Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller joined Special Secretary of Opioid Response Emily Keller and local officials in Cambridge last week for the first of Maryland’s Overdose Action Town Hall Series.

During the event, Miller and administration officials heard directly from community members, who shared their ideas and insight on how the state can better address the overdose crisis.

“Overdose can impact any community – it doesn’t discriminate by race, place or socioeconomic status,” said Miller. “That’s why the first step to finding comprehensive solutions to the substance use crisis begins by hearing directly from community members on what their specific needs are. Governor Moore and I are dedicated to creating a seat at the table for everyone to come together to find pathways to recovery that truly leave no Marylander behind.”  

The Opioid Operational Command Center recently announced the town hall series, through which Special Secretary Keller and OOCC staff will visit each of Maryland’s 24 local jurisdictions.

The tour is intended to give individuals an opportunity to speak about how the overdose crisis has impacted their communities and to discuss what more is needed to reduce overdose deaths across the state.  

“It’s going to take all of us working together to continue making progress in this fight,” said Keller. “From collaboration between state and local agencies to partnerships with community organizations, we all have a part to play. And that starts by listening to communities all across the state that have been affected by overdose, because we cannot do this work without them. Everyone’s voice matters.”

The OOCC is beginning the town hall series with seven additional events scheduled for September, which is recognized as National Recovery Month for substance use disorders.

The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to holistically addressing the substance use epidemic and expanding access to care for individuals with substance use disorders, including through providing a 39% increase in support for substance use disorder services in the FY-24 budget.