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September 08, 2022

Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium Holds Quarterly Meeting to Discuss OnPoint NYC’s Safe Injection Sites

At its most recent meeting last month, the Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium welcomed Pia Marcus, director of syringe access & program innovation at OnPoint NYC, to discuss the impact of the organization on the community.

The first safe injection site in the United States and the largest harm reduction service provider on the east coast, OnPoint NYC offers a variety of services including overdose prevention sites, which are safe spaces for drug use monitored by trained professionals.

“We really believe that people should not be using drugs in the street, in the park, in a playground and/or behind a locked door. People who use drugs are everybody’s child, mother, father, family member and the care for this unique group of people is becoming more dire as overdose deaths skyrocket,” said Marcus.

In 2021, more than 107,600 people died from a drug overdose nationwide. OnPoint NYC is aiming to change that by leading as an example of the impact that can be made by providing a supervised consumption space. Since opening last year in East Harlem and Washington Heights, their team has intervened in more than 400 overdoses, resulting in zero deaths. This immediate intervention by the highly trained staff allows for downstream cost savings to hospitals and additional positives within the community. 

Marcus highlighted the value of a safe consumption space by sharing the impacts they’ve seen in the community, including a reduction in: discarded syringes in public spaces, police interactions and cost to criminal justice system, public disorder, public drug use, the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, overdose death and cost to the healthcare system.

While OnPoint NYC is new within the United States, having opened in 2021, there are more than 120 safe consumption sites across the world with the first one opening in 1986 in Berne, Switzerland. In the 35+ years since then, there has never been a fatal overdose at one of these locations. Marcus believes this model is scalable and can include mobile units such as the one at their location and others, including in Montreal.

OnPoint NYC not only operates their in-person location and a mobile unit, but they offer two virtual options for those looking to use safely. The “never use alone” phone number encourages drug users to call for supervised use which can alert 911 at the first sign of an overdose. Their Brave App consists of a countdown from the time of injection which will notify EMS if a button is not selected by the time the countdown hits zero. The app can also include other health related information and even important notes, such as where a spare key to their home is located. These safety plans are tailored for the individual with the goal of offering help to anyone that intends to use alone.

According to the National Harm Reduction Coalition, harm reduction incorporates a spectrum of strategies that includes safer use, managed use, abstinence, meeting people who use drugs “where they’re at,” and addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.

In addition to the supervision, OnPoint NYC can be an entryway to other kinds of care. The organization provides long term treatment and detoxification services as well as supportive services including mental health services and individual counseling, in-house clinical services like wound care and HIV and hepatitis C testing, and education. 

To learn more about OnPoint NYC, visit onpointnyc.org.

ABOUT THE NORTHEAST OHIO HOSPITAL OPIOID CONSORTIUM
Each day, the heroin and opioid crisis continues to decimate communities across the United States, including in Northeast Ohio. Hospitals, law enforcement agencies and mental health providers continue to grapple with addressing the crisis. The Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium works collaboratively to address the region’s opioid epidemic by using these strategies: sharing and implanting evidence-based practices, promoting policy changes and increasing prevention efforts.
For more information on the Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium and its work to address the heroin and opioid crisis in Northeast Ohio, please contact us.