Early on Wednesday, Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford announced that the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC) will be distributing $5.5 million dollars to opioid and substance abuse projects throughout the state. Three Harford County institutions, Harford County Government, the UMUCH/Klein Family Harford Crisis Center, and Addictions Connections Resource, Inc., are receiving over $400,000 combined to fund their anti-opioid programs.

According to their project summary, the Klein Family Harford Crisis Center in Bel Air will provide comprehensive care to individuals suffering from addiction or behavioral health problems. Addictions Connections Resources, based in Fallston, will use the funds to provide direct treatment and recovery services to people living with addiction, including the homeless.

Harford County Government, which is receiving about $160,000, will use the funds to send out peer recovery specialists who have themselves gone through the process of recovering from opioids.  These specialists will perform ambulance ride-alongs on substance abuse- and mental health-related calls, and will provide aid, counsel, and access to recovery resources to individuals suffering from substance abuse and/or mental health issues.

“I would like to thank Gov. Hogan for this funding, which will continue our innovative work with community partners to combat the opioid epidemic and support mental wellness in Harford County,” said County Executive Barry Glassman.

These grants are in addition to a $4 million block grant to Maryland local governments in June to support their anti-opioid efforts. In total, the OOCC expects to disburse almost $10 million in funds for FY 2022 to help fight the state’s opioid crisis.

“We are very excited to see all the great work that our partners will do, and we will be here to support them every step of the way, said OOCC Executive Director Rickard. “We are all in the fight together, and I am confident, together, we can turn back the tide of the opioid crisis.”