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June 27, 2024

Media Contact:
Chase Cook, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-8649

Maryland Department of Health announces funding opportunity to address the opioid crisis

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health today announced a request for applications (RFA) for Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund. The focus of the RFA is to address the significant impact caused by opioids and the overdose crisis. A goal of the RFA is to support programs that address the misuse of opioid products and to treat opioid use or related disorders. 

“As health leaders, we are responsible for ensuring that the people and communities struggling with opioids have the resources they need. Through this RFA we will identify high need organizations, and fund effective, evidence-based programs to maximize our impact,” said Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “This funding, which is from prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors, is available to help the Marylanders who need it most.”

There were 2,513 fatal overdoses in Maryland in 2023, according to preliminary data from the Vital Statistics Administration. 

Multiple applicants will be awarded funds for two years, with one additional option year based on funding availability.

The Department will prioritize applicants that focus on the following priorities, which take into account recommendations provided by Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council:

• Naloxone or other FDA-approved drugs to reverse opioid overdoses 
• Medication-assisted treatment distribution and other opioid-related treatment
• Pregnant and postpartum women 
• Expansion of treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome 
• Expansion of warm hand-off programs and recovery services 
• Treatment for the incarcerated population 
• Prevention programs 
• Expansion of syringe services programs
  

Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund was created in 2019 to receive all funds awarded to the State of Maryland through legal settlements with prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors. The Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council was established in 2022 to provide guidance on the use of settlement funds, which the state can use at its discretion.

Maryland is set to receive up to $500 million from prescription opioid-related legal settlements. The funds will be distributed through the state’s Opioid Restitution Fund over the next 18 years.

To submit an application, visit emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/bpm/process_manage_extranet/71741​ by July 26, 2024.

To learn more about Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund, visit stopoverdose.maryland.gov/orf.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management, and community engagement. 

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