By John Hamilton, CEO and President, Liberation Programs
Senate Bill 7 would allow for the creation of four overdose prevention centers in Connecticut. These are safe, supervised spaces where people can use their pre-obtained substances in the presence of trained staff who intervene in the event of an overdose.
This bill (Raised as Senate Bill 1285) recently advanced to the floor after a vote in the Public Health Committee, where it passed almost along party lines. 9 Republicans opposed it, while 22 Democrats and 1 Republican voted in favor. Though divided in their votes, all members expressed deep concern for the lives impacted by addiction and overdose. This crisis touches nearly everyone, as many Americans know someone who has died from an overdose, leaving a wake of grief behind.
At the heart of the debate lies a critical question: “Do overdose prevention centers help people get into treatment?”
To address this, we must define what we mean by ‘treatment.’
Treatment as Abstinence?
For many, “treatment” means complete abstinence from drug use. This belief is foundational to 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), which frame addiction as a disease best treated through lifelong abstinence, peer support, and spiritual principles. While some people do find long-term recovery through abstinence-based programs, research shows that such strict abstinence is not a viable path for everyone. Addiction is a chronic relapsing condition, and data suggest that about 70% of people with an opioid use disorder will relapse at some point. This is not a moral failure, it is the nature of the condition.
Why does this matter? Because relapse, especially after a period of abstinence, drastically increases their risk of overdose. Individuals lose their drug tolerance, and the modern drug supply is increasingly contaminated with fentanyl and xylazine, making even small relapses deadly. If our goal is to reduce overdose deaths, we must acknowledge that abstinence alone does not work for most people and should not be the only option.
Treatment as Detox and Rehab?
Others equate treatment with detoxification (i.e., withdrawal management) and inpatient rehabilitation programs – often called detox and rehab. While these programs can be helpful, they are not sufficient on their own. Research shows that people with addiction have a chronic condition in which the median time from first to last use is 27 years. This underscores a critical point: Substance use is rarely an immediate, one-time problem that can be resolved through a short-term intervention like one visit to detox or rehab. For people with long drug use histories, expecting instant or permanent change is not only unrealistic but also harmful. When individuals repeatedly enter programs that do not work for them, they are often discharged back into environments that increase their overdose risk—particularly if they have lost tolerance. Without ongoing support, detoxes alone have low success rates—many people relapse soon after leaving, often returning to use at levels that increase overdose risk. Further, withdrawal and detoxification are incredibly difficult, leading to symptoms such as fever, vomiting, seizures, and hallucinations. Sadly, Rehab programs that do not integrate medication for opioid use disorder often have poor outcomes—one Connecticut-based study found that individuals who continued using opioids had similar or even lower overdose death rates than those who attended detox and rehab without medication support.
So, what does work?
Treatment as Medication for Opioid Use Disorder?
The gold standard of addiction treatment is MOUD, such as methadone and buprenorphine. These medications (1) reduce drug cravings, (2) stabilize withdrawal symptoms, and (3) lower one’s risk of relapse and overdose. Overdose prevention centers can serve as a critical bridge to evidence-based treatment, providing a low-barrier entry point where individuals can engage with professionals and learn about medications for opioid use disorder, mental health support, and social services.
But what if “treatment” could be even broader than that?
Treatment as Any Positive Change?
Overdose prevention centers operate on the harm reduction principle that any positive change is a step in the right direction. On any given day, a person visiting an overdose prevention center may not enter treatment as defined above (i.e., abstinence, rehab, detox, medication for opioid use disorder), but they do stay alive another day, connected to and supported by staff and peers who will help them with treatment if and when they make that step.
Each visit represents a moment of stability, a chance to engage in community, ask questions about safer use and overdose prevention, and make decisions at their own pace. While on a given day, someone visiting an overdose prevention center may not enter treatment as traditionally defined, they become part of a community that instinctively loves and cares for them. They might return the next day, alive and knowing they are safe. This could be the day they start a conversation with a peer worker, receive a pamphlet about support groups, or make an appointment with a doctor for a health issue. Over time, they might learn about access to mental health specialists and social workers. Eventually, they might inquire about medication-assisted treatment like methadone.
Overdose prevention centers offer a safe space where individuals are empowered by the community and the choice to pursue what is right for them at that moment. They build trust within a system that supports their needs rather than punishes them.
This process is not hypothetical — it is a documented reality.
Do Overdose Prevention Centers Get People into Treatment?
Decades of evidence say yes. Overdose prevention centers already exist in countries such as Canada, Australia, Spain, Germany, and Denmark. Research demonstrates overdose prevention centers increase engagement in treatment services (including medications for opioid use disorder, rehabilitation, detoxification, etc.) among people who use drugs, increase engagement with mental health care and healthcare systems in general (e.g., primary care), reduce overdose deaths, lower public drug use, and much more. New York City’s overdose prevention centers are already proving successful, offering wraparound services that acknowledge the complex realities of addiction — including trauma, mental health issues, and social barriers.
Senate Bill 7: Crucial for Treatment of Substance Use in Connecticut
Senate Bill 7 would create four pilot overdose prevention centers within existing service hubs, ensuring that visitors receive access to treatment options tailored to their individual needs—whether that means abstinence, medication for opioid use disorder, harm reduction, or social support.
Rather than pushing an immediate “success-or-failure” model of treatment, overdose prevention centers acknowledge that recovery is a long-term process with many stages. While some individuals may take years to transition into traditional treatment, their first step may simply be staying alive long enough to make that choice.
A common misconception is that overdose prevention centers “compete” with abstinence-based models like NA/AA. However, they complement these systems by meeting people where they are rather than demanding immediate abstinence. Some people will ultimately choose abstinence-based recovery. Some will choose MOUD and harm reduction. Some will take years to transition into formal treatment, but all deserve to live long enough to make that choice.
Instead of arguing “which model is better?” we should ask: How can we expand recovery options so more people can survive and thrive? The evidence is clear: Overdose prevention centers are one of those options.
Do OPCs help people get into treatment?
Yes—when we recognize that treatment means more than just abstinence.
Yes—when we acknowledge that recovery is a process, not an on/off switch.
Yes—when we focus on saving lives first, people have the chance to seek treatment when they are ready.
Senate Bill 7 is an opportunity to put science and compassion into policy. Liberation is prepared to support solutions that work.
