116,000 people died from overdose in North America in 2021.
Brave is on a mission to end overdose fatalities. The main way we do this is by making overdose detection tools that activate community response.
The effectiveness of our tools is the most important measurement of our impact. To date, The Brave App, Brave Buttons, and Brave Sensors have been responsible for:
connections to care
safer spaces
overdoses detected and reversed
Brave Buttons allow supportive housing residents to request a safety check before they use drugs, eliminating the risk of overdose fatality.
This reverse-motion sensor system passively monitors public bathrooms and washrooms for signs of overdose and other emergencies.
Our mobile app lets people who use drugs (PWUD) alone request remote supervision and anonymous overdose support when they are using alone.
In partnership with Grenfell and Dr. Monty Ghosh, we launched an overdose prevention hotline for all Canadians that provides loving, confidential, nonjudgmental support for PWUD. Learn more at www.nors.ca.
Here is NORS’ impact since launching in December 2020.
Read recent news coverage about Brave’s work.
Ending the overdose crisis is bigger than any of us can achieve alone. Together we can accomplish the one thing that matters most: making overdose fatalities a thing of the past.
A supported housing building in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside was struggling with a rise in fatal overdoses. They made the decision to install Brave Buttons in each of its 20 units.
The project quickly made a big impact on the community’s safety and well being. In the first 105 days, the buttons were pressed 472 times, instantly connecting residents with staff support.
A Vancouver-based low-barrier supportive housing building installed Brave Buttons in all room units to connect its residents to caring staff during times of need. In the first two quarters, residents used the buttons 488 times.
Using the Brave chatbot, staff easily recorded notes and details about button requests in real-time, creating rich data about the nature of emergency services provided. Aside from overdose reversal and substance use support, buttons were also used to request support for unsafe guests, personal safety, and neighbors in trouble.
REACH Centre is an urgent and primary care center that supports community health and well being through primary health care, and social programs, and educational services. Staff workload and stress levels were rising due to the overdose crisis.
REACH installed Brave Sensors in all four of its public washrooms, immediately improving patient and staff well being.
