Annapolis, MD — Maryland is continuing its commitment to stopping opioid abuse by announcing $10 million dollars in grants to groups and agencies fighting the opioid epidemic.
More than fifty programs across the state will receive more than $5.6 million in competitive grants and an additional $4 million in block grants that individual jurisdictions can determine how to spend to fight opioid abuse.
“Our administration continues to be committed to using every resource possible to ensure our local jurisdictions have access to life-saving resources such as programs aimed towards prevention, treatment, and recovery,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “These grants are a powerful tool for our local communities in our fight against the opioid epidemic.”
The money will be distributed for fiscal year 2020.
Among the grants in Southern Maryland are:
$59,000 to support a multi-faceted campaign for opioid prevention and awareness in the St. Mary’s County public school system
$66,000 to provide support for children whose parent(s) and other close relatives have experienced a fatal or nonfatal overdose in Anne Arundel County/Annapolis
$60,000 to provide health curriculum in Calvert County public school system focusing on mental- and emotional-health supports and substance-abuse prevention
$56,000 to support substance abuse prevention groups in the Calvert County public school system
$20,000 to expand behavioral health services (addressing both substance use and mental health issues) in the Calvert County public school system
$12,000 to provide alternative pain-management training to clinicians in St. Mary’s County
$66,000 to expand recovery services in Calvert County
$178,000 to provide behavioral-health services in the Charles County detention center
“In St. Mary’s County, many partners are working together to implement a multi-pronged, comprehensive approach to this complex epidemic. We are grateful for the state resources that will allow us to expand access to substance-use treatment services for our residents,” said Dr. Mennakshi Brewster, health officer from St. Mary’s County.