Uptown Injection Sites Have Reversed 314 Overdoses At 6-Month Mark

UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — A pair of first-of-their-kind injection sites in Upper Manhattan have reversed 314 drug overdoses since opening on Nov. 30, 2021, new data shows.

That's more than one-and-a-half overdoses reversed every day since both opened last fall.

“Supervised safe consumption is a life-saving, medical intervention," said Sam Rivera, OnPoint NYC’s Executive Director, in a statement. "Every person that walks through our doors has a story, someone that loves them and hopes for a life that is not defined by addiction or trauma."

"Every one of them deserves compassion and a chance at healing," Rivera added. "I’m proud of my team and their dedication. I’m also proud of our participants who despite their struggles are taking steps to stay alive and heal. It’s an honor to be here for them.”

OnPoint NYC, which operates the East Harlem and Washington Heights safe consumption centers, announced the six-month data on Tuesday:

• The uptown consumption centers have been used 20,708 times by 1,252 registered participants.
• The uptown consumption centers have safely disposed of 472,670 syringes, including those that their dedicated teams pick up in public areas and parks near the sites.

OnPoint did not immediately provide Patch with the number of overdoses reversed at each respective site.

OnPoint did, though, share exclusively with Patch in January that the Washington Heights site, on West 180th Street near Amsterdam Avenue, reversed 47 overdoses in its opening 35 days — meaning that the staff reversed about 1.3 overdoses a day during that period.

The East Harlem site, on East 126th Street near Park Avenue, reversed 29 overdoes through that period.

Last month, The CITY published a report outlining how two subway stations near the new injection sites are becoming "default go-tos" for users when OnPoint closes its prevention centers at 8 p.m. each day.

Rivera acknowledged that the 181st street stop and the 125th street station on the Lexington Avenue line can be a draw after hours.

"It's true," Rivera told The CITY. "People will go to the safest place possible."

Janno Liber, the MTA Chairperson, said in March that the drug use at the 181st Street station is a "serious problem," while also citing the new nearby injection site.

New York City is currently struggling with a record 2,000 fatal overdoses annually, according to a release from OnPoint.

OnPoint provides the following services to users who come into its facilities, medical and mental health care, onsite access to Buprenorphine and other addiction treatment options, Hepatitis C and HIV testing and treatment, holistic services, hygiene and respite, food, clothing, and other critical supports.

The two uptown supervised injection sites for drug users are the first opened in the United States.

Read More:

• First Of Its Kind Injection Site Opens In Wash Heights: Report
• Supervised Injection Site Opens In Harlem In Historic Move