Director Stephen Murray on Airing Addiction Podcast
WATCH HERE In this episode of Airing Addiction, we’re joined by Stephen Murray, executive leader at SafeSpot—the nation’s first and only professionalized, 24/7 peer-led overdose detection and prevention hotline. Formerly known as the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline, SafeSpot has quietly saved lives by doing something radically simple: staying with people while they use drugs […]
The Boston Globe: A promise fulfilled: mother launches ‘overdose awareness’ license plate after son’s death
The Boston Globe: A promise fulfilled: mother launches ‘overdose awareness’ license plate after son’s death Link here: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/01/02/metro/overdose-awareness-license-plate-coming-in-massachusetts/?event=event12 “Juaire said she was also inspired by the experience of an overdose survivor and a drug policy expert named Stephen Murray, who made headlines in 2023 when he began driving around with a vanity plate saying “NARCAN.” Murray, who […]
The Washington Post: These people used Narcan to save lives. Here’s how they did it.
The Washington Post: These people used Narcan to save lives. Here’s how they did it. Link to full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2024/narcan-naloxone-overdose-opioid/ “Often we’re only there to pronounce or work fatal overdoses, which is really unfortunate,” said Murray, 36, a licensed paramedic in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Comics panel showing Murray dashing up apartment stairs, then him seeing a woman lying […]
The Washington Post: Fatal overdoses often happen when users are alone. Hotlines, sensors can save lives.
The Washington Post: Fatal overdoses often happen when users are alone. Hotlines, sensors can save lives. “In New England, SafeSpot — which began as a Never Use Alone branch — is expanding and professionalizing under the umbrella of Boston Medical Center. Last fall, Massachusetts became the first state to fund such a line, and has […]
NYTimes: Drug Overdose Deaths Are Dropping. The Reasons Are Not Perfectly Clear.
Full article here Drug Overdose Deaths Are Dropping. The Reasons Are Not Perfectly Clear. The decrease across the country is a major breakthrough in efforts to reverse the effects of fentanyl. Researchers and health officials say there is no easy explanation for the trend. Data suggests that some of the tools used to combat opioid […]
SHNS MASSterlist: A conversation with SafeSpot’s Stephen Murray
Read the article here: https://www.statehousenews.com/news/healthcare/q-a-shns-talks-with-safespots-stephen-murray/article_d6b320ce-5b3a-11ef-8287-2f492c0dcb13.html “AUG. 16, 2024……Stephen Murray has been working to address the overdose fatality crisis in Massachusetts for years. A harm reduction program manager at Boston Medical Center and former paramedic, Murray directs BMC’s SafeSpot Overdose Hotline. He started the state’s “spotting” hotline for individuals using drugs — an operation staffed by operators with […]
Nitazenes, opioids often more potent than fentanyl, emerge as new overdose threat in Mass.
Read the article here: https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/07/16/nitazenes-boston-springfield-cape-addiction-overdoses Quote that mentions SafeSpot: “The state’s nitazene bulletin says the emergence of this threat is a reminder to never use drugs alone or call the Massachusetts overdose prevention hotline, Safe Spot, where someone will stay on the phone and call 911 if the person using drugs stops responding.”
SafeSpot Supervises 3000th Use Event
On July 2nd, 2024, SafeSpot supervised its 3000th use event! At this time one year ago, we had spotted a total of 99. In June 2023, we spotted 38. In June 2024 we spotted 401. Amazing growth. Our hold time last month remained at around 24 seconds even with the increase in calls.Some other stats […]
DPH report: Massachusetts opioid-related overdose deaths decreased 10 percent in 2023
Today, Massachusetts released numbers showing a 10% decline in overdose deaths in 2023. The Governor highlighted the investment in SafeSpot during the release. Read the full release here. A snippet: “BOSTON — Opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts decreased by 10 percent in 2023 – the largest single-year decline since 2009-2010 – according to preliminary data released today by […]
Overnight Lead TJ Thompson Featured by SADOD
I wanted to take this opportunity to share that our Overnight Lead, TJ Thompson, was recently featured by one of our favorite partner organizations, Support After a Death by Overdose (SADOD). We are so fortunate to have TJ on our team and I was also lucky enough to have known and adored their husband Stephen […]
