Although overdose deaths have significantly decreased in Maryland, adults 55 and older experience the highest rates of death related to opioid use, according to available state data, with Black men four times more likely to die of an overdose death than their White counterparts.
“When people think about overdose in Baltimore, they think about Penn North, but when overdose deaths happen, people are dying at home,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in an interview with the AFRO. “Older Black men are dying at home—and that’s something we shouldn’t accept.”
Advocates and leaders say reaching older adults requires meeting seniors where they are, such as churches and senior living facilities, which leads to sustained trust within a community that has been historically excluded from resources…