While it is simple to group the thousands of drug-overdose deaths that have come to Rhode Island as a piece of the opioid crisis, it is equally clear that there is no one solution to the problem.
One result of the work being done by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force is the creation of PVD Safe Stations, a program in which 12 Providence fire stations have been equipped with information, resources and trained professionals to help those in need determine what the best treatment for them is, and then help them get started, at no cost.
The response in the city has been positive, with expectations of the many partners involved quite high.
At the same time, fire-safety professionals in other Rhode Island communities are not sure the program would be appropriate for them. And their response should be instructional, not obstructionist.
Finding and tailoring treatment options for the opioid crisis that meet the needs of people addicted to opioids and communities must be a public-policy imperative. To not do so would be a public-health failure.