Rhode Island is set to open its first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center (OPC) this fall, according to a report by Filter Mag.
The center, operated by Project Weber/RENEW, will be located at 45 Willard Ave in Providence and is expected to provide vital resources and support to individuals who use and are addicted to illicit drugs like heroin.
“We plan to have the overdose prevention center open in the fall”, said Claire Macon in Providence, Rhode Island, who is the outlets Overdose Prevention Center Manager.
Project Weber/RENEW has been a longstanding organization in Providence, serving people who use drugs, those living with HIV, sex workers, transgender individuals, and the homeless for nearly two decades. The new OPC will build on the organization’s existing work by offering a safe space where individuals can use drugs under supervision, access harm reduction services, and receive support for other health and social needs.
Overdose prevention centers, also known as safe drug consumption sites, have been shown to save lives by preventing overdoses and offering essential resources to individuals using drugs on-site. Nearly 200 authorized OPCs currently operate across 14 countries. Despite the ongoing overdose crisis in the U.S., the country did not open its first OPCs until November 2021, when two sites were launched by OnPoint NYC in Manhattan. These centers have reported significant success, with well over 1,000 overdoses averted among more than 4,000 participants by the end of 2023.
Rhode Island was the first state to officially authorize OPCs, passing legislation in July 2021 to create a pilot program. The journey to opening the state’s first center, however, has been complex. Dr. Alexandra Collins, a medical social scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at Brown University, noted that Rhode Island took a different approach compared to New York by going through a legislative process. She emphasized that the center in Rhode Island will offer a comprehensive model, integrating harm reduction services with clinical and treatment support through VICTA, the OPC’s clinical partner.
The process to establish Rhode Island’s first OPC involved several hurdles. Although regulations were set in February 2022, it wasn’t until late that year that the state began accepting proposals for the site, funded partially by opioid settlement money. Initially, the location and healthcare partner were different, but due to various challenges, the partnership shifted to VICTA, and a new location was selected.
Claire Macon, the OPC manager at Project Weber/RENEW, explained that the new site near the Rhode Island Hospital campus is accessible and strategically placed to serve the community effectively. The Providence City Council authorized the plans in February 2024, and the center is expected to open by the fall.
Macon highlighted the importance of co-locating the OPC with the organization’s drop-in center, which will allow individuals who use drugs to access a wide range of resources in one place. The center will include both inhalation and injection booths and will be staffed by people with lived experience, a core value of Project Weber/RENEW.
The opening of this OPC is seen as a critical step in addressing the state’s ongoing overdose crisis. In 2023, Rhode Island reported 404 overdose deaths, a slight decrease from the previous year but still alarmingly high. The center is expected to play a key role in preventing such tragedies by providing a safe, supportive environment for drug use and linking individuals to health and social services.
Dr. Collins expressed optimism about the center’s impact, noting that it will serve as a community space where people who use drugs can access not only harm reduction services but also comprehensive support. The center’s launch is the result of years of advocacy by community organizers, harm reduction workers, and individuals with lived experience.
As Rhode Island prepares to open its first state-sanctioned OPC, it sets a precedent for other states to follow in addressing the overdose crisis with evidence-based, compassionate care.
