Howard Latest County to File Suit Against Opioid Manufacturers
County News / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services
Howard Latest County to File Suit Against Opioid Manufacturers

Howard County has filed a complaint in Howard County Circuit Court against Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers and distributors. Howard joins a number of jurisdictions including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Carroll, Harford, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Baltimore City, and the state of Maryland that have filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers in distributors either in federal or state court. From The Baltimore Sun: In Howard County, more than 130 people, 38 of those from 2018 alone,…

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May 21, 2019
AG Investigation Results in Human Trafficking Charges
County News / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
AG Investigation Results in Human Trafficking Charges

Attorney General Frosh has charged two individuals with human trafficking and other crimes following an investigation that spanned nine months and four counties. As announced in a press release: The indictments charge that Valdez Lawrence of Baltimore, and Mary Carr of Dundalk, forced women to engage in sexual acts for money in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Howard County. Charges in the indictment include human trafficking, conspiracy, receiving earnings of a prostitute,…

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May 20, 2019
Why Don’t More Police Carry the Opioid Antidote?
Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
Why Don’t More Police Carry the Opioid Antidote?

The answer is cost. While more law enforcement departments have officers carrying naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses, nationwide the amount has not reached the "saturation point" primarily because of costs. As reported by Governing: Some local governments argue that their emergency medical services are better equipped to administer the drug, making it redundant for police to carry it. But the most frequently cited reason for not equipping police? Costs. Not only do officers need to…

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May 16, 2019
Op-Ed: ‘We Must Attack Opioid Overdoses With The Same Focus We Gave HIV’
Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Op-Ed: ‘We Must Attack Opioid Overdoses With The Same Focus We Gave HIV’

In a Baltimore Sun op-ed, Dr. Yngvild Olson, medical director of the Institutes for Behavior Resources Inc/REACH Health Services and Vice President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, advocates for addressing the opioid epidemic with as much fervor as the HIV/AIDs crisis was addressed at its height. From The Sun Op-Ed: In 1990, just months after Ryan’s untimely death, Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act — legislation widely regarded today as…

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May 15, 2019
NACo Releases Report on Opioid Epidemic in Appalachian Counties
County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
NACo Releases Report on Opioid Epidemic in Appalachian Counties

The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) have released Opioids in Appalachia: The Role of Counties in Reversing a Regional Epidemic. The report highlights new research on the disproportionate impacts the opioid epidemic has made on the 420 Appalachian counties as well as recommendations for action: At the turn of the millennium, the opioid overdose death rate for Appalachian counties was roughly equal to that of the rest of the country;…

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May 15, 2019
Love Maryland? You’ve Got Company!
Economic Development / Education / Environment / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Public Safety and Corrections
Love Maryland? You’ve Got Company!

A recent US News & World Report study rates Maryland in the top tier of "best states." US News and World Report recently released its quantitative rankings for all 50 states -- with Maryland finished #6 in the ranking, with nearby Virginia just behind at #7. US News routinely offers their well-known rankings and reviews of colleges and universities, and has expanded to offering analysis of other fields as well. From US News coverage: The Best States…

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May 14, 2019
Maryland Joins 44 States Suing Generic Drug Companies for Price Fixing Lawsuit
Health and Human Services
Maryland Joins 44 States Suing Generic Drug Companies for Price Fixing Lawsuit

Maryland has joined 44 states in a lawsuit against the largest generic drug manufacturers and 15 individuals alleging they conspired to artificially inflate and manipulate generic drug prices. As reported by The Baltimore Sun: In a statement, [Maryland Attorney General Brian] Frosh said the drugs named in the suit “are used by millions of people for conditions that range from diabetes to cancer to depression, and we allege that their scheme cheated vulnerable patients, the…

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May 13, 2019
Overdose Deaths in Maryland Top 2,000 for Second Year in a Row
Health and Human Services
Overdose Deaths in Maryland Top 2,000 for Second Year in a Row

The Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC) has released its annual report which includes preliminary data from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) on overdose deaths. The bad news: 2018 was the second year in a row more than 2,000 Marylanders died of an overdose. The majority of deaths were attributed to fentanyl and deaths from cocaine are on the rise. The good news: the total number of overdose deaths, 2,385, was only 5 percent higher…

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May 10, 2019
Federal Behavioral Health Grants Available!
Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / Public Safety and Corrections
Federal Behavioral Health Grants Available!

Looking for grants to support your local behavioral health programs? The following list of federal grant opportunities was shared on NACo County News: Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding for the FY2019 Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness. Awardees will receive up to $1 million and technical assistance to implement or expand systems…

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May 9, 2019
Don’t Forget to Register for MACo’s Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium
County News / Health and Human Services / MACo Events
Don’t Forget to Register for MACo’s Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium

MACo's Spring Symposium will focus on what counties can do and are doing to fight human trafficking. TITLE: Fighting Human Trafficking With Awareness, Advocacy, and Action DETAILS: Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm Location: Blue Heron Center, Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, MD Dress for Speakers & Attendees: Business Casual Registration: FREE for MACo Members (County Executives, County Council Members, County Commissioners, and County employees) - REGISTER ONLINE $75 for NonMembers…

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May 9, 2019
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