No Halo News · Sourced development
Grassroots layoffs were scheduled after loss of a $5.7 million 988 contract; county supplied emergency stabilization money
Maryland’s dislocation log listed 60 permanent layoffs at Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center effective September 29 after the charity lost its federal-funded role as a national backup center for the 988 Lifeline. Howard County said the affected operation employed 62 people and accounted for $5.7 million in annual program revenue. The county provided $260,000 to keep local crisis services open while Grassroots develops a stabilization plan.
Status matters. This page records a sourced development, not a completed No Halo investigation. An allegation is not a finding. Dismissals, settlements, judgments, corrections and final outcomes remain distinct.
Donor relevance
Why this matters
The lost contract eliminated roughly one-third of the workforce and created an immediate operating gap at a charity providing suicide-prevention, mental-health, substance-use and homelessness services. The emergency county funding is a significant corrective measure intended to preserve local operations.
Attribution
Who reported or established this
Howard County Government and Grassroots attributed the layoffs and budget gap to the loss of the national 988 backup-center contract. Maryland’s Department of Labor separately recorded 60 affected workers.
Evidence limits
What remains unverified
No Halo has not confirmed the final number of employees separated, independently assessed the contract-selection decision or established whether the $260,000 will be sufficient for long-term stability.
Right of reply
Organization response
Grassroots thanked Howard County for the emergency funding and said it would use the money to stabilize operations and keep its local crisis center open. The organization said local 988 and other Howard County crisis services would continue. The county also reported that Grassroots had exceeded the national contract’s required quality benchmarks.
Classification
How No Halo records this event
Event type: Financial Distress. Current state: Open. No Halo preserves the current procedural state rather than treating every mention as a finding.
Published August 11, 2026 · Last verified September 30, 2026. See an error or a later outcome? Submit a correction or right of reply.