Baltimore, MD (October 24, 2018) Catholic Charities of Baltimore’s new comprehensive substance use treatment initiative has significant support, thanks to a $150,000 CareFirst grant announced in Baltimore today.

“Our first steps include expanding medication-assisted treatment for alcohol and opioid substance use disorders,” said Karen Haughey, Catholic Charities’ administrator of Behavioral Health Services. “We are also training more staff to treat individuals with co-occurring disorders and expand our outreach to connect with those in need.”

The initiative is part of Catholic Charities’ strategic plan to develop comprehensive resources to treat substance use disorders, enhancing services already offered through our outpatient behavioral health services.

“Addiction is ravaging families and communities,” said Catholic Charities Executive Director Bill McCarthy. “With this grant, we’ll enhance our ability to address this crisis and integrate treatment throughout our programs.”

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications and External Affairs Maria Harris Tildon made the grant announcement today in Baltimore’s City Hall. Tildon was joined by Mayor Catherine Pugh, Congressman Elijah Cummings, State Delegate Antonio Hayes, City Council Member Robert Stokes and City Comptroller Joan Pratt.

“This award is a significant investment,” said Rep. Cummings. “I know you will all be good stewards of this funding. Government cannot do this work alone. We need private entities to participate.”

Catholic Charities is the largest private provider of human services in the state, with more than 80 programs in 200 locations across Maryland. Substance use is a co-occurring circumstance for many of our thousands of clients in every area of need, from poverty to workforce development to senior care. This initiative will support the substance use care we already provide and expand it to work across our programs.
Contact: Rowena Daly rdaly@cc-md.org
Catholic Charities 667-600-2007

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Catholic Charities of Baltimore is Maryland’s largest private provider of human services, with more than 80 programs in 200 locations throughout Maryland. We offer assistance to children and families, people experiencing poverty or homelessness, individuals with intellectual disabilities, immigrants and seniors without regard to religion, race or other circumstances.