Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) —A sea of more than 22,000 purple flags covered Boston Common Friday, representing victims of accidental drug overdoses, as the City of Boston recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day and Recovery Month.
The overdose epidemic was declared a public health crisis more than a decade ago. Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu says progress has been made to find solutions for the issue.
"We used opioid settlement dollars to establish the Family Overdose Support Fund, to provide financial support to families who've lost loved ones. My understanding is that this is the first in this country, using opioid settlement dollars. We also used opioid settlement dollars to fund community-based organizations and neighborhoods like Roxbury and Dorchester with some of the highest overdose rates in our city," Dr. Ojikutu said.
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Unintentional overdoses are the number one cause of early death in Boston. Last year, the Boston Public Health Commission announced $1 million grants to five organizations to prevent overdose deaths and to provide outreach resources to neighborhoods that experience the highest death rates. This year, the Community Opioid Response agencies reported over 1,200 engagements with clients and distributed over 2,000 doses of naloxone.
Several organizations have worked to connect residents to substance use treatments while also raising awareness about overdose prevention and naloxone training.
The City of Boston, along with BPHC, is hosting several events in September to raise awareness and celebrate those on the road to recovery during National Recovery Month:
- Sept. 19 - Recovery centers from the Boston region will hold a cookout at the Shattuck Picnic area in Franklin Park, featuring music, food, tabling, and raffles.
- Sept. 25 - Nubian Square Recovery Day at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL). The event is a collaboration between the BPHC, the Nubian Square Task Force, BPL, and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and will feature live arts, food, and entertainment, and health resources.
- Sept. 26 - Recovery Month Celebration Day at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common. BPHC and the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR) partner for this event, which uplifts recovery stories and vital services.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Mike Macklin (@mikemacklinwbz) reports.