Lt. Governor Brown Visits Anchor of Walden for Discussion on Efforts to Treat Substance Abuse and Reduce Domestic Violence
Lt. Governor Joined by Walden Sierra Leadership, St. Mary's County Officials for Tour of Facility
CHARLOTTE HALL, Md. (March 28, 2011) – Today, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown visited the Anchor of Walden Intermediate Care Facility in Charlotte Hall to tour the center and meet with current residents who are seeking substance abuse treatment or are victims of domestic violence. The Lt. Governor also met with Walden Sierra leadership to discuss their efforts to help victims of domestic violence.
Anchor of Walden is the only regional residential substance abuse treatment center in Southern Maryland. The center is a major resource for individuals in need of intensive treatment to address addiction. Walden is also the public provider of crisis and counseling services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in St. Mary's County. Walden is one of several local partners, including the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Department and the Maryland State Police-Leonardtown barracks, who work together to deliver the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) to save lives of high risk domestic violence victims.
“The hard work done by the dedicated staff at Walden Sierra, along with the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department and the Maryland State Police, is making a real difference in the lives of Southern Marylanders who are suffering from substance addiction and domestic violence,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “I met with many residents who shared truly harrowing stories of their struggles, but what is uplifting is how Anchor of Walden has helped them turn their lives around. Governor O’Malley and I are committed to ending domestic violence and substance abuse, and we will continue working with our partners to provide more opportunities to care for those who desperately need our help.”
The LAP initiative has created a network of partnerships within the state that work together to identify victims of domestic violence who are at risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners and immediately connect them with the domestic care service provider in their area.
Joining the Lt. Governor for today’s visit were Dr. Kathleen O’Brien, Executive Director of Walden Sierra, Clinical Director Gary Lynch, St. Mary’s County Sherriff Timothy Cameron, and St. Mary’s County Board of Commissioners President Jack Russell.
Addressing domestic violence is a personal cause for Lt. Governor Brown. In August 2008, his cousin Cathy was murdered by her estranged boyfriend during a domestic dispute. Building on his experience as a legislator and the perspective this tragedy provided him, Brown championed successful efforts in 2009 to improve domestic violence laws and take guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. During the 2010 Legislative Session, Brown worked with the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing a victim of domestic abuse to terminate a residential lease with a copy of a final protective order.
