Marking a year of saving lives at the nation’s first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center
From a press release:
Project Weber/RENEW (PWR) is marking nearly one year of operating the country’s first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center, which provides immediate intervention to prevent overdose deaths, underscoring Rhode Island’s leadership in evidence-based, compassionate responses to the overdose crisis.
Located at 45 Willard Avenue in Providence, Project Weber/RENEW’s comprehensive service hub combines basic-needs support with medical and behavioral health care to meet people where they are. The site includes a drop-in center, showers, laundry facilities, case management, recovery housing placements, and connections to treatment services. The overdose prevention center operates alongside these services to ensure life-saving interventions when they are needed most.
See: Project Weber/RENEW opens country’s first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center
Clinical service provider VICTA offers on-site medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, and holistic wellness supports, creating a fully integrated continuum of care. In this model, people seeking access to clinical services, including substance use treatment, can be immediately connected to care.
Since opening in January 2025:
The overdose prevention center has supported 731 individuals across over 7,925 visits;
Trained peer staff have safely intervened in 173 life-threatening circumstances, preventing 91 potentially fatal opioid overdoses; and,
VICTA has provided more than 2,600 clinical services to 343 individuals.
“Every time someone walks through the doors of our overdose prevention center, it is not only an opportunity to keep that person alive, but also a chance to remind them that a full range of services and the support of compassionate peers are here for them, wherever they are in their journey,” said Colleen Daley Ndoye, PWR’s Executive Director. “We are incredibly grateful for such a successful year and want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many people who made this possible, including our partners at the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island.”
Project Weber/RENEW is experiencing increased demand following recent reductions in other support that have historically served the organization’s client base. While the overdose prevention center is supported through opioid settlement dollars and does not utilize federal dollars, the organization’s broader services, including basic needs, harm reduction services, HIV/HCV testing and navigation, case management, recovery housing support, and peer-led outreach, rely on federal passthrough dollars, as well as state and private funding sources.
Individuals, organizations, and community partners interested in supporting this effort may contribute via www.weberrenew.org.