Olha Yarynich, Contributing Photographer

The Connecticut State Legislature is advancing a new way to address the state’s opioid crisis — establishing overdose prevention centers, or OPCs.

Last month, the Public Health Committee of the Legislature proposed a bill that could help resolve the issue. S.B. 1285 would create a pilot program for four opioid OPCs in Connecticut beginning in June 2026. This would allow people to use drugs in a monitored setting with access to mental health counseling and medical treatment.

“The advantages of overdose prevention centers is that they create a site where people can not just use drugs safely, but also get medical care, get a square meal, a cup of coffee, use a computer and seek treatment through a referral,” Robert Heimer, professor of pharmacology at the School of Public Health, told the News. “It allows drug users to come together, to talk about their problems, to seek treatment if they are ready for it, to talk to people who successfully managed the transition to medication based treatment. It really saves lives.”

According to Heimer, approximately seven million people in the United States struggle with moderate to severe opioid use disorder, contributing to approximately 700,000 deaths annually. In Connecticut alone, the crisis claims an average of 120 lives each month. Though the rate of opioid overdoses is beginning to go down gradually, New Haven continues to be a hotspot for overdose deaths. And the current rate does not appear to be due to increasing fentanyl supply or due to more people going into treatment.

Currently, there are various frameworks for addressing the opioid overdose crisis in New Haven. The first approach is expanding access to methadone, a medication that reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, to help individuals manage opioid use disorder; second, efforts have intensified to distribute naloxone and clean syringes in cities to prevent overdoses and reduce harm; lastly, programs now test drug samples to detect dangerous substances, ensuring users are aware of what they’re consuming. 

However, Heimer points out that accessing these services requires financial resources, awareness, time and personal commitment — barriers that make it challenging for many individuals to get the help they need. OPCs can tackle these barriers.

OPCs provide a safe space for people to use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff, without fear of arrest or of overdose. They provide sterile use supplies, answer questions on safer use practices, administer first aid and watch for an overdose. OPCs have sprang up across the world in 14 countries, though in New England, there is only one in Rhode Island. 

Kimberly Sue, assistant professor of internal medicine at the School of Medicine, indicates that what makes OPCs different from treatment centers like the APT Foundation is the lack of direct treatment. At the APT Foundation, individuals can access treatments like methadone and receive primary care; OPCs are for individuals who are trying to use drugs safely.

“If you inject fentanyl, you don’t know how strong it is. You basically could overdose in the span of one minute to 20 minutes, depending on how much you’re doing. So to reverse that overdose, OPCs provide oxygen or even naloxone. So that’s a medication that’ll kick the fentanyl off of opioid receptors, and you can start breathing again, and it saves your life. Time is brain,” Sue said.

These centers do more than just reverse potentially fatal overdoses; it provides a community of medical and mental support. OPCs are associated with better health benefits as they promote cleaner use of drugs and needles through education, reducing transmissions of diseases. Individuals can access medical resources like vaccines and regular wellness care for half the cost. And when they’re ready, they can access substance use disorder and mental health counseling with educational information. For the community, OPCs reduce public drug use and drug debris.

“In addition, OPCs prevent people from having to go to the emergency department or call anyone or ambulances to send them to the hospital,” Benjamin Howell, assistant professor of general medicine, said. “That is where people and the city can save money. OPCs definitely have been shown to be cost-effective in the long run.”

With holistic care, laundry services and computer access, OPCs can serve as vital community hubs, offering social support to drug users who have been marginalized, abandoned and left to struggle alone on the streets.

According to Heimer, OPCs can also reduce the stigma and its impact around drug addicts and drug users. Many individuals may feel demoralized or blamed for their disease and medical problems, when it’s usually a secondary mental health problem that inspired their drug use. And with the stifling stigma of mental health care, many would rather turn to drugs that make them feel better than seek mental health treatment. The stigma around drug use has also led to subpar treatment in hospitals, where they aren’t prioritized for care and forced to go through withdrawals.

In New York, OPCs are frequently used by the same individuals. According to Sue, during an OPC’s first year of operation in NYC, it recorded 48,000 visits and intervened in 636 overdoses. Most of these visitors were registered with the OPC. While Connecticut’s OPCs will likely see fewer visitors, they will also require individuals to register for services.

Last year, the bill was proposed in the state House of Representatives, though it didn’t pull through despite support from psychiatrists and harm reduction activists. One of the reasons why it didn’t pass was because of fears that OPCs will encourage drug use. However, Sue believes that people will find a way to use drugs, especially those physically dependent on them. 

“So there’s two options,” Sue told the News. “One, I’m going to go use a Dunkin’ Donuts bathroom. I’m going to use a needle that I’ve used multiple times before, that is not sterile and has been shared. I could miss my vein and I could overdose and die there. The other option is you go to a place where it’s clean. You can wash your hands. You can use a new sterile syringe. Someone with training who will watch you and make sure that you’re safe.”

In addition, some community members were fearful that construction of these OPCs will increase local crime. However, according to Sue, that’s been proven false in various research articles done at the national and international level. 

Currently, the Public Health Committee has expressed support for this bill. Howell acknowledges that while Connecticut’s opioid crisis is not as severe as in New York or Vancouver, he sees OPCs primarily as an educational tool and a symbol of solidarity rather than just a response to overdose deaths. 

However, Howell believes that the biggest challenge to passing the bill in Connecticut may not be community sentiment but rather the need for strong governmental support — especially given the political climate under the current presidency. Trump is looking to prosecute those who provide a place to use drugs, and Howell is unsure if the state government is ready to take on the federal attention OPCs might bring.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong; OPCs absolutely work. It’s a great public health intervention,” Howell said. “It just takes a lot of courage on the state’s level to pass a bill that might get some fire from the federal government.”

As of 2025, Connecticut residents are more likely to die from unintentional drug overdose than a motor vehicle crash.