Opioid Operational Command Center Announces $6 Million Grant Opportunity to Address Opioid Crisis

For immediate release: March 6, 2023

Competitive Grants Will Support Programs to Address Maryland’s Strategic Priorities for Reducing Overdose Mortality

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Maryland’s Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC) is making $6 million available through its Competitive Grant Program for the 2024 fiscal year. The purpose of the grant program is to support programs and initiatives that address the opioid crisis. State agencies, local governments, and private or non-profit community-based organizations are eligible to apply. 

“The Moore-Miller administration is committed to increasing support for people living with substance use disorders across Maryland,” said Special Secretary of Opioid Response Emily Keller. “The initiatives that we fund through our Competitive Grant Program will help to promote a wide range of supports and services that address the opioid and overdose crisis from all angles, from youth prevention efforts to promoting long-term recovery.” 

Applications will be scored based on how well they support Maryland’s opioid crisis response goals as outlined in the state’s Inter-Agency Opioid Coordination Plan. 

A new consideration in the FY 2024 Competitive Grant program will be a focus on addressing racial equity. Applicants will be required to provide impact statements that describe how their proposals will address racial disparities in overdose outcomes, which have increased in recent years, according to a report by Maryland’s Racial Disparities in Overdose Task Force. 

The deadline to apply for funding is Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 5 p.m. Additional information about the program and instructions on how to apply can be found on the OOCC’s website under the “Grants” tab.

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The Opioid Operational Command Center is Maryland’s principal coordinating office for addressing the opioid crisis. Under the guidance of the Inter-Agency Heroin and Opioid Coordinating Council, the OOCC leads Maryland’s opioid-related strategic planning and coordinates the efforts of all state agencies involved in Maryland’s opioid crisis response, various community partners, and all 24 local jurisdictions throughout the state. The OOCC can be contacted by email at help.oocc@maryland.gov.