Fatal overdoses in Worcester: Here are the trends, and where they happen most
WORCESTER – The city experienced a slight increase in the total number of drug overdoses during the first half of 2023, but there is a silver lining, as the number of fatal overdoses dropped dramatically.
The results come with a caveat, and there's another development to report: You can now get free supplies of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, known by its brand name Narcan, courtesy of what is being called the Nalox Box.
Here are the latest overdose numbers, according to police:
● There were a total of 20 fatal overdoses from Jan. 1 through July of this year, compared to 67 over the same seven-month period last year.
● The difference represents a 70% drop, but police said Worcester could have more than 20 deaths because the city is awaiting toxicology reports from the state medical examiner.
● Meanwhile, there was a 1.7% uptick in the total number of nonfatal overdoses in Worcester so far in 2023: 468 from Jan. 1 through July 30, compared to 460 over the same period last year. This year's totals represent confirmed and suspected heroin/opiate-related overdoses.
The city’s fatal and nonfatal numbers arise from emergency 911 calls, said Dr. Matilde Castiel, Worcester's commissioner of health and human services. Those calls likely don’t represent every overdose because some don’t originate from 911 calls.
“The fact that there are still overdoses is not something we like, but I’m happy at least through 911 calls that we see a decrease (in fatal overdoses),” said Castiel.
Why the 70% decline?
Castiel mentioned several reasons for the decline, including outreach efforts to provide addiction services from mobile vans operated by UMass Memorial Medical Center and Spectrum Health Systems Inc.
Other community efforts, cited by Castiel, include a two-week supply of the drug suboxone given to overdose victims treated in the UMass Medical Center emergency room. Suboxone cuts the severity of withdrawal symptoms and reduces dependence on opioids in the long term.
The state is also working on supplying ambulances with suboxone. Castiel said that's needed because a significant number of overdose victims treated in ambulances don’t go to emergency rooms.
Where are the most overdoses happening in Worcester?
Meanwhile, the South Middlesex Opportunity Council shelter for the unhoused at 25 Queen St. topped the list of locations in Worcester with the highest number of repeat overdoses, according to police. The total number was 30 over the course of the 12-month period that ended July 31, nearly double the 17 overdoses at Union Station, which held the second spot.
Police noted that overdoses at each location on the list represented incidents that happened at and around the address.
Attempts to reach South Middlesex Opportunity Council President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Gentili for comment were unsuccessful.
Castiel noted that South Middlesex Opportunity Council staff are trained to administer Narcan, but it’s difficult to monitor everyone inside and outside the shelter.
The same is true at Union Station, said Castiel, where outreach workers from the city and nonprofits do their best to give Narcan and get those who are unhoused into treatment.
But Worcester lacks an adequate supply of affordable housing, said Castiel, and until more comes online, the challenge of helping the city's vulnerable residents will continue.
"Housing is the number piece. Once someone is in housing, you can give support services, mental health services. Addiction treatment can happen," said Castiel.
Besides, even with the best services provided, relapse is possible, and Castiel said that fact must be taken into account when looking at repeat overdose statistics.
Rounding out the top 10 locations of repeat overdoses, with each corresponding overdose number:
● Open Sky Community Services temporary emergency winter shelter at Blessed Sacrament Church (15)
● St. John’s Food for the Poor Program (10)
● Washburn House (10)
● Living in Freedom Together (9)
● Lincoln Village Apartments (7)
● Community Healthlink, 12 Queen St. (8)
● 193 Pleasant St. (7)
● 14 Oread St. (7)
AdCare Rehabilitation Hospital occupied the 11th spot with six overdoses.
Support for overdose prevention centers
Considering the challenges to monitoring people coming in and out of the 11 locations cited by police, Castiel said she supports so-called overdose prevention centers, also known as supervised injection sites. Only two officially sanctioned sites currently exist in the U.S. — both in New York City, operated by the nonprofit OnPointNYC.
Medical professionals monitor drug users as they're shooting up inside the facilities. The goal is to prevent overdose deaths and get drug users into recovery and treatment, if they want it.
The New York sites don't receive federal funds because federal law deems them illegal. But they received state funds, Castiel said, for all support services that happen outside the facilities. All services inside the facilities are funded with private donations.
Massachusetts lawmakers haven’t voted to legalize the sites. But as New York City proved, the model of getting private dollars to pay for what happens inside the locations, plus securing state funding for housing and other support services outside the facilities, can happen.
It’s a model Castiel supports for Worcester.
“From my perspective, the data indicates overdose prevention sites cut fatal overdoses. Therefore do we need it (in Worcester)? Yes, but who is going to do it? We have to have nonprofit agencies do it,” said Castiel.
Nalox Box comes to Worcester
Meanwhile, free doses of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan are in the process of becoming available at various Worcester locations. The red-colored Nalox Box contains numerous smaller boxes that each have two 4-milligram doses of Narcan.
Castiel noted the powerful — and potentially deadly — synthetic opioid fentanyl is in many street drugs. In cases when there is a fentanyl overdose, more than one 4-milligram dose of nasal spray may be needed to revive a victim, she said.
Where are the boxes located?
They're throughout the city including at City Hall, the Worcester Public Library at Salem Square, Union Station, Worcester Senior Center and the Department of Public Works/Inspectional Services on Meade Street.
Other locations are in the process of getting a box. Here are the sites where the boxes are in place or are expected to arrive shortly:
● YMCA Central Branch
● Main South Community Development Corp.
● Mustard Seed Catholic Worker
● Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center
There are more locations: Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Center, El Buen Samaritano Food Program Inc., Centro Inc. and The Village Worcester. Roughly 15 boxes are out and the same number will be added in other locations in the weeks to come.
Over-the-counter Narcan
Also, over-the-counter Narcan without a prescription is expected to become available nationwide starting this week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the move in March. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will cover the cost for its members. So will MassHealth, the state's Medicaid insurance program, for its members, with no quantity limits.
Castiel believes everyone should buy and carry an over-the-counter dose because anyone who has read the drug’s instructions can use Narcan to save the lives of overdose victims. Carrying Narcan is like learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation to save someone’s life who suffered a heart attack, said Castiel.
“Yes, I’m comfortable with people accessing Narcan (over-the-counter) when someone is unresponsive,” from a drug overdose, said Castiel. “Give them Narcan and then call 911.”
Medical experts reportedly believe giving Narcan to an overdose victim, even if the overdose isn’t the result of opioids or synthetic opioids, won’t harm the victim.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester drug overdoses: Most frequent locations, statistical trends
