$1 Million Grant To Support 24-Hour Addiction Services In HoCo

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Howard County has received a grant of more than $1 million from the Maryland Department of Health for a 24-hour substance abuse response program. It will be based out of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, which is Howard County's 24-hour mental health services provider.

The program is designed to bridge the gap between when someone needs help and when that help is available to them. Officials said that those seeking inpatient treatment or detox services can sometimes encounter wait periods of several days.

"This time between referral and admission can result in a return to use, overdose, or the individual may need to seek services at an emergency department," Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman said in a statement. "Howard County had no way to address the gap in the continuum of treatment services. This grant funding will allow Howard County to expand the existing Grassroots partnership to include on-site crisis stabilization services.”

The $1,094,655 State Opioid Response Grant will allow for Grassroots, which is located at 6700 Freetown Road near Columbia, to expand both its space and its staff.

There will be a space where people can stay for two to four days while awaiting longer-term care as they request services.

A specialized medical team will be available to provide care, stabilization, monitoring and offer medication-assisted treatment if needed, such as buprenorphine induction and detoxification.

Staff will include a care coordinator and peer recovery specialist who will connect people to long-term or outpatient treatment if needed. Transportation and referral assistance will be provided.

“We are pleased to bring this grant award home to Howard County to more effectively address the needs of our residents experiencing substance use disorder,” said Rossman.

There were 41 deaths, including 31 that were opioid-related, in Howard County in 2018, according to a statement from Howard County government. There were also 187 nonfatal overdoses.

“Too often, we are seeing the same people in these overdose calls," Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers said, but this expansion of Grassroots’ resources can help us change that.”

Added Myers: “By providing on-site stabilization, treatment planning, medication, referral services and follow-up plans, Grassroots will help us provide another option to stop the cycle of addiction and overdoses our officers witness first-hand far too often. The goal of these intervention efforts is to keep people from re-using drugs, which not only benefits the person in recovery, but benefits our community as well. As the new Chief of Police, I am committed to working with all of these partners to make this a top priority.”

Addressing addiction is also a priority that Howard County Executive Calvin Ball shares.

"This issue was at the top of my agenda when I met with the governor last month, and I am pleased that he is supporting my sense of urgency about combating opioid addiction and supporting our neighbors who are suffering," Ball said in a statement announcing the $1 million grant from the state. "Howard County is known as a place of wealth, opportunity, incredible schools and safe streets, but we are not immune from the tragedy that the opioid crisis has inflicted upon this nation. I am committed to making sure all Howard County families understand how to prevent overdoses, respond to overdoses, and, most importantly, receive the help needed to recover from addiction.”

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center was founded in 1969 as a volunteer-run organization and has since evolved into a professionally staffed crisis intervention center that operates 24 hours a day. It provides counseling, crisis intervention, a hotline, shelter and cold weather assistance.

“We started as a small one-person program and that person is overwhelmed,” Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center Executive Director Ayesha Holmes said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to expand this program and serve the residents of Howard County in a way that is decent, humane, and will help them find the treatment and better life that they are seeking.”

Photo from the Feb. 5 opioid response grant announcement courtesy of Howard County Government.