Community Meeting on Supervised Consumption Sites

The City of Somerville and Fenway Health invite you to the next virtual community meeting about supervised consumption sites (SCS). 

Wednesday, June 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
REGISTER HERE

This forum will discuss what these programs are, what the need is in Somerville, and ongoing efforts to explore establishing an SCS locally. This is an opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and share feedback. 

The meeting will be hosted on Zoom, and there will also be an option to call into the meeting from a phone. Registration is required. You can submit questions for the forum in advance during registration. The meeting will be recorded and posted on this page following the event.

What is a supervised consumption site? SCSs are harm reduction interventions that have been implemented in more than 10 countries, including Canada, Australia, and across Europe to prevent fatal overdoses and connect people to services. People who use drugs are allowed to consume substances in the SCS under the supervision of staff who can intervene in the event of an overdose or other medical emergency. Often additional services like basic health care, housing support, and recovery resources are also offered at an SCS. To date, there have been no reported drug overdose deaths in a SCS anywhere in the world. 

What is Somerville currently doing to explore an SCS? 
Somerville began exploring the possibility of opening a supervised consumption site and conducted a needs assessment and feasibility study in 2021. Somerville contracted with Fenway Health to do a conceptual design, explore location options, and engage the community in this process. This forum is part of that process. Fenway Health is a community health center that currently provides harm reduction, overdose prevention, and health services to people who use drugs.