Alexander Y. Walley, M.D., M.Sc., is Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and HIV primary care physician and addiction specialist at Boston Medical Center whose research is focused on overdose prevention. He was the director of the Care Continuum Core for the Massachusetts HEALing Communities Study.  With colleagues, he founded Boston Medical Center’s inpatient addiction consult service and walk-in substance use care bridge clinic.  He serves as the medical director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, the Overdose Prevention Program, and the SafeSpot Overdose Prevention Hotline.

Leo Beletsky JD, MPH, is a Professor of Law and Health Sciences at Northeastern University. His expertise is in the use of legal tools to address health challenges, with special focus on the overdose crisis. He lives in Falmouth with his two sons.

Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP, is the Associate Director of Overdose Prevention and the Director of the SafeSpot Overdose Hotline at Boston Medical Center and an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health. In 2021, he retired as a Lieutenant at a large regional ambulance service in Western Massachusetts, and had served as a first responder since 2013, having worked both as a firefighter and paramedic. He regularly shares for a national audience about his lived experience as a person who uses drugs and overdose survivor. In September 2023, he was featured in the multiple award-winning Episode 809 ("The Call") on This American Life and in August 2025, he was a featured spokesperson for the Ad Council and National Council for Mental Wellbeing "Start with Hope" campaign.

The opioid addiction crisis continues to impact communities across the nation, creating urgent challenges around public health, safety, and access to reliable support services. As trusted, community-centered institutions, libraries are uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in addressing this public health emergency. This discussion will explore the realities of opioid addiction, including its root causes, its far-reaching social impacts, and the barriers individuals face when seeking treatment and recovery resources.

Participants will examine how libraries—through their commitment to equitable access, privacy, and community outreach—can help bridge gaps in care. Some of the topics we will be discussing how we can assist in connecting patrons to local treatment providers, offering evidence-based educational materials, partnering with public health organizations, training staff in trauma-informed service, and developing safe, stigma-free environments where individuals and families can find support.

By highlighting real-world examples and practical strategies, this session aims to empower library professionals and community stakeholders to collaborate in reducing harm, expanding access to care, and fostering resilience within the communities they serve.

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