Public Health and Safety for Families:
Burlington's Overdose Prevention Center
Bella Fearn: VHRA & BTV Clean up Crew
What is an OPC?
An overdose prevention center (OPC) aims to reduce drug-related harms, prevent overdoses, and offer a pathway to recovery while improving public health and safety.
These centers provide sterile equipment, overdose reversal medications like naloxone, and connections to healthcare, addiction treatment, and social services.
What is H.72 / Act 178?
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
H.72, passed in June 2024, is aimed to address the overdose crisis.
The law establishes a pilot program for an overdose prevention center in Burlington using opioid resettlement funds.
The pilot program includes rigorous research and evaluation to ensure its effectiveness and safety.
Why Burlington?
Chittenden 22.4%
Rutland 14.3%
Windham 12.2%
Windsor 11.2%
Bennington 8.2%
Washington 7.1%
Orleans 5.1%
Essex 3.1%
Lamoille 2%
Existing Need
Since 2021, Chittenden County has consistently reported the highest number of opioid-related fatal overdoses among all counties in Vermont.
Burlington is home to institutions like the UVM Medical Center, providing immediate medical support if necessary.
The city has robust nonprofit & government collaborations addressing substance use, making it easier to integrate an OPC into existing systems.
Healthcare and Support Infrastructure
What Burlington's Overdose Prevention Center Can Offer..
Vermont Overdose Prevention Center Operating Guidelines
1. Hazardous Waste Disposal
OPC Services
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
2. Services & Support Referrals
OPC Services
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
3. Educational Resources
OPC Services
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
4. Observation
OPC Services
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
5. Overdose Response
OPC Services
Benefits:
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
6. Safe Supplies
OPC Services
Provide supplies for safer use and harm reduction practices including:
7. Screenings & Other Services
OPC Services
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
IMPORTANT NOTE: Youth & The OPC
All services at the OPC for people under 18 must follow state and federal laws, including HIPAA.
This means children cannot consume illicit substances at the OPC.
Impacts of an OPC
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
1. Overdose Prevention
OPCs save lives by preventing overdose deaths— trained professionals are on-site to immediately intervene at the earliest signs of overdose.
OnPoint NYC: As of April 2025, there have been over 171,000 site visits, and staff have reversed over 1,700 overdoses (OnPoint NYC, n.d.)
Weber Renew
First Year Report Here: https://weberrenew.org/wp- content/uploads/2025/05/impact-report-3.pdf
2. Reduce Litter and Syringe Debris in Surrounding Areas
Impacts of an OPC
*Photo from @onpoint_NYC
Before the opening of the OPCs, NYC Parks reported collecting an average of 13,000 syringes per month from Highbridge Park – located across the street from the Washington Heights location. In the month following the opening of the OPCs, syringe collection dropped to 1,000 per month.
“If you allow people a safe space to use drugs—with drug testing, clean needles, and a place to safely dispose of them—it will reduce the amount of time you spend collecting needles. It will lower the risk of getting stuck by a needle, and it will mean fewer overdose incidents for you to handle. An OPC will take all this off your plate so you can focus on what you came here to do in the first place.“
~ Maj. Mike Hilliard (Ret.)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Syringe Litter Risks
Syringe litter looks scary, but the actual risk of catching a disease from it is very low.
Viruses like HIV and hepatitis C do not survive well outside the human body, especially once blood inside a syringe has dried and been exposed to air, light, and temperature changes.
There has never been a documented case in the United States of someone getting HIV from a needle picked up in a public place, and the risk of hepatitis from this kind of exposure is also extremely small.
The main danger from discarded syringes is not disease, but accidental puncture wounds that can be painful and frightening.
3. Divert Public Drug Use
Impacts of an OPC
OPCs divert public drug use by bringing people off the streets and into settings where care is accessible
One Canada study found that among those willing to use an OPC, 64% said they would “always/usually” use it (i.e., they’d use it instead of using elsewhere). (Pauly, Wallace, & Parkes, 2019).
4. Do Not Increase Crime in the Surrounding Area
Impacts of an OPC
Research from cities with OPCs shows that OPCs do not lead to more theft, violence, or drug-related crime in surrounding areas. (Davidson, Lambdin, Browne, Wenger, & Kral, 2021)
A study of Onpoint NYC also showed no statistically significant increases in violent crimes or property crimes in the neighborhoods around the OPCs. (Chalfin, del Pozo, & Mitre‑Becerril, 2023)
5. Increase Pathways to Recovery and Treatment
Impacts of an OPC
According to OnPoint’s first-year baseline report, 1 in 5 participants (20%) were referred to services including housing, detox, treatment, primary care, or employment supports.
The same report says 100% of participants who wanted detox or inpatient substance use treatment were connected to outside providers. (Drug Policy Alliance, 2023)
6. Reduce the Spread of Infectious Diseases
Impacts of an OPC
OPC reduce needle‑sharing, which suggests lower risk of blood-borne infections such as HIV and HCV. (Health Canada, 2008)
Each new HIV case costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the U.S., most HIV care is paid through Medicaid, Medicare. The lifetime medical cost of treating one person with HIV was estimated at $350,000-$400,000 in 2012 in today’s dollars and can exceed $1 million over a lifetime, making prevention a fiscally responsible investment for communities.
7. Reduce the Burden on First Responders & Cost of Emergency Services
Impacts of an OPC
In Onpoint’s first year, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were only called 23 times out of 48,533 visits, freeing up capacity for first responders to respond to other calls.
Khair, Eastwood, & Lu et al. (2022) modeled a supervised consumption site in Calgary, Canada, and found each overdose managed on-site saved ~CA$1,600 from avoided ambulance and ED care; over the lifetime of the site that totaled CA$2.3 million.
~ Maj. Mike Hilliard (Ret.)
“Overdoses—that’s the hardest part of the job. Getting called to an overdose means you might end up knocking on a door and saying, ‘Ma’am, I’m so sorry, but your son or daughter has died from an overdose.’ There’s nothing harder than that.”
8. Potential Cost-Savings on Community Resources
Impacts of an OPC
Providence: The OPC would save $1.1 million annually (Chambers et al., 2022).
New York City: One OPC would save
$0.8-$1.6 million annually. Four OPCs would save $2.9-$5.7 million annually (Behrends et al., 2019).
Talking with kids about substance use and OPCs
Why it’s important to talk about this
a. 50% of people aged 12 and older have used illicit drugs at least once, approximately
b. 20.6% of Vermonters aged 12 and older reported experiencing a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year.
Five strategies for conversations with kids
From Original Zine by Emma Redden for Dad Guild
Defining Substance Use Disorder
Clinical Definition: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a condition in which a person’s repeated use of alcohol or drugs causes serious harm, including health problems, disability, or difficulty meeting responsibilities at work, school, or home.
Age Appropriate Language: A Substance Use Disorder is when drugs make it hard for someone to have a healthy body, go to school or work, or take care of family and friends.
Defining Overdose Prevention Center
Clinical Definition: Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) are facilities designed to reduce the potential risks of drug use, including overdose and unwanted public use. OPCs help bring public drug use indoors. Participants bring their own drugs. Trained staff provide sterile supplies and intervene if an overdose occurs.
Age Appropriate Language: OPC stands for Overdose Prevention Center. It's a place where adults who use drugs can go to get help. No one should die because they use drugs. OPCs make sure that people don’t die from drugs.
Learn More About OPCs
opcinfo.org
Vermont Harm Reduction Advocates
vtharmreductionadvocates.org/
Mayor's Office OPC Page www.burlingtonvt.gov/1077/Overdose- Prevention-Center-Implementatio
Sources
Additional Sources