Kabir Cares

College Park's trusted source for daily news and updates since 2009

City Announces Contract for Mental Health Services Coordination


Today, the City is proud to announce that it has entered into a contract with Care Solace to assist all residents more easily access mental health care and social services. Under the contract approved during the November 14, 2023 City Council meeting, Care Solace will provide residents with easy access to a comprehensive network of providers and resources.

“The mental health and well-being of our residents is of utmost importance; with this new service, we hope to connect more individuals in our community with the help they need” said Fazlul Kabir, Mayor of College Park.

The annual cost of the service for the first year is $80,000.

Care Solace will serve as a liaison between first responders, justice systems, social agencies, and community-based mental health providers. Care Solace works to connect individuals with the right resources and appropriate care including assistance with mental health, food, housing, substance use treatment, and affordable medical and dental care. The service is available 24/7/365 in more than 200 languages.

Care Solace will help residents navigate the mental health care system, helping residents find the appropriate fit for their needs and insurance.

“Mental health has become a paramount issue not only in our community, but in our country,” said Kenny Young, City Manager of College Park, “by offering this new service, we are facilitating accessible mental health care and social service resources for all residents with a supportive framework for individuals to seek the care they need.”

Care Solace’s coordination services are free, confidential, and accessible via:

Phone: Call 888-515-7881 at any time.
Website: Search anonymously by answering just a few questions at caresolace.com/md-collegepark.

If you are having a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or call/text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Care Solace is not an emergency response service.

Voice Your Impact: Take the 2023 Election Survey and Shape Our City’s Future!

Please complete the election survey. Your input is very important, and I would appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete it – whether you voted or not.

As part of our partnership with ElectionGuard in the 2023 election, an election survey was designed by the Center for Civic Design and Dr. Martha Kropf, a Professor of Political Science & Public Administration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The survey is open until the end of the month, at this link: https://surveys.qualtrics.charlotte.edu/jfe/form/SV_e2rUuBrd6XgPbxk

Your comments will be provided to the Mayor and City Council and will help inform future elections. Thank you in advance for your input.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Big Ten Communities

Today, I will be part of a discussion with Mayor Rhodes-Conway of Madison, WI, and Mayor Taylor of Ann Arbor, MI, exploring the challenges and opportunities within our Big Ten communities. You can join the watch party in person at the Thurgood Marshall Hall Atrium @ UMD or online by registering here: https://fordschool.umich.edu/event/2023/mayors-forum

Veterans Day 2023 – In Pictures

At yesterday’s Veterans Day event, College Park honored the brave men and women who have served, celebrating their commitment to peace and their invaluable contributions to safeguarding the principles we hold dear. (photo credit: Normand Bernache)

Addressing Veo Parking Concerns Leads to Dramatic Drop in Violations and Timely Issue Resolutions

The City Council will discuss VeoRide micromobility operations at next week’s meeting.

In 2019, the City teamed up with Veo to bring micromobility (like bikes and scooters) to College Park residents. They started with a one-year trial approved by the Council through Resolution 19-R-12. This trial got extended because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the City, the University of Maryland, and the Town of University Park, all part of this collaboration, decided to keep it going until 2022. After tweaking the trial, the three parties agreed to a Mobility Share Agreement on June 8, 2022, which lasts for three years

The pilot program and Mobility Share Agreement (MSA) have clear rules about where to park, how to help residents, and how quickly to solve reported problems. Since the City joined the MSA in June, people like residents, staff, and Council members have shared problems with handling wrongly parked vehicles on time. There have also been challenges with making sure the forced parking system works as intended, stopping vehicles from parking where they shouldn’t, like in front of houses or blocking sidewalks. Because of these issues, City staff got a lot of comments and concerns. To understand the problem better, they organized a one-on-one meeting with Veo, the micromobility partner.

In short, it turned out that Veo didn’t use the forced parking system as the contract required. This happened because of a misunderstanding caused by changes in Veo’s staff during the negotiations with the City. Once the confusion was fixed, Veo made sure the forced parking was working just a few days later. Since then, City staff have seen a big drop in parking problems reported by residents and by themselves. Before the fix, in an 8-day period in October, there were 26 parking issues, resulting in a fine of $910 to Veo. But after the forced parking was put in place, there have been no fines, and any reported problems are fixed quickly, within 2 hours, as the contract says.

Fixing this problem shows that Veo is a trustworthy partner with the City, dedicated to providing more transportation choices for our residents. This helps more people enjoy all the great things the City has to offer. Also, the City staff is currently working on setting up more Veo parking spots, as approved by the Council in August 2023.

Join Us in Celebrating 30 Years of Honor on Veterans Day!

Today is Veterans Day. Please take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by these brave individuals and consider expressing your gratitude in your way. The City will hold its annual Veterans Day Observance today, Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 11 am at the College Park Veterans Memorial, at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Greenbelt Road. This year commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Memorial’s Dedication in 1993! Please bring pictures of your loved ones, veterans alive or passed, to share on our Honors table. Parking is available near Bowlero at 9021 Baltimore Ave. Thanks to the City’s Veterans Memorial Committee for sponsoring the event.

City Publishes Final 2023 Election Results

Very grateful and honored to be reelected as Mayor of College Park. Thank you to our amazing community for your unwavering support. This victory belongs to each one of you who believes in progress and unity. Together, we’ll continue building a vibrant, inclusive future for our city. Your trust is my inspiration, and I’m committed to serving you with dedication and passion. Thank you for your confidence and belief in our vision.
Here are the final results the City published yesterday:
Kabir (Mayor) 1337
Hew (D1) 360
Hernandez (D1) 292
Esters (D2) 177
Whitney (D2) 176
Rigg (D3) 351
Adams (D3) 337
Mackie (D4) 135
Mitchel(D4) 132
Total person toting: 1468

You can see more about the results here on City’s website:

Greenbelt Selected for New FBI Headquarters Location

Greenbelt has been selected as the new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters location. The FBI will be moving from its current headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. The J. Edgar Hoover Building opened in 1974.

According to a General Services Administration spokesperson “GSA determined Greenbelt to be the best site because it was the lowest cost to taxpayers, provided the greatest transportation access to FBI employees and visitors, and gave the government the most certainty on project delivery schedule. It also provided the highest potential to advance sustainability and equity.”

Congress will still need to provide funding for construction, which is expected to take several years to complete. We’ll keep the community appraised as the project moves forward.

The selection of Greenbelt as the new site should be great news for College Park and the surrounding communities, as a new headquarters will bring jobs and economic revitalization to our area. Thanks to everyone who worked on the project.

More here on the NBC News.

Rabies & Microchip Clinic

Openings are still available for the Rabies & Microchip Clinic!!

Please call and make an appointment for Sunday, November 12.
Free for College Park residents. Nominal fee for non-residents.

Rabies & Microchip Clinic
November 12 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Davis Hall

The City’s Animal Control is hosting a Rabies and Microchip Clinic for City pets on Sunday, November 12, 2023, from 11:00AM to 2:00PM.

Appointments are required. Sign up your pet at
https://nov2023rabiesclinic.eventbrite.com.

Harvest Bazaar – This Friday

Harvest Bazaar happening at Holy Redeemer is happening this Friday. This is a fantastic chance to meet your neighbors and have a lot of fun while you’re at it. There’re games and prizes for the kids, great food, bingo, a massive yard sale, and so much more. Admission is free and all are welcome, so mark your calendar and come have some fun!

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