The Baltimore City Heroin Treatment and Prevention Task Force has announced a comprehensive plan for reducing overdose deaths and expanding treatment options in the city. As reported in The Baltimore Business Journal:

Baltimore’s Heroin Treatment and Prevention Task Force on Monday unveiled a $20 million, 10-point proposal for curbing heroin and opioid overdose deaths and expanding treatment support options. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in October convened the 35-member group of public health leaders, addiction experts and other stakeholders to draft a city-wide strategy for addressing opioid addiction. The report is intended to serve as a compass for the city as it attempts to gain control over a problem that has roiled its streets for years.

“Abuse of these drugs generates crime, strains our health care system and harms the quality of life for residents in many communities,” Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. “In short, heroin and opioid abuse threatens all aspects of Baltimore’s future.”

The bulk of the $20 million price tag for the proposal would go to two initiatives that Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said would be the biggest investment, but could also make the biggest difference in the city’s heroin addiction and overdose problem. They include a 24-7 treatment center, essentially an emergency department dedicated to substance abuse and overdose issues, and a standardized treatment program for inmates that would include follow-up services for people once they are released.

For more information read the full article in The Baltimore Business Journal.