Maryland Philanthropy Network’s Behavioral Health Workgroup is pleased to host J.D. Merrill, Deputy Chief of Staff and Philanthropic Partnership and Sara Whaley, Executive Director of Overdose Response with the Mayor's Office to share an update on the Opioid Restitution Advisory Board, funding priorities, and the status of the request for proposals that will be announced soon.

Over the past six years, Baltimore has endured one of America’s deadliest drug epidemics. Black men in their mid-50s to early 70s are experiencing fatal overdoes at a significantly higher rate than any other group. While just 7 percent of Baltimore City’s population, they account for nearly 30 percent of drug fatalities – a death rate 20 times that of the rest of the country. Black men of that age in Baltimore city are more likely to die of substance overdose than from cancer or even Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic. Join Maryland Philanthropy Network to collaborate with colleagues to learn about harm reduction programs, challenges in implementation, and intervention methods to prevent fatal outcomes.