Moore-Miller Administration Hosts Best Practices Conference for Overdose Response

---

Additional Information from the Office of Lieutenant Aruna K. Miller:

No single institution should be addressing this crisis alone,” said Lt. Governor Aruna Miller. “The progress we are seeing in reducing overdoses is possible because of our dedicated partnerships and collaborations across the state.”

The summit focused on the urgent need to continue building collaborative partnerships across all levels of government and sectors as a force multiplier in the state’s response to address substance use disorders and overdose. 

“We cannot do this work without the dedicated public health officials and community organizations that show up every day to do this work,” said Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller. “By bringing these critical partners together, we can continue to grow our response efforts and leverage collective expertise and lessons learned to keep reducing overdoses even further.”

The conference also featured remarks from Regina LaBelle, former acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the Georgetown University Law Center’s O’Neil Institute, and professor in Georgetown University’s School of Health. 

Throughout various breakout sessions, experts discussed best practices being implemented and modeled across the state to support Marylanders with substance use disorders and in recovery, and what additional actions can be taken to advance the state’s efforts to beat the overdose crisis. 

Building Maryland’s Recovery Capital

• The American Institutes for Research, Serenity Sistas, Solid Ground Recovery, Clay Pots, and AHEC West shared findings on building sustainable, community-centered recovery infrastructure and peer-led models. 
• The Maryland Department of Human Services detailed the Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) model for families. 
• The University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Maryland Department of Labor presented on the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative, detailing how Maryland employers are supporting employees in recovery and reducing stigma in the workplace. 

Expanding Access to Treatment

• The University of Maryland Baltimore and Maryland Community Health Initiatives introduced models for expanding access to treatment tailored to the complex needs of older adults. 
• The Anne Arundel County Health Department presented on using academic detailing to close care gaps and foster low-barrier pathways to medications for opioid use disorder. 
• Chrysalis House Inc. highlighted treatment as an alternative to incarceration for women, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, REACH Health Services, and CRISP addressed barriers to methadone continuity.

Monitoring Emerging Drug Trends 

• The Maryland Department of Health highlighted the Rapid Analysis of Drugs (RAD) drug checking program and its public-facing dashboard. 
• The Cecil County Division of Behavioral Health, the Maryland Department of Health and Voices of Hope detailed their multiagency response to a spike in metatomidine, providing a blueprint for counties for addressing emerging drug trends. 

Strengthening Youth Prevention

• The Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy, Ashley Addiction Treatment presented peer-led prevention initiatives in schools, and Maryland Treatment Centers shared strategies to overcome systemic barriers to family involvement in youth treatment.

Addressing Social Determinants 

• The HOFFA Foundation demonstrated innovative transportation solutions, such as rideshare integration, to bridge gaps in continuum of care during treatment. 
• The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shared best practices for post-overdose outreach to ensure successful service connection.

To read more about the breakout sessions, click HERE. 

To read more about the Moore-Miller Administration’s Strategy, click HERE.