Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that his office will support a new United Way of Central Maryland program allowing residents to report non-criminal hate bias incidents and connect with support services.
The program will launch October 15 as a pilot in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County, with statewide expansion planned after the pilot year. Residents will be able to report incidents through the 211 Central Maryland Helpline or a dedicated United Way webpage.
The program is intended for non-criminal acts motivated by bias. Suspected hate crimes, including assaults, vandalism and threats, should continue to be reported directly to law enforcement.
The change comes as the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Hotline and online reporting portal are scheduled to be discontinued September 30 as a federal grant concludes. The NoHomeForHate website will remain available, and the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention will continue its work.
United Way’s program is supported through a grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy. People reporting hate bias incidents may be connected with mental health services, community support, mediation and other assistance.
