Last month, Springlake Solutions was at the Maryland Association of Counties winter 2019 conference, Building for the Future. We provided introductory comments for the roundtable discussion on The County Role in Combating the Opioid Crisis, hosted by the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) of Maryland.
RALI Maryland is an alliance of more than 20 local, state and national organizations committed to finding solutions to end the opioid crisis. Partners include law enforcement groups, hospital and healthcare groups, pharmaceutical groups, veterans groups, local prevention coalitions, and many others. Springlake Solutions has had the privilege of working with RALI in Maryland and across the country.
Springlake Solutions’ CEO Mark O’Brien had the privilege of introducing Steve Schuh, former Anne Arundel County Executive and Executive Director of the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center. Mr. Schuh discussed the state’s efforts to combat opioid addiction through support for local programs. He highlighted an outstanding resource, the Maryland Opioid Use Disorder Program Inventory, a compilation of nearly 80 proven strategies that local governments can use to fight addiction.
State Senator Adelaide Eckardt, who represents parts of Maryland’s eastern shore, was also in attendance and highlighted the critical work of the Maryland legislature to address opioid use disorder in the state.
Mark discussed the state’s ongoing opioid crisis, stating:
“It won’t be news to anyone in this room that our state continues to confront a daunting crisis of opioid addiction and overdose death. Last year, over 2400 of our friend and neighbors lost their lives to overdose, 90% of them involving opioids. Every one of them is somebody’s sister or brother, mom or dad, son or daughter. It means that every night in our state, there are five families with a newly empty seat at their dinner table.”
He also talked about the need for collaboration to address the crisis not only in Maryland but also across the country. Collaboration is the factor that seems to have the greatest impact in the communities where Mark worked in the past.
“One common denominator in the places I’ve seen that are making progress is collaboration. This is a crisis that demands an all-hands-on-deck approach. There’s a role for every sector of the community. Health, first responders, law enforcement, educators, employers, faith-based, human services, you name it.
That’s why I’ve been thrilled to get involved with a coalition here in Maryland, the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative, or RALI. The Maryland RALI is one of fourteen state groups around the country. It is an alliance of more than 20 local, state and national organizations committed to finding solutions to end the opioid crisis in Maryland. Partners include law enforcement groups, hospital and healthcare groups, pharmaceutical groups, veterans groups, local prevention coalitions, and many others.”
RALI Maryland and other coalitions around the country- local, state, and national- are making a difference and ensuring that we turn the corner on the opioid crisis to build healthier and safer communities.
