(2/2019) There has been no greater community challenge, not just in Frederick County, but across our state and nation than the challenge of heroin and opioid addiction, overdose, and fatalities. Opioid addiction has been an equal opportunity offender affecting individuals and families in both urban and rural areas and from every economic and demographic background.

In Frederick County the statistics are sobering. On average, there is one overdose every day and one fatality every week. In fact, there are more people dying from overdoses than there are from car accidents or from high profile disease like breast cancer.

For those working in the trenches on this issue, it is moving target. Opioid abuse initiated from prescription medication has declined and heroin overdoses have also declined. But, heroin mixed with fentanyl, a more potent drug, has increased the incident of overdoses and increased fatalities. Public health officials report that fentanyl is also being found in cocaine, marijuana, spice and meth. The addition of fentanyl has moved the challenge to a tougher place.

So, what have we done and what are we doing to address this community challenge?

Shortly after becoming County Executive, I created a heroin consortium, bringing together representatives from law enforcement, public health including behavioral health, our schools, drug court, parole and probation, pharmacies, Frederick Memorial Hospital, numerous non-profit organizations and substance misuse treatment providers and others to better coordinate and collaborate in our efforts to help individuals and families with the challenges of addiction.

Accomplishments include:

• Saving Lives with Narcan - Over 1,200 law enforcement, first responders, and other individuals have been trained to use narcan to revive individuals who have overdosed. 600 kits have been distributed throughout the community to families, hotels, restaurants, retail and at community events. Businesses and other organizations requesting training for naloxone have received it. The use of Narcan or Naloxone has saved the life of numerous individuals.
• Substance Treatment at Adult Detention Center - Accreditation was received for substance abuse treatment program Project 103 at the Adult Detention Center. Vivitrol use and distribution for individuals released from jail has successfully reduced recidivism for those who were in substance abuse treatment.
• Public Health/Peer Recovery - The Health Department Peer Recovery Partnership has put paid peer recovery specialists in the Emergency Department at Frederick Memorial Hospital to connect individuals who have overdosed with needed services prior to release from the hospital. Peer recover specialists have connected individuals to a variety of services with an 83% connection rate. Paid peer recovery specialists are also embedded at the Adult Detention Center, Work Release, Drug Court, Parole and Probation, the Community Action Agency, and Way Station. There is also a peer recovery partnership between the Health Department and Frederick City Police. Over 200 volunteer peer recovery coaches have been trained and provide support to individuals recovering from addiction.
• Drug Court – Drug Court has graduated 149 individuals who have achieved recovery from substance abuse while addressing issues with the court system.
• Awareness – To increase awareness of this community challenge, the county along with two non-profit organizations installed a billboard on MD 85 with statistics about overdoses and fatalities so people in our community can see the magnitude of the problem. There have been numerous public awareness efforts and events including an award winning video series called Take Back My Life with individuals sharing their experience with addiction. These powerful stories can still be viewed at TakeBackMyLife.org
• Schools and Education – Age appropriate curriculum has been added in our schools system at every level – elementary, middle, and high school – to teach our students about the risks, reality and consequences of alcohol and drug abuse. The Health Department is also conducting PSA’s during morning announcements and via Find Out First. Information is distributed to all students at freshman orientation for high school. The Health Department offers at no cost, substance use assessments of adolescents and children in the school system.
• Drug Take Back Events – Events are offered Spring and Fall and collect an average of up to 5,000 pounds of unused prescription and over the counter drugs. There are also drop off sites in law enforcement facilities around the county.
• Law Enforcement – The Frederick County Narcotics Unit is a HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Team that consists of the Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Frederick City Police, Maryland State Police, Brunswick Police and the States Attorney Office. In 2018, the Narcotics Unit opened 22 cases, made 20 arrests, and seized 121.4 grams of heroin. These statistics do not include arrests and seizures by patrol units.

The Local Health Improvement Plan whose goal is to address substance misuse, and identified the need for a local detox center as the greatest gap in treatment. I proposed in the most recent budget and the council agreed to commit $500,000 for start-up money to provide an incentive for a private or non-profit substance misuse treatment provider to establish a detox facility in Frederick County and have offered space at the work release center as a potential location as suggested by Sheriff Jenkins. I requested a state capital grant for renovation of the work release space to have a separate entrance and divided space for detox and this money was included in the Governor’s budget. A grant request for proposal for a detox service provider has been issued and results should be announced soon.

Together, we are working to provide detox services in Frederick County so individuals and families can find a place for their loved ones to have medically supervised detox and then find follow up treatment services without having to go out of the county or out of state. Affected families are truly desperate for these services.

Successfully addressing the challenge of the heroin and opioid crisis will take a well-coordinated community effort. Many people are working hard and are collaborating through the heroin consortium.

There is hope for recovery. If you or your loved on are struggling with addiction and would like help accessing treatment or recovery support you can call Maryland 2-1-1 for immediate assistance of know someone who needs help, you can call the county health department at 301-600-1758 or email BHS@frederickcountymd.gov.