Laura Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

04/23/08 By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently I had an opportunity to catch-up with one of Carroll County's true whirlwinds, Laura Rhodes.

We first compared notes on the Rock Ball, this week's fund-raiser for Granite House, one of the largest nonprofit mental health care organizations in Carroll County.

Rhodes is currently program development manager at Granite House.

However, for much of our visit we talked about a relatively new initiative, Respite Connection of Carroll County.

First, when I arrived at her closet-sized office, she was doing what she does best -- multi-tasking in a number of different directions, all at break-neck speed.

To make up for the lack of floor space, Ms. Rhodes uses the "stack-it-high" method of organization.

If you're not familiar with Granite House; it was established in 1979 as critical resource in Carroll County's social-welfare safety net to assist folks with mental illness.

Granite House's network of psychiatrists, clinical social workers, nurses and licensed counselors assist members of the community to receive the necessary guidance and support to make a fresh start.

Proceeds from the "Rock Ball" benefit Granite House's Charitable Fund, which was created to help subsidize the cost of mental health care for those who cannot afford it.

"We strongly believe that all people should be able to receive the metal health care they need," Laura said. "Simply put, É mentally healthy people are more productive community members."

Many folks know Rhodes from when she served on the Carroll County Board of Education (2002 to 2005).

Others remember when she was manager of an initiative to improve community health for the Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County.

A few years before she and her family moved to Carroll County from Florida in 1986, she earned her bachelor's degree in criminology and psychology from Florida State University and a master's in counseling psychology from the University of West Florida in 1984.

As soon as she made Mount Airy her home, she threw herself into working for children and our community.

"I always felt that you have no right to criticize unless you're willing to be part of the solution," said Laura. "I wanted to be part of the solution."

Speaking of doing her homework and identifying needs in the community, Rhodes was excited to tell me all about Respite Connection -- a new collaboration to help provide respite care for families with children with disabilities and mental health challenges.

In layperson's terms, this is about giving folks who have a family member who needs constant care a break by identifying a network of caregivers and providing them with appropriate training.

The idea is to team up with community leaders and advocacy organizations -- such as Eldersburg's Mona Freedman and her Caring Communities of Carroll County; Sharon Glass and Families of Children with Autism Support Group; Heather Powell of Change Inc.; Lynne Humphries-Russ of the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health; and Karen Koenigsberg of Get Connected Family Resource Center.

Rhodes said the goal of Respite Connection is to increase the number of trained individuals to provide respite to families with children (birth-25) with mental health disabilities or developmental disabilities in Carroll, and to promote awareness of and access to the new centralized list/registry of respite providers.

This list is called the Caring Network Respite Care Registry offered by Caring Communities.

The measure of any community is how we take care of our friends and neighbors in times of need.

Most of us agree that the best social-welfare safety net is provided by nonprofits.

Hats off to Laura Rhodes and the many other folks who roll up their sleeves to make a difference and help sustain Carroll County as a wonderful place to raise a family.

If you'd like more information about contributing to Granite House's Charitable Fund or learning more about Respite Connection, or any of the services provided by Granite House, call 410-876-3007, Ext. 140, or visit http://www.granitehouse.org/.

By the way, Granite House's annual Rock Ball is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m., at St. John's Portico in Westminster.

The event features dinner, music, a silent auction, art exhibit and more. Tickets are $100. Call Laura at the number above to see if any seats are still available.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at: kevindayhoff AT gmail.com.

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