Wednesday, May 8, 2024
5/8/2024
Baltimore County Department of Health (BCDH) seeks to enhance and expand partnerships within County government and across the Baltimore County community to reduce the burden of the overdose epidemic on county residents. Through the convening of the Opioid Intervention Team, BCDH has sought to improve collaborative response efforts to address the devastating toll substance use disorder inflicts on the lives of Baltimore County residents. Over the next five years, BCDH will expand services internally and support efforts of partners. Baltimore County is applying for Component C funding but is not applying for Component B funding. At the community level, BCHD will partner with the Baltimore County Fire Department/EMS to implement a quick response team model for survivors of nonfatal overdoses, with the goal of providing intervention, support and linkage to care. BCDH will also contract with a community-based harm reduction program to identify and serve the demographic and geographic populations at highest risk for overdose and least connected to resources. Expansion of harm reduction services will engage individuals in their communities with needed life-saving supplies and strategies, including linkage to care. The Department will build on existing efforts to review every overdose fatality and follow the national model for overdose fatality review that promotes development of actionable recommendations based on intensive data gathering and case review by a multi-disciplinary team. In order to ensure that all County residents understand the medical basis for substance use disorder and can relate to individuals suffering, a countywide anti-stigma campaign will be continued and expanded. Emphasis on messaging related to the importance of community-based treatment and recovery resources will be shared across the county, while treatment access messaging will focus on areas of highest overdose burden. BCDH will also accelerate partnerships with healthcare systems in the county to ensure that residents receive the same high-level standard of care, including judicious prescribing and monitoring, no matter where they enter the care continuum. Finally, BCDH will continue and expand efforts to monitor, analyze and improve upon countywide efforts to link individuals to care and help them achieve wellness through access, engagement and retention in harm reduction, treatment and recovery resources. At the outset of the funding cycle, a needs assessment will be completed to incorporate input from affected communities and the county population at large. OD2A: LOCAL efforts will be based on analysis and interpretation of fatal and nonfatal overdose data, as well as program outcomes, while also being incorporated into the larger continuum of care across the county. A continuous quality improvement approach will continue to be used to incorporate a data feedback loop to ensure that effective programs and services are accessible to populations in need. Baltimore County is poised to further progress made under existing OD2A funding, using the existing infrastructure built to collect, organize, analyze, interpret and put data into action.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
