Experts, Officials Convene in D.C. to Discuss Nation’s Nonfatal Overdose Crisis

On March 17, political leaders, public health practitioners, and community activists convened at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center to confront one of the nation’s most urgent and evolving health crises: nonfatal overdoses. 

Hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Mental Health and Addiction Policy (CMAP), the convening began with opening remarks from CMAP Director Matt Eisenberg, PhD. “For ten years, our Center’s work has focused on helping people with mental health and substance use disorders through policy research,” Eisenberg said, emphasizing the importance of collaborative dialogue and thanking a host of institutional supporters, including the Bloomberg American Health Initiative.  

The event’s keynote speaker, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser outlined her administration’s approach to substance use disorder and the importance of community-centered care. “We’ve been very focused on building a strong, responsive system of care for residents,” Bowser said. “We need a system grounded in best practices, informed by data, and tailored to the lived experiences of Washingtonians.” 

Bowser highlighted the impact of the investments, including distributing over 100,000 free naloxone kits in 2024 and opening the D.C. Stabilization Center—a 24/7 facility providing immediate care for individuals experiencing acute intoxication. “Last year, for the first time since fentanyl infiltrated the market, we saw a 26% reduction in opioid fatalities,” she noted, attributing success to “consistent and persistent efforts.” 

The center has had over 8,200 admissions since opening in 2023 and offers behavioral health support, peer counseling, and links to long-term treatment. “One individual came 50 times, and on the 50th, he connected to care,” Bowser said, underlining the necessity of sustained intervention. 

The panel, moderated by Baltimore Banner public health reporter and BSPH alumnus Alissa Zhu, featured frontline experts from across the country. Panelists included Divad Sanders (Newark Community Street Teams), Jean Moise (D.C. Department of Behavioral Health), Valencia Lyle (City of Detroit), and Stephen Murray (SafeSpot Overdose Hotline). 

A recurring theme was the importance of peer engagement and the humanization of care. “People are still people, regardless of the circumstances surrounding them,” said Sanders, emphasizing the need to engage with individuals where they are—physically, emotionally, and socially. 

Murray, director of the SafeSpot Overdose Hotline, shared insight from his own lived experience. His program offers a confidential 24/7 phone line for individuals using drugs alone. “Fatal overdose is 100% preventable if someone is there,” he stressed. SafeSpot has served thousands, intervening in dozens of overdoses. “Sometimes we just talk about cats and the weather,” he said. “That human connection matters.” 

Panelists also acknowledged the rising challenges of poly-substance use, racial disparities, and the criminalization of drug use. Moise and Lyle both highlighted the need for comprehensive, wraparound services, from housing to wound care to primary medical access. Lyle pointed to Detroit’s partnership between behavioral health outreach and street medicine teams as a promising model. 

When asked what isn’t working, panelists pointed to the overreliance on emergency departments, lack of gender-responsive services, and inadequate support for older adults and transgender individuals. “Until we end the criminalization of drug use, I don’t see this getting better,” Murray said.  

But there was hope, too. The panel concluded with a discussion of ideas that are working—from vending machines dispensing naloxone to peer recovery programs and expanded data-informed outreach. “We want people not just to survive but to thrive,” said Sanders. 

As federal funding remains uncertain, many expressed optimism about the flexibility of opioid settlement funds, which offer a chance to think creatively and locally. “We have a chance to build infrastructure that looks at the whole person,” said Moise. 

Ultimately, the event reflected a shared commitment: to turn research into action and ensure that the response to nonfatal overdose is just, humane, and effective.

A recording of the event can be viewed here. Attendees were encouraged to continue the discussion at the next CMAP Bloomberg Center convening on April 1.

The event was sponsored in part by the Johns Hopkins Nexus Award. 

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