"Continuing to expand this program — based on its current success, and the trend line exhibited in the data from the audit findings — should be a priority for the city as it contin- ues to address the opioid epidemic," Wen said. The "Staying Alive" program consists of several initiatives including the Syringe Exchange Program, which provides clean needles to reduce the frequency of HIV and other blood borne infections. It also includes training and access to naloxone though treatment centers in the city.
The opioid crisis in Maryland has continued to grow despite efforts to provide more addiction treatment and overdose prevention resources. Fentanyl-related deaths grew from 1,119 in 2016 to 1,594 in 2017, according to information released in July on unintentional drug and alcohol-related intoxication deaths from the Maryland Department of Health. Preliminary data from the first three months of 2018 indicate that there were 653 unintentional drug and alcohol-related intoxication deaths in Maryland. There were 579 opioid-related deaths, 500 of which involved fentanyl.
Baltimore City has seen an increase in the number of Naloxone kits distributed and the number of successful overdose reversals reported between 2015 and 2017.
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