WASHINGTON — Maryland’s Department of Health has been awarded a $338,292 grant to fund a “surveillance system” for helping develop a more timely and targeted approach to opioid overdose response.

The grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is focused on overdoses from heroin and synthetic opioids, including illegally manufactured fentanyl.

The early warning system will be designed to:

• detect sharp changes in nonfatal opioid overdoses;
• collect information on both the number and rate of overdose deaths;
• analyze information from toxicology tests and death scene investigations;
• provide information on risk factors contributing to opioid overdose deaths; and
• examine adverse outcomes related to neonatal abstinence syndrome surveillance and research.

Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen announced the grant.

“Accurate and timely information on opioid abuse is key to saving lives and preventing the next fatal outbreak of overdoses,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “This funding will establish a statewide surveillance system to address the rising rate of opioid overdoses across Maryland and inform a rapid public health response.”

WTOP’s Jack Pointer contributed to this report.