STEER Team
Montgomery County, through its Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), has partnered with Stop, Triage, Engage, Educate and Rehabilitate (STEER) to work collaboratively with MC’s primary referral sources (Police Department, Emergency Departments, Emergency Medical Services and the Department of Correction/Rehabilitation) to provide MC residents with rapid response and linkage to treatment, coordination of services and Peer support to persons with substance mis-use and co-occurring disorders
Hospitals
Hospitals charge nurses and case managers engage with STEER when any substance misuse case comes into the hospital when the individual expresses interest in receiving treatment.
EMS
Refers residents to STEER with: non-fatal overdose and Obvious Opioid involved cases
POLICE DePARTMENT
Refers residents to STEER with:
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Obvious substance misuse
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Diversion- treatment over incarceration
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Overdose cases that are not being prosecuted​
Our Story
STEER is a 24-hour substance-misuse Peer Support Response Team. We provide immediate, real-time support to individuals experiencing a substance-related crisis. Our team responds around the clock to referrals and activations from the Crisis Center, County Hospitals, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), , and the Police Department, ensuring that individuals receive compassionate, peer-led intervention at any hour of the day or night.
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Through rapid engagement, lived-experience-based support, and linkage to treatment and community resources, STEER helps stabilize individuals, reduce repeated emergency calls, and promote safer outcomes for both clients and the community.
Meet the Team
The STEER team consists of four Peers, one Administrator, and one Supervisor. Each month, the team rotates 24/7 on-call coverage for one full week, ensuring continuous support for individuals in crisis.
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When a recoveree is willing to engage, Peers develop and initiate an individualized Wellness Plan. They maintain weekly contact—either in person or by phone—to encourage change talk, offer recovery support, and foster motivation for healthier decision-making. Throughout the engagement, Peers introduce appropriate community resources, guide recoverees in accessing services, and teach them how to self-advocate and stay engaged in their recovery journey.
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Cases remain open for up to six months, during which progress is monitored, goals are adjusted, and support is sustained. When a recoveree demonstrates stability, engagement, and completion of their Wellness Plan, the case is successfully closed.
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Mohamed Ghariani
Mohamed Ghariani, CPRS, is a Peer Recovery Coach with Tree of Hope and a member of the Montgomery County, Maryland STEER Team. Mohamed is passionate about helping individuals affected by substance use and connecting people with the support and resources they need.
His commitment to recovery is deeply personal. Drawing from his own lived experience, Mohamed understands the challenges, stigma, and barriers that can make it difficult for someone to ask for help. As a multilingual member of the community, Mohamed speaks English, Spanish, French, and Arabic fluently. He is committed to building bridges, reducing stigma, and making recovery support more accessible to diverse communities throughout Montgomery County and the surrounding areas of the DMV.
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Katrina Marshall
Katrina Marshall is a dedicated Peer Recovery Specialist whose work is rooted deeply in lived experience. Having navigated her own mental health challenges and journey toward sobriety, she brings genuine empathy, resilience, and insight to her role. Katrina has also witnessed the impact of substance use and addiction among loved ones, strengthening her commitment to advocacy, compassion, and community healing.
As a certified Peer Recovery Specialist, Katrina is devoted to walking alongside individuals on their recovery paths. She blends active listening, evidence-based peer support strategies, and a person-centered approach to foster hope, self-empowerment, and sustainable change. Katrina believes in meeting people exactly where they are and honoring every step forward—no matter how small.
Her mission is to create safe, judgment-free spaces where people feel seen, supported, and encouraged to build meaningful lives in recovery. Through her actions, advocacy, and unwavering belief in the possibility of transformation, Katrina celebrates recovery as a journey worth honoring every single day.
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Bianca Campbell
Bianca brings both lived experience and professional training to her role as a Peer Recovery Specialist. After navigating her own mental health challenges and faith journey, she developed a deep passion for supporting individuals on their path toward healing, recovery, and personal growth. With a background as a Behavioral Technician supporting individuals with special needs, as well as experience mentoring foster youth, She has dedicated her career to empowering others to reach their full potential. She is passionate about helping people build personal goals, strengthen social skills, and develop healthy coping strategies through empathy, encouragement, and consistent support. Bianca believes in creating a safe space where individuals feel heard, accepted, and supported as they work through life’s challenges and move toward meaningful change.
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Irving Mason
Irving Mason brings a combination of lived experience and professional training to his work as a Peer Recovery Specialist. He began his career as a socio-therapist working with at-risk youth in residential treatment, where he later advanced to a supervisory role while leading group sessions, individual counseling, and life-skills training. Mason later worked with individuals experiencing homelessness as a recreation specialist, using structured recreational activities to help relieve the effects of untreated trauma. He has also supported individuals and communities impacted by gun, gang, and community violence. Guided by a belief that healing begins with genuine human connection, Mason now serves as a Peer Recovery Specialist with the STEER program at Tree of Hope, where he works to reduce the impact of trauma and provide hope and support to individuals often overlooked or underserved.