A recovery center that’s been on the frontlines of Boston’s substance use crisis for decades is immediately getting new help to take the fight right to the streets. The dedicated team behind Boston Metro Alive knows firsthand what addiction can do to people and families — many of them have lived it. “When you’re stuck down in a deep, dark hole and somebody shines a light and puts a pathway for you to get out of that hole, it’s your obligation, your responsibility to be that same light for somebody else to come out of that hole,” said Lovlee Harvey, a recovery coach at the center. Harvey knows the struggle because he was in that hole himself. “Homeless, helpless, hopeless and not caring about tomorrow,” Harvey said. “I ended up in the wheelchairs and in the hospitals and the prisons. Everything that could go wrong that adds up with active addiction is my story besides dying. And I came pretty damn close a lot of times.”Harvey knows he could have been a statistic — if not for Metro Boston Alive and founder Gregory Davis. He’s helped thousands of people just like Harvey find their way out of addiction. For Davis, building the kind of trust that gets people into recovery is a big part of the mission. It’s also at the center of his new partnership with Mass General Brigham and their Community Care Van. That mobile health center goes right into neighborhoods like Roxbury to provide help. “They wanted to really start to put some focus on the community of color that has been really invisible for many years in terms of getting resources and support,” Davis said. He can see the impact this effort is having. “I can say to someone, ‘You know what? You need to go into that van because did you get your blood pressure done? No. Did you do this? No. Go in that van right immediately,'” Davis said. “It’s a small but powerful step. It’s not the solution, but it’s towards the solution.”Jasmine Irvin has been a key part of finding that solution. The Dorchester and Roxbury native is the senior program manager for the substance use disorder health equity team at MGB. “We saw the horrible numbers and health outcomes that were happening in our community, particularly around substance use disorder,” Irvin said. “We knew we had to do something.”Irvin also knew getting her team into the communities that need them most was critical.”It’s really boots on the ground,” she said. “Getting in there and rolling up your sleeves and doing the work and touching a lot of people who we may not ever come in contact with.”Irvin said the team is already looking at ways to expand their efforts, increasing visibility and help in Boston’s Black and brown communities. Lovelee Harvey has seen what this partnership can do and says it makes all the difference.”Many lives have been saved and changed because we meet people where they’re at,” Harvey said.
A recovery center that’s been on the frontlines of Boston’s substance use crisis for decades is immediately getting new help to take the fight right to the streets.
The dedicated team behind Boston Metro Alive knows firsthand what addiction can do to people and families — many of them have lived it.
“When you’re stuck down in a deep, dark hole and somebody shines a light and puts a pathway for you to get out of that hole, it’s your obligation, your responsibility to be that same light for somebody else to come out of that hole,” said Lovlee Harvey, a recovery coach at the center.
Harvey knows the struggle because he was in that hole himself.
“Homeless, helpless, hopeless and not caring about tomorrow,” Harvey said. “I ended up in the wheelchairs and in the hospitals and the prisons. Everything that could go wrong that adds up with active addiction is my story besides dying. And I came pretty damn close a lot of times.”
Harvey knows he could have been a statistic — if not for Metro Boston Alive and founder Gregory Davis. He’s helped thousands of people just like Harvey find their way out of addiction.
For Davis, building the kind of trust that gets people into recovery is a big part of the mission. It’s also at the center of his new partnership with Mass General Brigham and their Community Care Van. That mobile health center goes right into neighborhoods like Roxbury to provide help.
“They wanted to really start to put some focus on the community of color that has been really invisible for many years in terms of getting resources and support,” Davis said.
He can see the impact this effort is having.
“I can say to someone, ‘You know what? You need to go into that van because did you get your blood pressure done? No. Did you do this? No. Go in that van right immediately,'” Davis said. “It’s a small but powerful step. It’s not the solution, but it’s towards the solution.”
Jasmine Irvin has been a key part of finding that solution. The Dorchester and Roxbury native is the senior program manager for the substance use disorder health equity team at MGB.
“We saw the horrible numbers and health outcomes that were happening in our community, particularly around substance use disorder,” Irvin said. “We knew we had to do something.”
Irvin also knew getting her team into the communities that need them most was critical.
“It’s really boots on the ground,” she said. “Getting in there and rolling up your sleeves and doing the work and touching a lot of people who we may not ever come in contact with.”
Irvin said the team is already looking at ways to expand their efforts, increasing visibility and help in Boston’s Black and brown communities.
Lovelee Harvey has seen what this partnership can do and says it makes all the difference.
“Many lives have been saved and changed because we meet people where they’re at,” Harvey said.
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