Recent News

Weinberg Foundation gives $480K grant for United Way's 2-1-1 helpline (Baltimore Business Journal)

May 1st, 2018

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation is giving the United Way of Central Maryland a $480,000 grant that will connect two local helplines that provide information and referrals to Baltimore's elderly. 

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Leana Wen

Baltimore brings hospitals into the fight against opioid addiction (Baltimore Sun)

May 1st, 2018

In an op-ed by Mayor Catherine Pugh and Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, they discuss Baltimore's response to the opioid epidemic, including a new initiative involving the City's 11 hospitals.

"The Baltimore City Health Department is working with our hospital systems to create “levels of care” that enshrine best practices for responding to the epidemic and publicly recognize hospitals that implement those practices."

Read the entire op-ed.

Leana Wenopioids

Cocaine Deaths Are Rising At An Alarming Rate, And It’s Because Of Fentanyl (Buzzfeed)

May 1st, 2018

Cocaine deaths rose 52% between 2015 and 2016. A BuzzFeed News analysis shows the role of fentanyl in this staggering trend.

Leana Wenopioids

Baltimore diaper-changing legislation praised by dads as a 'right' for babies (Baltimore Sun)

May 1st, 2018

Hailed by dads who say safe, clean changing facilities for babies should be “a right,” a Baltimore councilman Monday introduced legislation that would require more establishments to install baby-changing stations.

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Leana Wen

New city project aims to improve opioid treatment (AP)

May 1st, 2018

A new city health project aims to evaluate Baltimore’s hospitals on their efforts to improve treatment for opioid use disorders.

Leaders from Baltimore’s 11 hospitals joined the city’s mayor and its health commissioner to announce the new effort on Monday. The initiative is intended to identify “best practices” for responding to the opioid epidemic.

Read the entire story.

Leana Wenopioids

Baltimore City Announces New Opioid Treatment Initiative (Baltimore Magazine)

Apr 30th, 2018

On Monday morning, Mayor Catherine Pugh and Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen announced a new initiative to combat the opioid epidemic in the city. The Levels of Care initiative involves identifying best practices for responding to the opioid epidemic and will be based in 11 Baltimore hospitals included Bon Secours, Mercy Medical Center, St. Agnes, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins Bayview. 

Read the entire story.

Leana Wenopioids

Baltimore rolls out new incentives, information-sharing program in bid to combat opioid crisis (Fierce Healthcare)

Apr 30th, 2018

Baltimore hospitals will have new incentives for better addressing the opioid crisis—and sharing best practices with their counterparts across the city—under a new initiative announced by the city's top officials Monday. 

Read the entire story.

Leana Wenopioids

City Rolls Out Levels Of Care Initiative At 11 Hospitals (WBAL Radio)

Apr 30th, 2018

The city of Baltimore rolled out a new initiative Monday morning for responding to the opioid epidemic in the city's 11 hospitals.

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Leana Wenopioids

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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Leana Wenopioidsnaloxone

Baltimore to Rate Hospitals on Opioid Response (U.S. News & World Report)

Apr 30th, 2018

Baltimore city hospitals soon will be scored on how prepared they are to respond to the opioid epidemic, the city's health department announced Monday. 

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Leana Wenopioids

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