Boston Mayor Marty Walsh walked through a city neighborhood this week that's been the subject of a series of meetings because of the overt signs of social problems there.

At the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, the hub of what was once dubbed "Methadone Mile" but the mayor now calls "Recovery Road," people crowd. Many people come to this neighborhood for social services, primarily substance use treatment, and they are eager to talk.

"Aren't you Marty Walsh?" A woman yells. "My friend has a really big crush on you."

The mayor smiles and asks her why she's in the area. She — like many of those waiting to talk with him — is here for substance use treatment.

This is the first time the mayor has walked around the neighborhood with three of the outreach workers he put here six months ago amid complaints about things such as used needles littering the streets and the number of people congregating in this area, many clearly inebriated, openly buying and/or selling drugs — most in desperate need of services.

While many were clearly happy to talk with mayor, several had complaints about things such as the homeless shelters, police officers or the difficulty getting treatment. Jenna, 29, who doesn't want her last name used, says she has been using methadone for more than a year, but programs specifically for women are scarce.

"I'm just waiting for female programming," she tells the mayor. "There are 25 men's programs for every one female program. That's a fact."

There are several treatment programs in the area, as well as halfway houses, two methadone clinics, homeless shelters and busy Boston Medical Center. Despite the array of services, many people tell the mayor about their difficulties finding long-term treatment and so-called "holdings" where people wait after detox for placement in a halfway house or other structured program. Many of those who approach the mayor know that Walsh himself is in recovery. One man, also using methadone to treat his opioid addiction, tells Walsh he's looking for help.

"I don't know how to put it, but when you said you were an alcoholic, I can relate, because I struggle too," the man told Walsh. The mayor asked him if he goes to 12-Step meetings, and he said he wants more intensive treatment.

"I'm trying to get into a program ... anywhere right now," he told the mayor.

Outreach workers Paul Goncalves, Dwayne Brown and Bobbie Wright pose with Mayor Marty Walsh. (Deborah Becker/WBUR)

Trying to connect people with services is a big part of what the outreach workers do as they canvass the streets carrying large black duffel bags with syringe boxes and other items to pick up the carelessly tossed drug paraphernalia littering the streets.

One of the workers, Bobby Wright, says his job is about connecting with people and not judging them.

"It's all about meeting people where they're at," Wright said. "We work hard to develop relationships."

The Boston Public Health Commission outreach workers walk the neighborhood every day, talking with people, going to meetings at treatment facilities and shelters, speaking with business leaders and others about improving the atmosphere.

Outreach worker Dwayne Brown says they typically work in pairs and approach people gathering in groups.

"We try to engage some of the guys and try to see where we can set them up at — whether they need lunch at the shelter, or even the women here at the women's shelter. Some of the businesses will call us, and they'll let us know: 'We have syringes out here that need to be picked up,' or 'We have a person who's distraught.' Each day is a little bit different," Brown said.

The city is also pairing the workers with workers from other agencies. City health officials say the outreach workers have connected more than 600 people with services in less than six months, and the city says the workers were involved with reversing more than two dozen opioid overdoses.

Mayor Walsh is pleased: "They're clearly making an impact and building relationships up," he said. "Part of fixing the problem is earning the trust of people, and clearly there is some trust here. You can always see an impact.

"There's so many programs here. It's kind of like it's a melting pot of programs. It's overburdened with programs, which is a tough thing, but it is also a good thing cause there's programs here."