Specifications include, but are not limited to: Center for Harm Reduction Services The Maryland Department of Health’s Center for Harm Reduction Services (CHRS) was established in 2019 to centralize harm reduction activities across the Department. The Center is housed within the Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau in the Prevention and Health Promotion Administration. Statewide, the Center oversees the Overdose Response Program and naloxone distribution; Syringe Services Program; harm reduction grants to community-based organizations and Local Health Departments; workforce development, training, and technical assistance activities; and various special projects. The Center’s work, including grant-making, is guided by its strategic goal and vision. The Center’s strategic goal is to reduce substance-related morbidity and mortality by optimizing services for people who use drugs. In this case, morbidity is defined as having symptoms of disease or illness and mortality is defined as death. The Center’s vision is a Maryland where people who use drugs have access to compassionate, quality care that is free from stigma; services are low-barrier, community-based, and comprehensive; and experiences of past trauma, criminal legal involvement, and racism do not determine one’s health outcomes or quality of life.
