Overdoses up 50 percent from last year in Howard County – WBAL Story

Overdoses up 50 percent from last year in Howard County – WBAL Story

Maryland has had its fair share of problems with opioid misuse. In Howard County, overdoses are up 50 percent from last year.

The hotline at the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center in Columbia is never quiet for long. One of the issues they address is people with substance misuse disorder.

“Right now, the biggest thing is access to treatment and access to different supports, and so we’re hoping that with us being kind of a central hub for that kind of thing, that we can get folks connected to different resources in the community,” said Katie Dant, assistant director of the intervention center.

Grassroots recently partnered with the Howard County Health Department to provide walk-in assessment and help seven days a week for anyone who needs it.

“We are disseminating information about the program all over the county to get the word out. Currently it’s the one place people can go outside the hospital to get immediate screening for substance use disorders in the county,” said Antigone Vickery, deputy health officer of Howard County.

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