Case Study: City of Baltimore Department of Public Health achieves rapid HIV testing and immediate treatment engagement for heroin users with Netsmart CareRecord

City of Baltimore uses a Netsmart CareRecord™ to test heroin users for HIV, enabling quicker and more effective treatment

The City of Baltimore Department of Public Health faced a pressing challenge: high rates of heroin use in parts of the city and difficulty engaging clients and ensuring that drug users with HIV are tested and linked to care. With roughly 3,000 unique clients a year visiting two Needle Exchange mobile health vehicles, the department needed a reliable way to identify, test and connect people to treatment quickly and confidentially.

By deploying the Netsmart CareRecord on the mobile units (connected via VPN), staff can look up clients, perform on‑site HIV testing, and receive proactive alerts that trigger immediate caseworker engagement and usually same‑day appointments. The initiative made HIV testing available at the point of contact, improved linkage to care for active heroin users, generated operational savings, enhanced care coordination, and is being expanded to support maternal and child health follow‑up.

City of Baltimore Department of Public Health

Glen Olthoff

STD/HIV Program Manager