Harm Reduction Issues
Overdose Prevention Centers
Overdose prevention centers (OPCs), also known as safer drug consumption services (SCS), are designated sites where people can use pre-obtained drugs under the safety and support of trained personnel. Over the last 30 years, OPCs have been implemented across 100+ sites in 60+ cities in 11 countries around the world.
Understand the basics and effectiveness of OPCs in this guide
Overdose Prevention Centers
An Effective Harm Reduction Strategy
OPCs connect people to support services, including housing placement and drug treatment. Over the last three decades, OPCs have demonstrated numerous benefits including:
Contrary to what one might assume, OPCs do not increase drug use, crime or bring drug use into communities. And they can save millions of dollars a year.
Preventing overdose
Reduction in HIV and hepatitis C transmission
Reducing injection-related infection
Reduction of public injections
Safe disposal of syringes
Increased access to medical and social services
Overdose Prevention Centers in the US
Harm reduction is pushing for progress toward implementing OPCs in the United States, but we have much work to do. In July 2021, Rhode Island became the first state to authorize supervised consumption services in the US. Later that year, two sites opened in NYC. Rhode Island’s OPC was opened in December 2024.
We’ll continue to share where we are, how far we have left to go, and the milestones and victories that happen along the way.
Get the scoop on where we are, policy challenges we face, OPC models, benefits, local campaigns, and more.
We partnered with other groups in New York City to discuss implementing OPCs locally. See what we learned.
Case for Overdose Prevention Centers
We hold a vision of supportive environments for people who use drugs in this country. We hope that in the not-so-distant future we’ll be curating photos and best practices of OPC sites here at home; until then we’ll share tools and info from other countries that have been doing this for more than 30 years.