Joint Press Release:
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s County Health Department
LEONARDTOWN, MD (March 20, 2025) – St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) and St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) are partnering to host Ruthie Alcaide, a motivational speaker on drug and alcohol awareness. The event will be held Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The presentation is free and open to all community members.
Ruthie Alcaide, a celebrity star from MTV’s popular reality television series The Real World: Hawaii, speaks to her life experiences with managing mental health and recovery from substance use. Her experiences behind the scenes on the Real World can teach adults about the entertainment industry, depression, anxiety, and drug and alcohol awareness. To register for this free event, please click here.
This speaker event is part of the St. Mary’s Goes Purple initiative, a community campaign working to end the social and personal stigma that often prevents people from seeking help for their substance use disorder.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health. Mental health challenges impact us all – especially when we feel like we’re being attacked simply for who we are,” said Jessica Jolly, LCSW-C, director of counseling at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “It is important to fight mental health stigma and encourage others to reach out when feeling overwhelmed, sad, or simply not feeling like themselves. Mental health support is available 24/7 by calling 988.”
“Stigma is one of the most significant barriers to getting help for yourself or your family members when there is a concern about substance use,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “Ruthie Alcaid’s story is a powerful message that there are resources available to help, recovery is possible, and hope is always with you.”
For more information and to register to attend the Ruthie Alcaide event, please click here.
For more information about the St. Mary’s Goes Purple initiative, visit smchd.org/gopurple.
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