Baltimore City officials told a City Council committee on Nov. 4 that the city’s opioid response is moving forward, but that the decline in fatal overdoses is expected to slow. The Public Health and Environment Committee reviewed the Opioid Restitution Fund and the latest overdose data.
Through part of September 2026, Baltimore recorded 359 overdose deaths, according to Jonathan Gross, epidemiologist supervisor in the Baltimore City Health Department’s division of public behavioral health. Gross called the figure incomplete and partial, and said officials expect reductions to continue through the rest of the year.
The city’s overdose response strategic plan, which the Mayor’s Office of Overdose Response updated on March 19, 2026, now targets a 50 percent reduction in overdose deaths by 2040. CBS Baltimore reported 568 overdose deaths in 2025, down from 777 in 2024. The Opioid Restitution Fund, which holds money from opioid lawsuits, is administered under an August 2024 executive order from Mayor Brandon Scott.
Where the Money Stands
Presenters said the strategic plan includes 51 activities, with 45 of them, or 88 percent, in progress. Since March 2025, the Board of Estimates has approved 31 grant agreements from the fund, committing $49.3 million. Of that, $16.8 million has been dispersed to grantees, according to the presentation.
Officials also said the restitution fund is one of several funding sources for the city’s response. A public dashboard, updated quarterly and most recently in August, lists funded programs and performance measures.
What the Overdose Data Show
Gross said fatal overdoses fell in 2024 and 2025 but that the pace of decline is expected to slow. He told the committee the Health Department is prioritizing outreach to residents ages 60 and older, citing 2023 data showing that Black men in that age group were nearly 4.6 times as likely to die of a fatal overdose as their white counterparts.
A Health Department presenter also said overdose is the leading cause of maternal mortality, and that the department is tracking the issue.
What Council Members and Residents Said
Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, who chairs the committee, framed the hearing around tracking every dollar. “We count it, we show it, and we connect it,” Porter said.
Community members also testified, including Hanife Hardy, founder of Unlimited Potential Mentoring Organization in West Baltimore, and Nikki Smith, owner of Journey Mental Health and Wellness. A council member asked whether the city has talked with Baltimore City Public Schools about youth drug use. Ronnie Muhammad, director of overdose policy and strategy at the Health Department, said the department runs school-based prevention programs, including one called Kids Off Drugs.
What’s Next
Officials said the Mayor’s Office of Overdose Response will release a progress report and the Health Department is planning its next needs assessment. The recording did not give a date for another hearing on the topic.
