Addiction is a medical condition. It is not a mere catchphrase or a slogan. Similar to diabetes or high blood pressure, it is not a matter of choice. Prolonged use of drugs or alcohol can have a significant impact on brain function, leading to changes in mood, behavior, and motivation. These changes may result in severe cravings, mood swings, memory loss, and difficulty making decisions. Nobody chooses to suffer from addiction.

BCHD is devoted to enhancing the availability of addiction treatment, which includes medication, psychosocial support (such as counseling), and comprehensive social services.

Get Help Now
For 24/7 mental health & substance use help, call 988. Helpline services include emergency counseling, referrals to local resources, and mobile response teams who can respond in the community. You can also visit www.988helpline.org to learn more. 

Treatment Providers

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Programs and Services:

Healthcare on the SPOT: In partnership with Johns Hopkins University, The SPOT mobile van team provides low threshold treatment for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), prescribing Buprenorphine and ensuring all patients receive the best treatment options for them. All patients are seen, regardless of insurance. The team offers confidential services such as: - STI/HIV testing and treatment - PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention - Hepatitis C testing and treatment - Buprenorphine - Wound care - Case management Call (410) 340-9445 or (410) 241-7240 for van schedule & locations.

Levels of Care for Baltimore City Hospitals Responding to the Opioid Epidemic:

In April 2018, BCHD joined with the City's 11 acute-care hospitals to announce the Levels of Care for Baltimore City Hospitals Responding to the Opioid Epidemic, which will enshrine evidence-based hospital interventions and publicly recognize hospitals that implement them. A hospital can be level 3, 2, or 1—with a level 1 hospital responding to the epidemic as comprehensively as possible. The Levels of Care builds on progress already made by the City's emergency departments, all of which will offer universal addiction screening, peer recovery specialists, and on-demand medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction by the fall of 2018. As of 2023, all city hospitals have been recognized at a certain level. For more information on the Levels of Care Initiative for Baltimore City Hospitals Responding to the Opioid Epidemic, click here.