Opioid Misuse Prevention Program

Opioid Misuse
Prevention Program

Implementing prevention strategies to reduce opioid
misuse throughout Anne Arundel County

Prescription Medication Disposal Program

Opioid Misuse Prevention Program (OMPP)

In 2015, a state of emergency was declared in Maryland as a result of increasingly high rates of overdoses due to opioid misuse. Local and countywide prevention coalitions are working diligently to take immediate action.

Anne Arundel County consistently ranks third highest in Maryland in the number of deaths due to opioid misuse. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health is facilitating a county-wide work group, Opioid Misuse Prevention Program (OMPP) to implement prevention strategies to reduce opioid misuse throughout Anne Arundel County.

The OMPP Work Group was formed in March 2015 to conduct a countywide opioid needs assessment and strategic plan.

OMPP strategies include but are not limited to:

Academic Detailing
Community Opioid Misuse Prevention Training
Educational outreach to the community, pharmacies, and prescribers

Academic Detailing

One way OMPP aims to achieve its goals is through clinician outreach. Our OMPP coordinator at the Anne Arundel County Department of Health offers a free resource called Academic Detailing to all practicing clinicians in the county.

Academic Detailing is a conversation between the OMPP coordinator and the clinician about the opioid epidemic in the county. The coordinator presents resources for both the clinician and their patients in addition to recommending best practices. It is used to develop a relationship between the Anne Arundel County Department of Health and Anne Arundel County clinicians so we can better address the opioid epidemic. CEUs are offered for your time!

Contact Marlon Columna to Schedule a Session

We also provide informational materials to pharmacies in Anne Arundel County. We have bilingual (English/Spanish) rack cards including information on the risks of opioid misuse and counterfeit medications. They are informative to patients and easy to slip into a prescription bag.

Another OMPP strategy is to provide free opioid misuse prevention and naloxone training to the community, with free Narcan kits for all participants. Contact the OMPP coordinator to schedule a training for your community!