BALTIMORE, MD (August 29, 2025) - Today, on the one-year anniversary of signing his Executive Order establishing Baltimore City's Opioid Restitution Fund, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the City of Baltimore's designation as a Recovery Friendly Workplace and the rollout of the new Naloxone Neighbors campaign to ensure community leaders and residents have access to Naloxone and know how to use it.

"This International Overdose Awareness Day is a reminder of the lives that we've lost too soon, and the hope that together, we can end this crisis and build a Baltimore where each and every one of us can thrive," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "As we commemorate this day, I am proud to announce that the City of Baltimore is Maryland's newest Recovery Friendly Workplace. We're also rolling out a new Naloxone Neighbors campaign to make sure our residents have access to Naloxone in their homes- where we know the majority of overdoses happen. Ending the overdose crisis requires demonstrating our commitment to supporting people with substance use disorder at every stage of their journey, including recovery, and meeting people where they are through outreach. "

Key updates include:

Recovery Friendly Workplace Designation

The City of Baltimore has obtained a Silver-level Recovery Friendly Workplace designation from the State of Maryland's Recovery Friendly Workplace program. The Maryland Department of Labor's Recovery Friendly Workplace pilot program recognizes employers that foster a professional environment that promotes inclusion of people in recovery from substance use disorder and minimizes risk factors for substance use. As part of its Recovery Friendly Workplace efforts, the City will be making a push in the coming weeks to have at least half of its employees receive naloxone training in the coming weeks.

The City is one of Baltimore's largest employers, with more than 14,000 employees. To combat stigma against substance use disorder, Mayor Scott's preliminary Overdose Response Strategic Plan calls for an increase in the number of employers across Baltimore designated as Recovery Friendly Workplaces.

Naloxone Neighbors Campaign

According to Baltimore City Health Department data, nearly two-thirds of fatal overdoses in Baltimore occur in residents' homes. To address this disproportionate rate of in-residence overdoses, the City is announcing a new naloxone distribution campaign called Naloxone Neighbors. The Naloxone Neighbors campaign will involve partnerships with local leaders of neighborhood and community associations, who will serve as Naloxone Neighbor Captains. Naloxone Neighbor Captains will host regular naloxone trainings and door-knocking distribution days, to ensure that as many residents as possible have naloxone on-hand in their homes and know how to use it to reverse an overdose.

To combat disparities in Baltimore City's overdose crisis, Mayor Scott's preliminary Overdose Response Strategic Plan calls for the focused distribution of naloxone in neighborhoods. The City will be piloting the Naloxone Neighbor campaign in neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis.

Additional updates regarding the City's use of opioid restitution funds and ongoing response to the overdose crisis can be found here.