Three Harford County Organizations Get Funding To Fight Opioids

BEL AIR, MD—Three Harford County organizations that are playing a role in the fight against the opioid epidemic have received a total of $420,000 in state funding, the county announced Tuesday.

According to a release, the money will be distributed between Addictions Connections Resource, The Klein Family Harford Crisis Center and Harford County Department of Community Services-sponsored certified peer recovery specialists, the latter a program providing support for emergency services during overdose response cases.

Coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid overdoses in Maryland increased 18.7 percent and 12.7 percent in the central region in 2020, according to the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center. The center said repercussions from the pandemic like: unemployment, isolation, interrupted treatment and recovery meetings, along with increased stress, grief and depression certainly played a role in this uptick.

Though Harford County's 1.4-percent increase in overdoses was the lowest in Maryland's Big 7 counties, opioid addiction remains a major health and safety issue. This is why funding has been sent to organizations trying to be part of the solution.

"We don't always know when individuals with substance use disorder may be open to treatment before the grip of addiction takes control again," said Barry Glassman, Harford County executive. "Together with our community partners, we are working to make help available whenever and wherever someone might turn. I would like to thank the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center and Gov. Hogan for this funding to continue our lifesaving efforts."

As part of the funding announced Tuesday, the nonprofit Addiction Connections Resource received $129,052 to help connect individuals with treatment and recovery resources, Harford County said.

The Klein Family Harford Crisis Center received $126,811 in funding to provide trauma-informed care to those who are at risk of, or are experiencing, a behavioral health crisis.

Finally, $161,112 was allocated to the peer recovery specialists to assist Harford's 24/7 mobile crisis team and 1-800-Next-Step hotline.

According to a release, peer recovery specialists use their personal experience with addiction to help others. To date, Harford County has trained 130 peers to work directly with individuals with substance use disorder, help coordinate treatment resources, facilitate support groups and encourage and inspire individuals on their recovery journey.

Since the program's inception in 2020, 137 people who have suffered an overdose have been referred to the peers with the mobile crisis team. They have successfully connected 98 percent of those people to one or more services like counseling and treatment, the county said.