We're fast approaching the first day of school! Baltimore City and County schools open their doors on August 26.
04.12.17
Well, safe consumption centers didn’t get traction during this legislative session, but the hard work we as an agency did to advocate for them, along with other opioid-related legislation, paid off. The General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the HOPE Act, an omnibus bill bundling various measures to address our state’s opioid use crisis.
By working with coalition members during lobby day and testifying with lawmakers in Annapolis, Health Care for the Homeless community played an important role in helping pass the HOPE Act. Very big thanks to all staff for your awesome advocacy that helped make this bill a success!
With a 216% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths between 2010 and 2015 in Maryland, opioid use was front and center this legislative session. To unpack what this new bill means for our state and our clients, here are a few highlights:
Starting with staff lawmaker visits on the safe consumption bill on Lobby Day, our Health Care for the Homeless advocacy on opioid-related issues this session extended through to the end, with testimony by Chief Health Officer Nilesh Kalyanaraman and Addictions Counselor Terry Clark, and lawmaker and workgroup meetings by Dr. K and Director of Government Relations Eric Colchamiro. Perhaps the most significant Health Care for the Homeless contribution to the HOPE Act: getting chronic pain inserted into the above-noted guidelines for prescribing opioid overdose reversal drugs.
Again, thank you, all. And bravo.
We're fast approaching the first day of school! Baltimore City and County schools open their doors on August 26.
Anthony is always cracking jokes around 421 Fallsway, where he also volunteers to help other clients navigate their care.
Since 2019, Health Care for the Homeless has been part of the Renters United Maryland (RUM) coalition—a key
advocacy group advancing housing justice in Maryland. We talked to RUM leader Zafar Shah about the coalition
and wins this legislative session.
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