in detail by NPR.
As the Council's lead for Crisis Response and a member of the Public Safety and Health and Human Services Committees, I've been having conversations with crisis response professionals from Montgomery County and elsewhere in the State to explore what we're doing and how we can improve. This began with a joint Committee briefing and discussion in January and now we're working on legislation to make co-response a bigger part of how we respond to emergency calls in Montgomery County. More to come.
We've taken significant recent steps to prioritize safety on our roadways, at our crosswalks, and in our intersections and are working on a daily basis with the County Department of Transportation (DOT) and State Highway Administration (SHA) on community requests to build new sidewalks, install traffic-calming measures, and reduce speeding that makes many places dangerous.
This is a major priority for me and my colleagues on the Council. I'm pleased to report that County DOT is looking for public feedback on three projects in District 7 that will help us do better and I encourage everyone in these communities to take part:
For Sandy Spring residents, a virtual public hearing on the Heritage Triangle Trail Project will be held on November 28. Learn more here.
For Montgomery Village residents, weigh in now on your walking, biking, and transit priorities via this safety improvement survey about Montgomery Village Avenue.
For Derwood residents, a virtual public meeting about the Shady Grove Road Bikeway & Pedestrian Safety Improvements Project was held November 6 and another public meeting will be scheduled soon. If you missed the November 6 meeting, you can view the recording here and you can submit your feedback any time here.
Autism Society Meet and Greet
Join the Autism Society of Maryland from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on December 5 at the Gaithersburg Library (18330 Montgomery Village Avenue) to learn about resources, services, and activities available through the organization.
Community Meeting on I-270/American Legion Bridge Project
The Maryland Department of Transportation is hosting a series of meetings to get public feedback on its vision for I-270 and the American Legion Bridge, including from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. November 15 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Gaithersburg (620 Perry Parkway).
Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Gift Show
The Sandy Spring Museum (17901 Bentley Road) is hosting its annual showcase of local artisans just in time for the holidays from November 24-December 22.
 Councilmember Luedtke pictured at community and Council events
Top left photo: On Saturday, we joined the County's Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation to dedicate two markers outside of the Council Office Building in Rockville to John Diggs-Dorsey and Sidney Randolph. In 1880 a mob took Diggs-Dorsey from what was then the county jail and lynched him in a horrific act of anti-Black racial terror - an act another mob repeated in 1896 in the lynching of Randolph. The markers tell this history so it cannot be ignored.
Top right photo: Last week, we celebrated the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce annual awards ceremony to honor local business leaders and Senator Ben Cardin for his career of public service to the County and State.
Bottom left photo: I joined the Council's Economic Development Committee in Derwood at the Agricultural History Farm Park for a briefing and discussion on agritourism.
Bottom center photo: Thank you to the Takoma Park VFW for hosting a fundraiser for Sgt. Patrick Kepp, the officer who lost his legs while trying to stop a reckless and speeding driver on I-270.
Bottom right photo: I visited the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation in Boyds to discuss how to improve our mental health and other rehabilitative services with Director Ben Stevenson.
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