Stephen P. Murray, MPH, NRP
Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Community Health Sciences

MPH, Boston University School of Public Health
BA, University of Miami

Pronouns: he/him/his



Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP, is the Associate Director of Overdose Prevention at Boston Medical Center and Program Director of the SafeSpot Overdose Hotline. He is an Adjunct Assistant Clinical 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 used drugs and overdose survivor. Stephen provides expert technical assistance around the topics of overdose prevention, emergency medical services, workforce and harm reduction to a variety of organizations, county and state governments across the country, including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, the National Academies of Medicine, and the National Governors Association. He has guest lectured at over a dozen universities including at Harvard University, University of Southern California, UMASS Medical School, and Georgetown University. He has research published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Substance Use & Addiction Journal, American Journal of Public Health and Health Promotion Practice. In September 2023, he was featured in the multiple award-winning Episode 809 ("The Call") on This American Life.

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Daneker E, Murray S, Poole X, Gibson M, Gainor D. Key Takeaways and Progress on Leveraging EMS in Overdose Response Among Five Learning Collaborative States. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2025; 29(4):556-560. PMID: 39589319; DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2024.2432510;
     
  2. Russell E, Hawk M, Neale J, Bennett AS, Davis C, Hill LG, Winograd R, Kestner L, Lieberman A, Bell A, Santamour T, Murray S, Schneider KE, Walley AY, Jones TS. A call for compassionate opioid overdose response. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Nov; 133:104587.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39299143
     
  3. Jawa R, Ismail S, Shang M, Murray S, Murray-Krezan C, Zheng Y, Mackin S, Washington K, Alvarez P, Dillon J, McMurtrie G, Stein M, Walley A, Liebschutz JM. Drug use practices and wound care experiences in the age of xylazine adulteration. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024 Oct 01; 263:112390.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39173221
     
  4. Jawa R, Blakemore S, Murray S, Ventura AS, Hristova T, Wilder A, Shang M, Johnson T, LaBelle C. Wound Care Capacity of the Addiction Workforce in the Setting of Xylazine. J Addict Med. 2024 Nov-Dec 01; 18(6):723-726.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39051898; PMCID: PMC11610909; DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001352;
     
  5. Jawa R, Murray S, Blakemore S, Ventura AS, Hristova T, Wilder A, Shang M, LaBelle C. Xylazine and Adulterants in the Evolving Drug Supply: Urgent Call for Responsive Education Models. Subst Use Addctn J. 2024 Apr; 45(2):168-175.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38375666; PMCID: PMC11121508; DOI: 10.1177/29767342241231114;
     
  6. Beaugard C, Formica SW, Cummins E, Bagley SM, Beletsky L, Green TC, Murray SP, Yan S, Xuan Z, Walley AY, Carroll JJ. Privacy and confidentiality in Massachusetts' postoverdose outreach programs: Mixed methods analysis of outreach staff surveys and interviews. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2023. View Publication
  7. Jawa R, Murray SP, Tori M, Bratberg J, Walley A. Federal policymakers should urgently and greatly expand naloxone access. American Journal of Public Health. 2022; 112(4):558-561. View Publication
  8. Murray SP, Walley AY, Reilly B . Caring for People Who Use Drugs: Best Practices for EMS Providers. Health Promotion Practice. 2022. View Publication

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 8 publications over 3 distinct years, with a maximum of 5 publications in 2024

YearPublications
20222
20231
20245

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Recent (within 3 months)

Volunteers will work to spread overdose awareness at Berkshire County harm reduction day of action

WAMC Northeast Public Radio 5/29/2025

'Would you like some Narcan?' Over 100 Narcan kits distributed during Berkshire harm reduction 'Day of Action'

The Berkshire Eagle 5/1/2025

Older

Texas’ War on Drug Users

Texas Observer 1/7/2025

A promise fulfilled: mother launches 'overdose awareness' license plate after son's death

The Boston Globe 1/2/2025

These people used Narcan to save lives. Here’s how they did it.

The Washington Post 12/27/2024

Fatal overdoses often happen when users are alone. Hotlines, sensors can save lives.

The Washington Post 10/19/2024

Overdose deaths saw a sharp drop in the U.S. Experts hope it’s not a blip.

CBC Radio 10/18/2024

Drug overdose deaths dropping drastically, but the exact causes unclear.

The New York Times 9/21/2024

SHNS Talks With SafeSpot's Stephen Murray

House News Service 8/16/2024

“All of my friends are dead”: The overdose crisis is taking a toll on harm reduction workers

Salon 5/18/2024

Tranq and other drugs are causing harder-to-revive overdoses across Mass.

Globe 2/24/2024

Alum Directs First State-Funded Hotline to Help Prevent Overdoses.

Boston University School of Public Health News 2/3/2024

Observers note Healey’s silence on opioid overdose deaths.

One Drive 1/18/2024

Experts say 'everyone' should have easy access to Narcan in case they happen across a overdose in progress, after recent FDA approval

The Berkshire Eagle 3/31/2023

Boston warns of surge in overdoses linked to cocaine laced with fentanyl

WBUR 2/24/2023

NH Warns About ‘Concerning' Rise in Use of Animal Sedative Drug Known as ‘Tranq'

NBC 10 2/16/2023

A Drug Meant to Sedate Large Animals Is Being Used on the Streets – And It's Causing Abscesses, Ulcers and More

NBC 10 2/8/2023

‘It’s kind of Russian Roulette’: How an animal tranquilizer is adding new risks to street drugs in New Hampshire

NHPR 1/20/2023

This overdose survivor didn't take no from the RMV. It listened, then OK'd a 'NARCAN' plate

The Berkshire Eagle 1/19/2023

After a spat with the RMV, this BMC researcher is taking his ‘NARCAN’ license plate on the road

Boston Globe 1/13/2023

2023 International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users: Community Award
2023 First Community Church: Mitch Snyder Award
2022 Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction: Community Professional Award
2022 Berkshire Community College Foundation: Berkshire 40 Under Forty
2022 Boston University School of Public Health, John McCahan Education Day: Best Student Abstract Award
2020 Northern Berkshire Community Coalition: Neighborly Spotlight Award
2018-2019 Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services Committee: Emergency Medical Services Save Award
2018 Northern Berkshire EMS: Paramedic of the Year
2016 Action Ambulance, Inc.: EMT of the Year
2015 Animal Control Officers of Massachusetts: Shining Star Award
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Harm Reduction
Overdose, Drug
Opiate Addiction
drug policy
Naloxone
Emergency Medical Services
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