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The countywide initiative, launched in 2017, is a collaboration of the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff and the Queen Anne’s County Drug-Free Coalition, in partnership with the Opioid Intervention Team and Health Department, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, the county commissioners, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation and other agencies. Its mission is to raise awareness of substance abuse and opioid overdose prevention.

One of the program’s first actions was to place six opioid signs across the county, updated weekly to show overdose data. At the time, opioid misuse was on the rise.

In 2018, Queen Anne’s County reported 122 overdoses and 16 overdose-related deaths. By 2024, those numbers had dropped to 18 overdoses and four deaths.

So far in 2025, the county has recorded eight overdoses — and no overdose deaths — an encouraging sign, officials said. But they stressed that continued education and prevention efforts are needed to keep the numbers low.

“Even one death due to opioids is too many, and work must continue,� coalition members said.

Education, Prevention and Treatment

Through awareness campaigns, free Narcan distribution by the county Health Department, a standard reporting system developed by Queen Anne’s County Emergency Services, and the QAC Data Dashboard, local leaders say the effort is showing results.

In 2025, the initiative expanded its banners across the county to more than 100, all carrying the slogan: “Taking a stand against substance abuse.�

Progress is being seen “across the board,â€� said Warren Wright of QAC Goes Â鶹´«Ã½. He credited strict penalties for drug sellers, enforcement against tobacco and liquor outlets that sell to minors, and the strong work of the county’s Drug Court.

Also contributing are Prevention Services, Peer Support Workers and the Local Management Board, which is conducting an asset-mapping project. The county Board of Education has added Bodkin life skills programs for younger students. The commissioners are working with neighboring counties to expand treatment services for residents at the Whitsitt Center.

Youth Involvement

Recognizing that most young people make choices about alcohol, tobacco and drug use during middle school, QAC Goes Â鶹´«Ã½ has focused on youth outreach.

A Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that more than 13% of Queen Anne’s County high school students reported taking a prescription drug not prescribed to them — a troubling trend that highlights the need for early conversations at home and in Â鶹´«Ã½, officials said.

To reach peers directly, the QAC Drug-Free Student Ambassador Program includes students from public and private Â鶹´«Ã½ who design posters, lead team-building events and stage award-winning activities.

“We believe that involvement is key to prevention for our students,â€� Wright said. “Join a team, try a club, and discover your passion. After-school programs and activities are offered through Â鶹´«Ã½, the YMCA and the Giving the Edge Foundation.â€�

Changing Perceptions

QAC Goes Â鶹´«Ã½ emphasizes that substance use disorder is not a choice but a disease that affects the brain. Understanding the science of addiction, officials say, can reduce stigma and encourage compassion.

September is recognized as National Recovery Month, followed by Substance Use Prevention Month in October. International Overdose Awareness Day is marked every year on Aug. 31 to honor those lost and support families affected by substance use disorders.

“We can all make a difference,� said Emily Keller, Maryland’s special secretary of overdose response. “Hundreds of lives are saved every year from bystanders who had naloxone and knew what to do in the event of an overdose. We have to make sure that anyone who wants naloxone can access it wherever they are and whenever they need it.�

Free naloxone is available at the Nielsen Center, 205 N. Liberty St., Centreville.

Upcoming Event

The sixth annual Going Â鶹´«Ã½ Together event will be held Sept. 27 at Church Hill Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The family-friendly gathering will feature live music, food trucks, face painting, dunk tanks and raffle prizes, while celebrating recovery and raising awareness.

The community is also invited to complete the QAC Goes Â鶹´«Ã½ Marijuana Survey, available at the county Health Department website under the Behavioral Health tab.

“Everyone in Queen Anne’s County can keep fighting by knowing the facts, discussing them with loved ones, colleagues and friends,� Wright said.

More information is available at .