CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is awarding about $2.1 million to 11 community health organizations working to combat substance addiction and opioid abuse in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. The region's largest health insurer put out a request for proposals in April looking for programs that are working to expand access to treatment service. Baltimore-based CareFirst said Wednesday the 11 programs will receive between $100,000 and $400,000 in funding support.
Overdose is currently the leading cause of accidental death in the country — about 115 people die per day from opioids. Maryland has the fourth-highest rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in the nation.