Boston: Fund Launches to Support Families who Lost Loved Ones to Overdose

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Mayor Michelle Wu, the City of Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), and Boston BullPen Project today announced the launch of the Family Overdose Support Fund at a meeting of the Nubian Square Task Force. This new support fund will provide up to $5,000 in financial assistance to Boston families who have lost an immediate family member to opioid overdose. The City and BPHC have committed $250,000 to the program, funded by multistate settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. The City first announced the use of Boston's settlement funds in May 2024, after a series of community meetings in which residents were clear that a top priority should be delivering resources directly to families suffering from loss. Over the summer, the City and BPHC selected Boston BullPen Project to administer the fund.

"Overdose deaths have impacted every corner of our community and those who lost loved ones carry grief and trauma with them forever," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Our community engagement process made it clear that residents see the establishment of this fund as a crucial way we can help our grieving friends and neighbors pick up the pieces in the face of tragedy, and I'm proud to see it launch today."

"The Family Overdose Support Fund provides critical resources to families who have lost a loved one due to the opioid epidemic and are struggling financially," said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston. "Many families in Boston have lost children, siblings, and parents. This direct financial assistance will help cover funeral expenses, bereavement counseling, childcare, and other expenses for those who have been most impacted by this ongoing health crisis."

Created after extensive public feedback, the support fund is designed to offset financial hardships families face after losing a loved one. Only one immediate family member per family can apply. The fund can cover one invoice up to $5,000, paid directly to service providers for the following eligible services:
  • Funerals, burials, or cremation services for the person who died from overdose
  • Clinical therapy or behavioral health support services for surviving family members
  • Childcare costs and/or child enrichment costs for a child who lost a parent, guardian, or sibling to overdose (e.g., camp, afterschool programs, extracurricular activities)
  • Legal services to assist in applying for public benefits or resolve issues with the deceased family member's estate or guardianship of children

Eligible applicants must:
  • Currently live in the city of Boston
  • Be seeking support for a family member who died of an opioid overdose within the past 2 years of submitting the Fund application
  • Be related to the deceased person by blood or marriage. This means, a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, child, grandchild, or other members of the applicant's immediate household, or a legal guardian.

More than 50 families will receive financial assistance through this program, and it will be assessed and revised over time. The Family Overdose Support Fund will be part of Boston BullPen's Healing After Loss to Overdose (HALO) Initiatives, and all applicants, regardless of whether they will be approved or denied, will receive information about additional aid programs.

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"We are excited to expand our organization's work through HALO Initiatives and its inaugural fund, the Family Overdose Support Fund," said Steve Alperin, Boston BullPen Project President & Co-Founder. "Over the last several months, our HALO leadership team has worked closely with the Boston Public Health Commission and the City of Boston to shape the Family Overdose Support Fund, ensuring it will directly address the most urgent needs of Bostonians after they lose a family member to overdose. We look forward to managing this fund and expanding HALO's work at both the local and national levels."

"We are proud of the grassroots work that our team has done over the last few years and grateful to the City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission for providing first-of-its-kind funding through the Family Overdose Support Fund," said Brendan Little and Elsa Gomes Bondlow, Co-Directors of HALO Initiatives. "All community members deserve dignity, even after they have passed away. This is our shared responsibility, and the least we can do."

The Family Overdose Support Fund came into existence because BPHC's Recovery Services Bureau led a community engagement process in 2023, seeking input about how the City should utilize its opioid settlement funding. A majority of respondents wanted to prioritize the needs of grieving families by providing direct financial support. Respondents also expressed strong interest in housing support and low threshold housing for people with substance use disorder, community-based equity initiatives to address substance use, overdose prevention and prevention centers, and youth prevention.

"As a parent of a son who battled a substance use disorder, I was truly honored to participate in the listening sessions. Before my beloved son, Ja'Maar 5ive Johnson, lost his life to this relentless struggle, I witnessed the depth of his fight and the toll it took on all of us," said Janice Johnson, Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Against Drugs Inc. 'Honoring the Legacy of Ja'Maar '5ive' Johnson.' "The pain of losing a child is a heartache that words can hardly capture. I know all too well the sorrow of having to say goodbye to someone you love because of this devastating issue. That's why I believe so passionately in the importance of this fund. It offers hope and support to families who are grappling with similar tragedies."

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"It is encouraging to see local leaders listen to those most impacted by the opioid crisis and take action to address the pressing needs of our community by providing financial assistance to families," said Nubian Square Task Force member Lois Frazier. "This ongoing tragedy has left countless families, including my own, grappling with unimaginable loss and pain. While financial assistance cannot bring lost loved ones back, it represents a significant step toward offering hope, comfort, and support to help families navigate such challenging times."

The support fund is one of several investments from Boston's share of the State's opioid settlements. Boston will incrementally receive at least $22 million through 2038. The settlements follow years of litigation, including a suit brought by the City of Boston against drug makers and opioid distributors for fueling the opioid epidemic. From July 2021 through December 2022, then-Attorney General Maura Healey announced four settlements that will provide almost a billion dollars to Massachusetts over 18 years. A portion of those funds gets distributed across the Commonwealth to cities and towns for prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. Late last year, BPHC announced $1 million in grants to five community organizations to prevent overdose deaths and provide substance use treatment in neighborhoods seeing the highest overdose rates. More information about Boston's plans for overdose settlement funding can be found at  boston.gov/opioid-settlements.

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