Worcester health board backs injection site pilot
Photo | Grant Welker
Worcester City Hall
The second largest city in Massachusetts has taken the first step towards supporting overdose prevention centers, sometimes referred to as safe injection sites, where people can use drugs under medical supervision.
The Worcester Board of Health voted unanimously Monday night to support piloting the idea, adding on to a list of communities that see the sites as a solution to the growing opioid epidemic despite the centers being illegal on the state and federal levels.
In the centers, individuals can use pre-acquired drugs free of legal consequences under the supervision of medical professionals who could intervene to prevent an overdose from turning fatal. Such locations have been debated for years, and exist in other countries and New York City has one running overdose prevention facility. Supporters say there has never been an overdose fatality at one of these sites.
"Given the overdose death numbers we've seen in Worcester, they're pretty high," said Worcester Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who supports the measure. "From a humanitarian perspective and looking at the data we cannot afford to stick to the status quo as people suffer, and not trust the research on these programs that says they are effective and safe."
Worcester has the highest opioid mortality in the state, according to Worcester Director of Public Health Dr. Matilde Castiel, with the highest increases in overdose-related deaths among Latino, Black and indigenous residents.
State data show overdose deaths increased by 18 percent in Worcester County in 2022, the largest increase in the state.
The Department of Public Health under Gov. Maura Healey has conceptually embraced overdose prevention centers as a tool to help stem the tide of overdose deaths, and the Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery Committee this month stamped its approval on the latest legislative proposals (H 1981 / S 1242) that would allow cities and towns to open the sites.
Despite the steady opioid overdose death toll and claims that the sites will save lives, House and Senate Democrats have long hesitated to advance the proposals, which former U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling threatened would draw federal prosecution.
A spokesperson for Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said the board of health does not have the authority to "approve" an overdose prevention center, but their vote shows their support for a pilot program.
The state would need to take action to make the sites legally viable, spokesperson Tom Matthews said, and there would also need to be further conversations among city officials, the city council, health providers and stakeholders before being brought before the city council for a vote.
"The administration is working on a report for City Council in response to Councilor Haxhiaj’s order relative to the data on Overdose Protection Centers (OPC) and expects it to be transmitted in the near future. No action will be taken on the potential operation of an OPC in the City of Worcester until further guidance is provided by the State of Massachusetts. At such time, further conversations will be had among City officials, City Council, health providers, stakeholders, and the community at large," Matthews said in a statement.
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