Recent News

How the D.C. region is responding to the opioid crisis (D.C. Policy Center)

Apr 30th, 2018

The number of Americans who have died in the ongoing opioid epidemic continues to climb. Between September 2016 and September 2017, more than 45,600 Americans died from overdoses involving opioids. The number of fatal opioid-related overdoses in D.C. more than doubled between 2015 and 2016, and continued to rise in 2017. While Baltimore has not yet published its final numbers for the previous year, preliminary data for the first three quarters of 2017 suggests a similar trend.

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Baltimore City Officials Announce Initiative with Hospitals to Improve Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders

Apr 30th, 2018

Levels of Care Proposal Open for Public Comment

BALTIMORE (April 30, 2018) — Today, Mayor Catherine E. Pugh and Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen joined the leadership of all 11 Baltimore City hospitals to announce a new initiative focused on implementing and recognizing best practices for responding to the opioid epidemic within the City’s hospitals.

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City to certify hospitals that adopt best practices for treating opioid addiction (Baltimore Fishbowl)

Apr 30th, 2018

In a new initiative being launched with 11 Baltimore hospitals, the City Health Department plans to certify each one that adopts “best practices” for treating patients who overdose on opioids or are struggling with addiction. 

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New Baltimore initiative hopes to more closely involve hospitals in fight against opioid epidemic (Baltimore Sun)

Apr 29th, 2018

Baltimore officials will announce an initiative on Monday meant to give the city’s 11 hospitals incentive to play a bigger role in ending the opioid epidemic.

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Baltimore City Officials Urge Residents to Safely Dispose of Unused Prescription Drugs

Apr 27th, 2018

BALTIMORE, MD (APRIL 27) - On Saturday, April 28, Baltimore City officials will recognize National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, a nationwide initiative to highlight safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs in communities, while raising awareness about prescription drug addiction.

Leana Wen

Experts Urge Faster Movement on Health Care Data (U.S. News & World Report)

Apr 27th, 2018

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS shouldn't wait for the perfect data to come along before planning interventions to improve population health, experts say, because there is no perfect data. 

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Leana Wen

Congress and the President Must Respond to the Opioid Crisis (The Afro)

Apr 27th, 2018

In this op-ed, Representative Elijah Cummings discusses the opioid epidemic, Dr. Wen's advice about how to combat it, and the legislation he and Senator Warren recently introduced, the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act. 

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Federal judge rules against Trump Administration over termination of HHS grant (WEAA)

Apr 27th, 2018

By issuing this ruling, Judge Blake vacated HHS’s decision to prematurely terminate Baltimore’s five-year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant, and ordered HHS to process Baltimore’s application for continued funding under the grant.  Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen talked with WEAA’s Julius White about the ruling.

Listen here.

 

Leana Wen

Class-action lawsuit targets Trump cuts to teen pregnancy prevention (The Hill)

Apr 27th, 2018

A class-action lawsuit filed Friday morning argues the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) illegally ended grants to 81 organizations participating in a federal teen pregnancy prevention program. 

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Feds Lose in Court Over Funding for Baltimore Teen Pregnancy Program (DELMARVA Public Radio)

Apr 27th, 2018

 A judge has sided with Baltimore over the federal government in a fight over funding for the nationwide Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.

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