Harford County Wins Award for Campaign to Combat Heroin

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Thousands have been exposed to the messaging about heroin in Harford County, where the epidemic has affected all zip codes, from Fallston to Jarrettsville, Joppa to Havre de Grace, according to Harford County government officials, who recently won an award for their efforts.

The National Association of Counties presented the 2016 Achievement Award to Harford County for its program to reduce heroin use and overdose. The award goes to innovative programs that can help inform other jurisdictions through best practices.

For the first time in county history, Harford this year put money toward combating the heroin problem specifically, setting aside $100,000. It launched a public awareness campaign and put programs in place to support those moving from active addiction into recovery.

Officials said a campaign featuring a "clean-cut" boy with the message "Harford County Kids are trying drugs at age 11. Talk to your kids before heroin does" generated 4.3 million impressions.

According to county officials, approximately 2.4 percent of eighth grade students had tried heroin in Harford, and by twelfth grade that number had risen to 4.1 percent.

Heroin and other opiates are claiming more lives in Harford County each year. There were 44 fatal opiate-related overdoses last year, according to a statement from the county. Most victims were white men in their 20s and 30s who became addicted after injuries or surgeries that required painkillers, the statement said.

"...more than half of overdoses have occurred in the county’s affluent suburbs, and abuse is on the rise in rural communities," officials reported.

County officials said they are on pace to surpass the 2015 numbers.

In addition to billboards and public service announcements, the county used a speaking tour, drug take-back days and a play to reach the public about heroin use and overdose:

• Presentations/trainings educated 28,000—from health teachers to businesses—on the topic of heroin.
• A speaking tour to educate parents about the problem reached more than 2,500.
• Drug take-back events netted 8,000 pounds of medications.
• The play Addicted was attended by 1,800 people who got a sense of the impact drug addiction has.

Harford County provided funding for 14 recovery coaches and a recovery coach coordinator to help addicts navigate job opportunities and support services after they received treatment.

A program called Project Healthy Delivery assists pregnant women battling addiction in Harford County, where county officials say almost 100 babies are born drug-addicted each year. The county has partnered with Ashley Addiction Treatment, Upper Chesapeake and the nonprofit Birthrite to help with everything from transportation assistance to parenting classes.

A partnership with the Harford County Bar Foundation assists recovering addicts with legal issues. The Susquehanna Worforce Network offers resume and job assistance.

An employment opportunity—the "Second Chance Job Fair"—is also in the pipeline for later this year to help addicts find employment.

See Also:

• 3 Overdose Deaths Reported Within Hours: Sheriff
• Heroin Fatalities Climb in Harford County
• 3 Fatal Overdoses in First 3 Weeks of 2016: Sheriff
• Harford Sheriff Begins Tallying Overdoses

Pictured, a billboard funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration, located on US 1. Photo Credit: Elizabeth Janney.