Boston Recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day

Friday, August 28, 2026 - Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) are joining loved ones, families, friends, advocates, and survivors to remember the lives lost to the opioid epidemic ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day on Monday, August 31, and the start of National Recovery Month. Since 2015, nearly 3,000 Boston residents have lost their lives to the opioid crisis that has touched every corner of our city. Mayor Wu and BPHC have invested in programming, including pathways to treatment and crucial harm reduction services that have contributed to a 29% drop in deadly overdoses in 2025 compared to the previous year. 2025 also saw the fewest deadly overdoses in Boston in a decade.

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day, BPHC and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department are also supporting volunteers and our State and local partners in planting more than 20,000 purple flags on Boston Common. For the first time ever, this event will fall directly on International Overdose Awareness Day, occurring on the morning of August 31. These flags memorialize the lives lost to overdoses in the past decade across our State. Later that night Boston City Hall will also be lit in purple to honor the lives lost.

"Too many families and friends have lost a loved one to an overdose, and today we remember and honor their lives," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Overdose deaths are preventable and all of us can play a part by knowing how to respond and checking in on our neighbors. Through our work with the Boston Public Health Commission, City departments, and our community and faith partners, we will continue expanding access to treatment, services and lifesaving support to those who need it."

"As we honor the lives lost and reflect on the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on Boston's families and communities, we must remember that every overdose death is preventable," said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston. "We are making progress, but our work is far from over. By putting naloxone within reach, expanding access to evidence-based treatment, and strengthening trusted, community-based harm reduction services, we are saving lives. We will continue working with urgency, compassion, and without stigma to ensure that every person living with substance use disorder has the opportunity to recover."

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BPHC and partners have events throughout September centered on celebrating and uplifting individuals in recovery. Upcoming events include:

• Nubian Square Recovery Day is September 17, at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL). The event is a collaboration between BPHC, the Nubian Square Task Force, BPL, and the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. There will be a showcase of art created by individuals in recovery, and there will also be food, entertainment, and health resources.  
• Recovery Month Celebration Day is September 24, 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.

"Every overdose is preventable, and every life is worth saving. As we recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, we are proud to partner with the Boston Public Health Commission to expand access to lifesaving resources and connect people to care and services they need to get healthy and well," said Desiree Millett, LICSW, Clinical Administrative Director, NeighborHealth Recovery Services. "Our 24/7 Public Health Vending Machine helps prevent overdose and demonstrates how community partnerships can save lives."

BPHC offers a number of programs and services for people in recovery and is one of the largest providers of Transitional Support Services for people living with substance use disorder in the region. BPHC's Mattapan Recovery Campus offers inpatient treatment and services to 850 people per year. The short-term treatment programming at the Recovery Campus focuses on relapse prevention and behavior modification. Clients are offered access to additional mental health care through a partnership with The Joseph Nee Collaborative Center. In partnership with Boston Health Care for the Homeless, BPHC also operates medical clinics on the Mattapan Recovery Campus, and in the Finland Building, that help meet the basic medical needs of clients. By providing access to stable housing, medical care, and mental health care, BPHC takes a holistic approach to supporting people wherever they are on their recovery journey.

In addition to the Mattapan Recovery Campus, BPHC also provides walk-in treatment referrals through the AHOPE and PAATHS programs. AHOPE offers lifesaving harm reduction services, including syringe exchange, drug checking to identify the presence of fentanyl and xylazine, naloxone distribution, and screening for HIV, hepatitis, and other bloodborne illnesses that can be spread through intravenous drug use. The PAATHS program connects people to a variety of treatment services, including Withdrawal Management Services ("detox"), medication for opioid use disorder, and outpatient treatment programs. Individuals can visit both programs at 774 Albany Street during business hours and walk-ins are welcome. For support with substance use disorders, contact the PAATHS program at 1-855-494-4057 or 3-1-1. For more information, visit boston.gov/recovery.

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As part of year-round efforts to combat the opioid crisis, BPHC announced $600,000 in new funding for our Community Overdose Response Grants. Funding will be allocated to community-based organizations working to prevent overdose deaths and provide substance use treatment in neighborhoods seeing the highest overdose rates, with a focus on serving Black and Latinx communities that are at increased risk. A map of places where residents can access naloxone across Boston can be found here. BPHC also runs The Family Overdose Support Fund, in partnership with HALO Initiatives, which provides financial support to Boston families during the healing process. Families receive direct payments that can cover childcare, mental health care, and funeral services.

Overdose training and naloxone access are critical strategies in Boston. Boston's OD2A program plays a key role in serving these communities by facilitating overdose response training and access to resources like naloxone. Thus far in 2026, more than 600 residents in Boston have been trained in overdose responses. Another key strategy in Boston's OD2A is making data available and accessible to local clinicians, organizations, and residents through a data dashboard. Since March 2026, naloxone kiosks have been implemented at the Boston Community Justice Support Center, STEPRox Recovery Support Center, Mattapan Community Health Center, and DotHouse Health. In July 2026, public health vending machines offering naloxone and other health resources were placed at Codman Square Health Center and Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center. In total, BPHC has worked with community partners to place 16 naloxone kiosks and 7 public health vending machines.

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