BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Advocates and family members are remembering their loved ones as part of Overdose Awareness Day and calling for more to be done to stem the tide of fatal overdoses. It comes as Burlington is supposed to be well on its way to building the state\u2019s first prevention site, something that some say could have prevented their loved ones\u2019 untimely deaths.<\/p>\n
So-called overdose prevention centers allow people to consume illegal drugs under medical supervision and aim to connect people with health care, housing, treatment, and more. They aim to meet people where they are in their battle against addiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is hard to keep that at the forefront when you\u2019re a community who have a lot of folks that are dealing with this and are unhoused,\u201d said Shayla Livingston with the Vermont Department of Health.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the rate of fatal overdoses has begun to dip. Health department data shows overdoses spiked during the pandemic, but they are beginning to come down. \u201cInvesting in treatment, investing in harm reduction, ensuring people have access to services has contributed and has helped,\u201d Livingston said.<\/p>\n
But some worry doubling down on harm reduction will hurt the Queen City. Many have raised concerns about homelessness, drug trafficking, and quality-of-life concerns, and whether it will bring more drug activity to the area by enabling it. Instead, they\u2019re opting for more enforcement and connecting people with services through the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found no increases in public drug use or in drug litter after the OPC opened,\u201d said Alex Macmadu, an epidemiology professor at Brown University. She studies overdose prevention centers in Rhode Island and New York and says while there isn\u2019t yet United States-specific data, a study of 600 people in Vancouver showed 42% sought treatment after visiting an OPC for two years. \u201cThat data indicates these programs can be successful in getting people into treatment,\u201d Macmadu said.<\/p>\n
But where the facility will go is still up in the air. Burlington officials tell WCAX that they are on schedule to build it. But legislative documents from earlier this year show the city should have acquired a building by May and that site renovations should have been finalized this month, along with equipment purchases and hiring staff.<\/p>\n
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