Press Release: 2025-01-30
MassDOT Launches Naloxone Pilot Program for Public Safety and Health
Program to equip RMVs and other MassDOT facilities with naloxone stations and provide training on how to recognize and respond effectively to opioid overdose situations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
1/29/2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT
Phone
Call Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT at (857) 368-8500
Online
Email Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT at jacquelyn.goddard@dot.state.ma.us
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is launching the naloxone (Narcan) Public Access Pilot Program, a new initiative aimed at addressing the opioid crisis by installing naloxone stations at select MassDOT facilities. The program will begin with a pilot at three locations: two Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV) locations, Haymarket in Boston and Springfield, along with the ground floor of 10 Park Plaza in Boston. In addition to making Narcan available, the pilot provides training to staff on how to recognize and respond effectively to opioid overdose incidents near these facilities. The initiative is aimed at providing life-saving tools and protecting the wellbeing of both employees and the public, while supporting the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s mission to serve and protect the communities of Massachusetts.
“We know that naloxone saves lives. This is an important step by MassDOT to expand access to this lifesaving medication, which will enhance public health and public safety,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our entire administration is committed to addressing the opioid epidemic, helping people suffering from substance use disorder get treatment, and saving lives.”
"Thousands of people enter MassDOT facilities daily across our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This pilot program will help to ensure that naloxone is available, and that staff is prepared to respond in the case of an emergency. We will all be safer because of this investment.”
“Access to naloxone can help save a life in an emergency, and we are proud to launch this program to enhance safety for both our staff and the public,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “This is part of MassDOT’s commitment to safety and innovation, to promote community health with effective and sensible policies.”
“During a health emergency involving opioid usage every second counts; therefore, easy access to effective remedies such as naloxone can make the difference between life and death,” said MassDOT Chief Safety Officer Pat Lavin. “Our Narcan pilot program is designed to provide the tools and training needed to intervene in such an emergency and, hopefully, to reduce the number of casualties from overdoses.”
“Public safety has and always will be the Registry’s priority,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. “With this commitment to the public, we are pleased to be part of this initiative which helps make a potentially lifesaving resource available to individuals who may need it.”
“Increasing naloxone availability is a key intervention to address preventable opioid-related overdose deaths,” said Deirdre Calvert, Director of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “We applaud MassDOT for taking these steps to train and empower staff to recognize and respond to an overdose, and to provide the public with another opportunity to access naloxone in the event of an emergency.”
“Equipping public buildings with naloxone will save lives while furthering a culture of understanding and support, paving the way for a healthier community,” said RIZE Massachusetts President and CEO Julie Burns. “This is an important starting point to much broader community availability of this essential tool.”
“We know that Narcan can save lives, and as public health advocates, we champion care over ignorance,” said New North Citizens Council CTR Program Director Richard M. Johnson.“Providing this medication to communities without judgment of individuals who may need it is essential for protecting life and essential for protecting public health. It’s that simple.”
“I would like to congratulate MassDOT for recognizing that naloxone saves lives,” said Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR) Executive Director Noel Sierra.“Taking the proper steps to ensure that the RMVs and other MassDOT facilities are equipped with naloxone stations and making sure that the proper training is given is phenomenal. Being proactive as opposed to reactive serves our community so much more.”
Security guards at the three pilot locations have been given formal training for the administration of Narcan, as have RMV employees who personally volunteered to receive this preparedness. The implementation of the naloxone program at MassDOT is expected to have a significant positive impact on both public safety and employee preparedness. This initiative will enhance MassDOT’s ability to support the wellbeing of its community and workforce by integrating critical harm reduction strategies into its operations. The program’s long-term success will bolster emergency response capabilities and will position MassDOT as a leader in public health and safety within state transportation services.
The opioid epidemic continues to impact communities across Massachusetts, with more than 2,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in the state in 2023.
Organizations nationwide have adopted naloxone programs with life-saving results. In July of 2024, the MBTA began the installation of cabinets to support a Public Access Naloxone Pilot on the Red Line. The lifesaving medication is available to the public at Quincy Center, Ashmont, Andrew, South Station, and Harvard. This program is funded as part of the Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget connected to the Department of Public Health’s statewide strategy of promoting harm reduction efforts and community-based harm reduction services.