BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN BALTIMORE
Overdose has been the leading cause of maternal death in Baltimore City for more than a decade. Between 2018 and 2024, the rate of fatal overdose among women of childbearing age (15-44) increased 46% in Baltimore City, with 365 women in that age group dying of fentanyl-related overdose.
The Baltimore City Health Department and the organizations and communities engaged with B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB), envision a city in which perinatal people, early-parenting families, and children thrive, even when facing substance use and mental health challenges. As a trusted resource for families, perinatal and early childhood providers play vital roles in this mission.
LOCAL RESOURCES
The resources below are available to all providers in Baltimore City, those who regularly treat substance use challenges and those with less experience supporting parents who use drugs.
CONSULT WITH EXPERTS
The University of Maryland School of Medicine Maryland Addiction Consultation Services for Moms, also known as MACS for MOMs, offers:
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A warmline providing de-identified, "curbside" consultation for providers seeking answers to clinical questions, specialized resources, and referral information.
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Educational opportunities and trainings related to substance use disorders and chronic pain management, offering maternal health providers live continuing education credit and an archive of past trainings.
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ECHO sessions that improve access to specialty care by linking expert teams with maternal health providers in real-time, online learning sessions.
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The MACS Monthly newsletter delivering up-to-date information on addiction medicine trends and training opportunities from our partners.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine administers these resources, funded by the Maryland Department of Health, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
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Check out our resource library for tools, handouts, infographics, and other information to support providers with understanding, screening, and treating perinatal substance use and mental health disorders.
BUILD YOUR NETWORK
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The BHB Prenatal/Postpartum Behavioral Health Network (PPBHN) creates a space for participants to discuss and develop integrated, effective care for pregnant or parenting people with behavioral health concerns. Open to all area professionals, advocates, and residents seeking collaboration at the intersection of sexual/reproductive, child/family, and behavioral health.
Join the listserv or contact PPBHN Medical Advisor, Jessica Ratner, MD, at jratner1@jhmi.edu to learn more about clinicians’ roles in these efforts.
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Engage in professional development opportunities, including BHB’s training and mentorship program for experienced doulas who wish to serve Baltimore City residents with active or recent substance use disorder. Applications for our next cohort will be announced via the Prenatal/Postpartum Behavioral Health Network listserv.
ACCESS NALOXONE
BHB's Overdose Response Program
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Equips perinatal and intrapartum families and caregivers of young children with information about and free supplies for overdose prevention and response, including RiVive® 3mg naloxone nasal spray and drug testing strips.
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Offers trainings for community and professionals/providers to promote naloxone as an essential part of first aid and babyproofing and to stress the critical role of medications for opioid use disorder for preventing perinatal/maternal overdose.
For more information, contact Kristina Raine at Kristina.Raine@baltimorecity.gov.
DISCUSS CANNABIS USE
Cannabis Prevention
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Perinatal and child cannabis exposure prevention is supported through community and provider education, including this Prenatal Counseling Tool for clinicians. Additional resources can be found in the cannabis section below.
SUPPORT CHILD DEVELOPMENT
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Caregivers who are intoxicated or drowsy are more likely to place their infant in an unsafe sleep environment. This Assessment Tool can help you promote Infant Safe Sleep with Behavioral Health-involved patients.
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Supports for family, toddler, and young child mental health are available by referring a child or family for early intervention services with the Baltimore Infants & Toddlers Program or finding an endorsed infant/early childhood mental health professional in the region.
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Strengthen your knowledge of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health by earning Endorsement® credentials in infant or early childhood mental health, through the Infant Mental Health Association of Maryland and DC.
LINK PATIENTS WITH REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES
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Behavioral Health Leadership Institute provides sexual and reproductive health services and supports the initiation and maintenance of buprenorphine for Baltimoreans living rough. Clients can receive support by calling or texting Nurse Margaret at 702-480-2052.
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Among its training resources, Postpartum Support International provides mental health webinars, certificate trainings, and coaching.
UNDERSTAND CITY STRATEGIES
COUNSELING ON PRENATAL CANNABIS USE
As cannabis legalization for adults expands and product potency increases, providers across care settings are encountering more patients who use cannabis or have questions about its use. Some pregnant patients describe using cannabis to cope with concerns including nausea, pain, anxiety, and sleep.
As providers often report feeling underprepared to address these conversations with confidence, clarity, and compassion, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) developed the Compassionate Conversations, Informed Decisions counseling tool. Centering empathy, transparency, and informed choice, this provider guide offers strategies for meeting patients where they are and practical, plain-language approaches to start productive conversations about cannabis use.
In an early 2026 webinar, OBs, pediatric providers, nurses, care coordinators, community health workers, and clinicians learned more about findings that steered the tool’s development and — through a role-play exercise — how to use it.
The webinar highlighted key components of the provider guide including:
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how to start a conversation;
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what to share;
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how to meet patients where they are; and
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how to close with care.
The following are video excerpts from the webinar:
Defining the Components of the Counseling Tool
Findings that Shaped the Strategy
Role Play to Understand the Need