PRESS RELEASE: MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES PLANS TO BRING SAFE INJECTION SITES TO NEW YORK CITY

For Immediate Release

New York, NY (May 14, 2018): On May 3rd, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he is moving forward with a plan to promote the implementation of safe injection sites in New York City. This proposal is part of the City’s strategy to combat the opioid overdose crisis that has affected New York City, with 1,441 overdose deaths just last year.

As the opioid crisis continues to worsen, New York City has introduced new policies and programs that have expanded access to treatment and educate the community on opioid overdose treatment using free naloxone. This latest initiative, piloting safe injection sites, is among one of the first in the country, joining San Francisco and Philadelphia who also have plans to introduce safe injection sites in the next year.

The Center for Comprehensive Health Practice (CCHP) believes that this new initiative can further help prevent the rapidly increasing rates of overdose deaths. We proudly join the American Medical Association, New York Academy of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, our City Council Member Diana Ayala, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., and over 100 New York City healthcare professionals in support of the new sites.

For inquiries, please contact Michelle Gadot, Director of Development & Communications at 212.360.7876 or mgadot@cchphealthcare.org.

###

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH PRACTICE

Located in East Harlem, the Center for Comprehensive Health Practice (CCHP) integrates high quality primary care, substance use treatment, behavioral health and supportive services all under one roof, in order to provide family-focused, affordable, community healthcare. As provider of substance use and medicated assisted treatment services for almost 60 years, CCHP uses harm reduction in its treatment model and approach to care. To best serve our patients, we use a community health, team-based approach to provide individuals and families with an array of specialty service to address the physical, emotional and social needs of our patients and their families. Our services are available to anyone regardless of one’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or ability to pay.