Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller visits local Towson mental health center to discuss stigmas, solutions

By Morgan Lane, Editor-in-Chief

Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller spoke in Towson on Tuesday to discuss the importance of addressing and treating mental health. 

The event, hosted by the Jay Care Mental Health Center on Loch Raven Boulevard, focused on ways to break mental health stigmas in various groups, such as the Black and African communities, men, and younger generations.

Jay Care also provides services for college students in the Baltimore area. 

Miller, who has spoken at several mental health organizational events in September, opened up about her own experiences seeing her dad live with bipolar disorder.

“My father suffered his entire life from this,” she said during her speech. “There would be the downside of bipolar and he felt depression, and he faced that, and it would last for weeks.”

Miller also talked about the available resources Maryland provides for low-income individuals. 

“There is Medicaid, of course, and we try to get them on the Affordable Care Act as much as we can,” she said. “Through that avenue, they can seek mental health services.”

She said that the state budget is “broad-based,” meaning it goes through different departments within the state system. In 2025, the department of health’s operating budget was roughly $140 million, with the proposed funding increasing to $142.2 million for 2026.

“We’ll continue to push to make sure that we put money into mental health services,” she said. 

Faustine Anakaraonye, a psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner who regularly treats college students, said a student’s accessibility to resources is something that should be supported by the state.

“We’re going to need (the state) to support,” she said. “We have students around us. So we need that support community-wise.”

Anakaraonye said a student called her about the increased cost of her prescription medication.

“This is not fair for low-income families,” Anakaraonye said.

She also said that the expectation for a student to balance exams and housing difficulties can cause large amounts of stress.

John Iheoma, CEO of JTC Behavioral Health Services in Landover, MD, also spoke at the event. He said the nurses at Jay Care embody community empowerment.

“Behind every person is a family,” Iheoma said. “Behind every family is a community.”

If you or someone you know is going through a mental health crisis or have suicidal thoughts, dial 988 for 24/7 support.