Brenda Mannix, LMSW

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Subject Matter Expert and Evaluator

Ms. Mannix is a Licensed Masters in Social Work who works at Shady Grove Medical Center’s Emergency Department conducting psychosocial assessments and psychiatric evaluations of adults, children, and adolescent patients in the emergency department. Ms. Mannix collaborates with the patient, their family, and physicians to diagnose primary issue, identify appropriate resources and provide referrals for services. Prior to coming to Shady Grove Medical Center, Ms. Mannix worked at Sheppard Pratt’s Baltimore Washington Campus on the thought disorders unit. Ms. Mannix worked with a wide range of individuals experiencing mental health issues requiring hospitalization.  In her role, she helps individuals, and their families understand mental illness, effective treatment options, and learn new coping skills. Ms. Mannix empowers her patients to take control over their mental health and advocates for outpatient resources. 

Prior to Sheppard Pratt, Ms. Mannix worked as a mental health consultant and trainer primarily with first responders and disaster responders. Ms. Mannix has over 25 years’ experience working on emergency and disaster preparedness and response.

Ms. Mannix’s passion for assisting people and public service began when she first became an EMT as a first-year student in college. From there, Ms. Mannix’s career and expertise expanded through her work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). While at FEMA, Ms. Mannix travelled the nation providing programmatic technical assistance and grant assistance and oversight. She served at the headquarters office in Washington DC, Region VII and Region III and in a Disaster Field Office in Des Moines, Iowa following the Midwest floods in 1993.

During her time at SAMHSA, Ms. Mannix oversaw the mental health response to 9/11 and in 2005, Ms. Mannix served as the Incident Commander for the mental health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In addition to her disaster preparedness and response expertise, Ms. Mannix also led the creation of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, managed the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, and led the development of the first round of the Garrett Lee Smith grant programs. After leaving government in 2012, Ms. Mannix joined IQ Solutions Inc. where she served as the Project Director for SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance Center. As project director, Ms. Mannix provided leadership and management to a team of thirty providing technical assistance and training efforts for disaster behavioral health preparedness and response. Ms. Mannix left IQ Solutions to complete her master’s degree in social work. After completing her masters, Ms. Mannix worked as a social worker with the University of Maryland Medical System and practiced out of the federal field hospital in Baltimore serving patients recovering from COVID-19.

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