The Opioid Epidemic: The Streets Perspective

Death rates in the US due to overdoses have risen by nearly 100 percent in the past 10 years. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death, surpassing the number of deaths caused by HIV, guns, or car crashes. There are an estimated 55,000 illicit intravenous drug users in Philadelphia and the city is on track to surpass 1,200 overdose deaths in 2017.

In this Seminar, we will hear from Jose Benitez, the Executive Director of Prevention Point Philadelphia. Prevention Point Philadelphia focuses efforts with a harm reduction approach in order to combat this growing epidemic in Philadelphia. The organization began in 1991 with syringe exchange operations in North Philadelphia. Since 1992, services have expanded to include case management, medical care, overdose prevention education and naloxone distribution, as well as housing, meals, mail services for the homeless, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and legal services. Jose Benitez has been on the forefront of this issue to provide services to those who need it most. He has an inside perspective on the opioid epidemic and will share in this not too miss talk!