The first state-regulated overdose prevention center in the nation will open in Providence in early 2024, according to a Tuesday by , a Providence-based nonprofit harm reduction organization. Project Weber/RENEW will launch the center in partnership with , an outpatient opioid treatment nonprofit.
Overdose prevention centers, also commonly referred to as harm reduction centers or supervised injection sites, are locations where individuals can use illicit drugs under the watch of medical professionals and other who may also provide other forms of recovery assistance.
Project Weber/RENEW and CODAC were selected to open the location by the R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services after EOHHS put out a for a site in November 2022, The Herald previously reported. The center will be funded by $2.6 million the state received as part of a national with three major opioid distributors.
The new facility still from the Providence City Council and the Rhode Island Department of Health in order to move forward.聽
The center鈥檚 creation follows the extension of Rhode Island鈥檚 harm reduction pilot program. The original bill, passed in 2021, made Rhode Island the first state to provide temporary approval for an overdose prevention center until March 1, 2024, The Herald previously reported. Recently passed legislation has delayed the pilot鈥檚 sunset to March 1, 2026.
鈥淭his is just a remarkably critical component of the continuum of care for the folks that we serve, and they鈥檝e been underserved for so very long,鈥� said Linda Hurley, president and CEO of CODAC. 鈥淚f we can get this done and show that we have created a positive change, then this is going to be a model for a whole lot of people.鈥�
There are currently two overdose prevention centers in the United States 鈥� both in New York City 鈥� but neither has explicit from the state of New York or the federal government. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice plans for another center in Philadelphia, arguing that it would violate federal law.
Parker Gavigan, director of communications for the Providence City Council, wrote in an email to The Herald that the Council and Project Weber/RENEW representatives will meet next week for discussions about the center.聽
Hurley said that meetings next week with the City Council will include Ward 15 Councilman Oscar Vargas visiting the proposed site at 349 Huntington Ave., which lies in the ward he represents. Gavigan confirmed that the visit is one of 鈥渟everal meetings scheduled for next week.鈥�
Dennis Bailer, the overdose prevention program director at Project Weber/RENEW, said he believes a council vote on the issue will occur within a couple of months 鈥渁t most鈥� and that he was confident the plan has enough support on the council.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited just to be able to really be there for people who use (illicit drugs) in a way which has never been done in our country,鈥� said Bailer, who will become a co-director of the center when it opens.
According to the , at Brown鈥檚 School of Public Health will conduct 鈥渁 rigorous evaluation鈥� of the program in order to measure 鈥渋ndividual and community outcomes.鈥�
After the pilot concludes, Bailer said that he hopes the data gathered will show that the center reduces overdose deaths 鈥渇irst and foremost鈥� as well as Emergency Medical Services run costs, public usage and drug paraphernalia litter.聽
Hurley emphasized that the project remains in the early stages of development. She said policies and protocols for the site still need to be developed and medical consultation still needs to be hired. The location itself will also require significant 鈥渂uildout,鈥� she added.
The construction will include the demolition and reconfiguration of the location鈥檚 first floor to build the injection and inhalation rooms, according to Bailer. There are also plans to add additional showers, bathrooms and laundry facilities, he said.
The location is neighbored by a salvage yard, a used car lot and a passenger railway, but no residences, according to Hurley.
Project Weber/RENEW and CODAC have also begun outreach to Providence community members about the project.
According to Bailer, Project Weber/RENEW is planning to conduct door-to-door canvassing as well as a community cleanup in May around the proposed site. He added that there were also potential plans to put in plants and murals around the location to make the area 鈥渕ore welcoming鈥� and 鈥渧ibrant.鈥�
Clients will be able to seek treatment for HIV and Hepatitis C, as well as wound care and other necessary medical referrals at the center, Bailer said. Wound care has become particularly important with the increased presence of xylazine 鈥� an animal tranquilizer known to cause severe tissue damage 鈥� in Rhode Island鈥檚 drug supply.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a wide range of services for people who otherwise aren鈥檛 going to seek out those services鈥� due to stigmatization, Bailer said.
Bailer added that one of the goals of the center is to keep people engaged and 鈥渋n the space as long as possible,鈥� whether they be showering and doing laundry, filling out housing and job applications or playing card games or watching movies, he explained.
This engagement 鈥渨ill encourage people, when they鈥檙e ready, to know that they can trust us to get them in other places鈥� for treatment, Bailer said.
鈥淣o one who has substance abuse disorder had that as their dream,鈥� said Bailer, who is in long-term recovery himself. 鈥淲e had other dreams. And those dreams don鈥檛 go away for most of us. Those dreams remain in our thoughts.鈥�
Bailer added that repeated criminalization and stigmatization have not been effective in addressing the opioid crisis.聽
鈥淟et鈥檚 try something else and see what the numbers show,鈥� he said.
Jacob Smollen is a Metro editor covering city and state politics and co-editor of the Bruno Brief. He is a junior from Philadelphia studying International and Public Affairs.
