February 4, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott L. Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball will hold a news conference to announce a significant grant has been awarded to the County to establish 24-hour crisis services to combat the opioid epidemic.
WHO: Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive
Dr. Maura Rossman, Howard County Health Officer
Ayesha Holmes, Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Executive Director
Chief Lisa Myers, Howard County Police Department
Chief Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services
WHAT: Announcement of State Opioid Response Grant awarded to Howard County
WHEN: February 5, 2019, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, 6700 Freetown Road, Columbia, MD 21044
WHY: Howard County is not immune from the tragedy that the opioid crisis is inflicting on the nation. During 2018 in Howard County, there were 187 non-fatal overdoses and 41 deaths, 31 of which were opioid related. Already this year, there have been 12 non-fatal overdoses and 3 deaths, 2 of which were opioid related. This grant will help the County improve its outreach efforts and will continue to build on the successes that the Health, Police, and Fire departments have achieved recently.