Baltimore is taking a more ambitious approach to reducing overdose deaths in the city in its finalized overdose response strategic plan released Thursday.

Baltimore wants to cut the number of overdose deaths in the city by half over the next 15 years in its newly finalized plan, a revision from the previous goal of 40%.

Director of Overdose Response Sara Whaley says the change is due to positive trends.

The strategic plan lays out the city’s plan to use nearly $600 million dollars in settlement funds from lawsuits against opioid companies.

“Today’s finalized Overdose Response Strategic Plan provides a roadmap for building a healthier and safer city for every Baltimorean,” said Mayor Brandon Scott.

The final plan takes into account feedback from community listening sessions conducted by the city last summer.

Baltimore’s plan for reducing overdoses and getting at the systemic issues of opioid use is complex and multifaceted, touching on everything from access to care to education to housing.

In the coming year, the city will allocate about $36 million in those funds to organizations in hopes of reducing overdoses, increasing harm intervention and educating the public.

That’s in addition to the $87 million that is already earmarked from the settlements to go to 22 nonprofits for the same reasons.

Baltimore will update the plan again in 2027 to reassess the needs of the city.