Frederick receives federal funding for opioid crisis
Credit: The Frederick News-Post, Heather Mongilio
The city of Frederick has received more than $160,000 for its efforts against the opioid crisis from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
But where that money will be going is unclear.
Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, as well as Rep. David Trone, announced in a press release Wednesday afternoon that $668,000 would go to western Maryland to address the opioid epidemic. The state received $2.4 million overall from the Health and Human Services Department, through the Health Resources and Services Administration under the Integrated Behavioral Health Services program.
The city of Frederick, Tri-State Community Health Center in Hancock, Walnut Street Community Health Center in Hagerstown and Western Maryland Health Care Corp. in Oakland each received $167,000, according to the press release.
“The opioid epidemic has ravaged our country, and it has hit rural communities in Western Maryland particularly hard,” Trone said in the press release.
Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor said he did not know the city received the funding. He was unsure how the grant funding would be used.
The money from the grant can go to organizations, such as Tri-State Community Health Center, or cities and towns, as it did with Frederick, said Francesca Amodeo, a spokeswoman for Van Hollen.
