USA. Baseline Report Shows Nation’s First Overdose Prevention Centers are Safe, Effective, and Responsive to Community Needs

New York, NY – OnPoint NYC, operator of the only locally-approved overdose prevention centers (OPCs) in the United States, released a baseline report with detailed findings from year one of their operation, the first report of its kind. The OPC model allows for trained professionals to be immediately present at the onset of concerning symptoms, able to intervene within seconds. The model also plays a critical role in bringing public drug use inside, removing hazardous waste from public spaces, and connecting people who use drugs with treatments and other health services. Findings show that proper training and proximity were key in preventing overdose deaths and other health risks associated with drug use. As the overdose crisis, driven by the increasingly potent, unpredictable drug supply, claims over 100,000 lives every year nationwide, this groundbreaking report underscores the urgency around replicating this model and opening OPCs across the country. (DPA – Drug Policy Alliance, USA, 13.12.2023)

https://drugpolicy.org/news/baseline-report-shows-nations-first-overdose-prevention-centers-are-safe-effective-and-responsive-to-community-needs/