When I first took office as Howard County executive in 2018, the opioid epidemic peaked, with nonfatal overdoses reaching a historic high of almost 200 per year, and fatal overdoses of 50 per year. Without effective and diverse treatment options, we would be unable to stop the rise in overdose rates.

Howard County’s immediate course of action was to examine our continuum of care for adult addiction treatment and address deficiencies by investing in capital projects that service providers struggle to fund.

As of 2018, Howard County only had one 16-bed halfway house for men, Howard House. People went without treatment or sought treatment elsewhere, putting their chances for timely and effective recovery at risk.

In response, in 2019, we invested more than $1 million to move Howard House to a county-owned residential property. We then invested $1.5 million in 2021 to help grow our first halfway house for adult women, Hilda’s Place. In addition, funding helped Sheppard Pratt add 17 newly licensed medically managed detox and withdrawal management beds at their new hospital campus in Elkridge.

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While this progress was monumental, we were not finished. We awarded a $500K grant to Tuerk House in 2024 to renovate a new property in western Howard County for a new 16-bed halfway house, called Highland House, for pregnant women recovering from substance misuse.

The availability of these services amounted to nearly 70 new residential treatment beds. We see the results of these investments in declining overdose rates. Between 2018 and 2024, nonfatal overdoses have fallen more than 85% — from a year-end high of 188 to a year-end low of 28 — and fatal overdoses have fallen by 43%, from 38 to 22. So far, through April 2025, there have been six nonfatal overdoses and one fatal overdose, a 33% and 86% decline, respectively, from the same time last year.

The partnerships and investments show that when we work together, address issues strategically and take a truly holistic approach, we will save lives and help build a healthier future for all.

Calvin Ball is Howard County Executive. Carl Delorenzo, director for policy and programs for Howard County, contributed to this letter.

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