About me
James Rhoden is a seasoned executive with over 33 years of experience in law enforcement, behavioral health, and program management. As Assistant Director of the Center of Excellence within the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP), he leads initiatives to reduce incarceration rates for individuals with behavioral health needs and improve access to treatment.
James oversees the Maryland Behavioral Health and Public Safety Center of Excellence (BHPS-COE), the Crisis Intervention Team Center of Excellence (CITCE), and the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (BSCIP). He provides technical assistance to local governments, facilitates Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) mapping workshops, and coordinates the annual Statewide SIM Summit.
James serves on several advisory groups, including the Maryland State-Standing Advisory Committee on Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Programs, the Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council, and the Behavioral Health Care Treatment and Access Commission. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s in Management from Johns Hopkins University and is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), Session #73.
Born and raised in Baltimore City, Maryland, James attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly). He has over 28 years of law enforcement experience in leadership roles. James joined the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services in January 2022 as the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program Director before transitioning to his current role.
James is married to his beautiful wife Mandy and is a proud father of two children, Jimmy and Lexy, and two stepchildren, Sophia and Bo. He values family time and enjoys activities such as traveling, outdoor adventures, and cheering on his children in their various pursuits. Balancing his professional commitments with quality family time is a priority for James.
