Behavioral health leaders cite staffing shortages but report steep declines in fatal overdoses; diversion center expansion advances

Montgomery County's Behavioral Health and Crisis Services (BHCS) reported a marked decline in fatal overdoses in 2024 even as officials warned of long-term workforce shortages and pay inequity that limit service capacity.

Monica Martin, chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, told the HHS Committee that county fatal overdoses declined about 40 percent in 2024 compared with 2023, with opioid-involved overdoses down roughly 48 percent and fentanyl-involved deaths down about 52 percent. Emergency department visits for opioid overdoses also fell by about 30 percent, the department said. BHCS credited expanded prevention and harm-reduction efforts, including a large increase in Narcan distribution and training and community outreach programs, as contributors to the decline.

Why it matters: A steep, multi-year reduction in overdoses changes the immediate demand profile for crisis services, but county leaders cautioned that persistent workforce and funding challenges could erode capacity to sustain gains. The department said more staff are needed to meet current demand; officials estimate Montgomery County would need roughly 50 percent more behavioral health staffing to meet present-level service demand.

Workforce and access: Martin summarized statewide and local workforce constraints cited in a Maryland Health Care Commission report and county data. Highlights presented to the committee included: - Many behavioral health…