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    Maryland Department of Health
    The Overdose Response Program

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    Find Support​

    ​For resources on support, treatment and overdose prevention and respons​​e for family, friends and loved ones of opioid users, please visit the following links:​​

    Local Health Departments​​​

    Local Health Departments can help you find a broad range of resources in your area, including peers and treatment. Find your local health department’s website here.​

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​988: The New Way to Connect to Behavioral Health Crisis Services​​​

    988 is a statewide resource network accessible by call (multiple languages) and text or chat (English only). 988 provides a direct connection to support for anyone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, having thoughts of suicide, or being worried about someone who may need crisis support.​​​

    Learn more:

    Family Res​​​​​ou​rces

    ​​​Maryland Coalition of Families is a state-wide n​onprofit dedicated to connecting, supporting and empower​​ing families who are experiencing behavioral health challenges. We also advocate to improve services and systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges and to reduce stigma related to behavioral health.

    ​​Love in the Trenches offers support groups for parents who have children of any age struggling with addiction and parents who have lost a child to this disease.

    Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP)​ offers​ resources and support for individuals/families who have lost a loved one to substance abuse or addiction, including Maryland Chapter meeting information.

    Partnership™​ for Drug-Free Kids provides substance abuse prevention and other resources for parents.

    Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center​​

    Before It’s Too Late is Maryland’s coordinated and comprehensive strategy to combat the opioid and substance use crisis and to mobilize resources for effective prevention, enforcement, and treatment. The Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC) is a state agency that supports the collaboration of public health, human services, education, and public safety entities at the state and local level to address the impact of opioids on Maryland communities. Find more information on the OOCC’s website.

    What is Har​​m Reduction?

    Harm reduction is an approach to service provision and a drug-policy reform movement that seeks to reduce the harms associated with drug use and drug policies.

    The National Harm Reduction Coalition​ defines harm reduction as:​

    A set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.

    Service providers embodying harm reduction do not define people by their substance use and prioritize the improvement of quality of life as an outcome over abstinence. This approach puts people first and encourages them to define their own goals and be the change agents in their own lives.

    A person’s drug use does not affect their access to harm reduction services, meaning services are low- barrier and accessible to people regardless of current drug use.

    Learn More

    National Harm Reduction Coalition​ provides resources on the principles of harm reduction and opioid overdose prevention.

    The Maryland Harm Reduction Training Institute (MaHRTI) provides a library of free harm reduction webinars and other training resources. There are a wide variety of online trainings available with information about providing compassionate, effective services to people who use drugs.

    Free trainings include:

    • Harm Reduction 101
    • Stigma, Trauma and People Who Use Drugs
    • Outreach and Engagement of People Who Use Drugs
    • De-escalation and Conflict Management
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Overdose Response Programs
    • Fentanyl Test Strips
    • And More!

    ​Frequent​ly-Asked Questions​​

    ​Ce​​​nter f​​or Harm Reduction Services Pa​ge​​s​​​