For additional information and resources click above, or visit HoCoOpioidHelp.com

• Call us at 410-313-6202 to discuss Behavioral Health resources and referrals.
• If you need crisis assistance 24/7, call 410-531-6677 (local) or 2-1-1 (statewide)
  • Walk-in hours at Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. daily 
    (6700 Freetown Rd, Columbia, MD 21044)
    
• If you are having a medical emergency,
  call 9-1-1

Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Saturday and Sunday

Location
8930 Stanford Blvd.
Columbia, MD  21045
(Howard Transit Red Bus Route)

For more information, or to sign up for a Narcan Training Class call 410-313-6202 or contact orpresponse@howardcountymd.gov

• Services Provided
• Substance Abuse/Mental Health Treatment Resources
• Avoiding Opioid Overdose: What is Naloxone?
• Upcoming Opioid Overdose Response Program Training
  
• Videos of Interest
• Safe Storage and Disposal of Prescription Medicines
  
• Standing Order
• Program Efforts

Services Provided:

Talk to Your Doctor about Opoids

Fentanyl related deaths in Howard County and the State are continuing to rise. Watch this short video to learn more.

Mind Your Meds 

Many who report abuse of prescription medicine are getting it from friends, family and acquaintances. Make sure the those in your life don’t have access to your medicine. Follow the following three steps:

STEP 1: MONITOR

Parents are in an influential position to immediately help reduce access to prescription medicine because medicine is commonly found in the home. But how aware are you of the quantities that are currently in your home? Think about this: Would you know if some of your pills were missing? From this day forward, make sure you can honestly answer yes.

STEP 2: SECURE

Take prescription medicine out of the medicine cabinet and secure them in a place only you know about. If possible, keep all medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet that cannot be accessed. Spread the word to other households and encourage them to secure their prescriptions as well.

STEP 3: DISPOSE

Safely disposing of expired or unused medicine is a critical step in helping to protect your family and home, and decrease the opportunity for anyone to abuse your medicine.

For more information about safe storage and disposal of medicine, click here for an info sheet.

For information about the location of Medication Disposal Boxes in Howard County, click here.

Avoiding Opioid Overdose - What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is a prescription medication that reverses an opioid overdose by restoring breathing. Naloxone is safe, even for children and pregnant women, and has minimal side effects (nausea and vomiting). There is no potential for abuse or getting high.  Obtain free naloxone medication when you attend a training at the health department and learn to save a life.

For additional information about Naloxone visit the State of Maryland Overdose Response Program page.

Click above for more information about Maryland's Good Samaritan Law

Responding to an Opioid Overdose 
(Click on the graphic to open the .pdf)

Featured Videos

Heroin Overdose: The Story of Two Sisters

For more videos, visit the Behavioral Health Videos page.

Safe Storage and Disposal of Prescription Medicines

Click on the graphic above or on this sentence to get the full size document

Naloxone Standing Order

On June 1, 2017, Dr. Howard Haft, Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, issued a  revised statewide standing order  allowing all Maryland-licensed pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription under the Overdose Response Program.  Please visit www.naloxnemd.org for more information.

For frequently asked questions, click HERE to see information issued by MDH.

Effective July 1, 2017, Maryland Medicaid (MA) included Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Residential Treatment and Detoxification as billable services.  Up to two nonconsecutive 30-day residential treatment episodes can be reimbursed each Fiscal Year.  Assessments for treatment can be completed through local providers or directly at the residential SUD centers.  

The assessment is submitted to MA to review to determine if Medical Necessity Criteria (MNC) has been met.  If criteria has been met, MA may authorize payment for treatment.  Referrals to residential treatment can be made through local providers or by directing calling a residential treatment center.   For a list of residential treatment centers see the resource guide on our websites.  For more information call our office at 410-313-6202 or go to Beacon Health Option’s website at: maryland.beaconhealthoptions.com