BRIDGES COALITION

for overdose prevention sites

BRIDGES is an advocacy coalition working to end overdose and criminalization by promoting safe spaces, dignity, health, and justice for people who use drugs.

The overdose fatality rate in Maryland has consistently been above the national average since 1999, ranging from roughly 1.5 to 3 times the average rate. Overdose in Baltimore takes almost three times as many lives as homicide. Violence--often linked to the underground economy--and overdose are both issues that deserve immediate remedy. Each of these losses is preventable.

Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) are safe, private facilities that provide people who use drugs a place for consumption and life-saving interventions, like naloxone and access to treatment services. OPS are a proven solution to the opioid overdose crisis. Data has shown that overdose fatality dropped 35% in the area around a single OPS within one year of opening, and in the 30+ years of operation across more than 100 countries, not a single death due to overdose has been recorded at an OPS.

We are advocating for the legal authorization of overdose prevention sites in Maryland that promote:
SAFETY because safer consumption in OPS build stronger communities
HEALTH because OPS provide a bridge to wellness and healthcare
DIGNITY because OPS bring loved ones out of isolation, into healing
JUSTICE because OPS provide the safety we need and the justice we deserve
All coalition members must uphold the following values and principles in the work:
Prioritize relationships — At the core of the coalition are high-quality, compassionate, empathetic relationships towards each other, our communities, and our loved ones.
Open communication — This coalition is built upon open communication rooted in truth-sharing, transparency, authenticity, and simply checking in on each other.
Leaderfulness — In BRIDGES, there is room for all. This means a strong practice of equitable facilitation, accepting leadership, showing up, listening, and reviewing notes.
Humility and flexibility — Moving the coalition forward requires continuously engaging in critical self-reflection and willingness to learn and shift our personal perspectives.
Racial justice analysis — Growing a movement to increase safety for all requires a willingness to understand (and be honest about) how systems have been designed to stigmatize Black people, communities of color and poor people.
American Civil Liberties Union – Maryland | Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition | Bmore POWER | Baltimore Psychedelic Society | Baltimore Safe Haven | Behavioral Health System Baltimore | Charm City Care Connection | Chase Brexton Healthcare | DC Dance Safe | Drug Policy Alliance | GBDSA | HIPS | Health Care for the Homeless | IBR REACH | Law Enforcement Action Partnership | Maryland Communities United | Maryland Peer Advisory Council | National Council on Drug Dependency and Alcoholism | North Ave Mission | Nurses for Justice – Baltimore | Open Society Institute-Baltimore | Organization of Hope | PIVOT Program | Powell Recovery Center | Power Inside | Progressive Maryland | The Ancestor Project | Red Shed Village | SPARC Women’s Center | SWOP Baltimore | Voices of Hope for Maryland | Youth Empowered Society: YES Drop-in Center