The Behavioral Health Administration was awarded a two year “State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant” (Opioid STR) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). The grant award will be used to address Maryland’s opioid crisis by increasing access to treatment, reducing unmet treatment need, and reducing opioid overdose related deaths through the provision of prevention, treatment and recovery activities for opioid use disorder (OUD) (including prescription opioids as well as illicit drugs such as heroin).
The Maryland Opioid Recovery Response (MORR) initiative will take a strategic and comprehensive approach to increasing access to and enhancing services for individuals with an opioid use disorder (OUD) by reducing gaps throughout the state Public Behavioral Health System (PBHS). Our goal is through utilizing a public health framework of prevention, treatment and recovery services to reduce unmet treatment needs and opioid related deaths. Our priorities are to:
- prevent opioid misuse and abuse through enhanced prescriber practices and public awareness;
- treat opioid dependence by expanding treatment and increasing quality;
- prevent overdose fatalities through naloxone expansion; and
- expand recovery supports in the community.
The targeted population for this effort is adults (age 18 and older) who are experiencing an active substance (Opioid) or co-occurring (Opioid and Mental Health) disorder related crisis or emergency