(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.