Federal prosecutor threatens to shut down New York City overdose prevention centers
NEW YORK -- A federal prosecutor warns he could shut down New York City's two overdose prevention centers.
The controversial sites are the first in the nation to offer supervised injections, but as CBS New York's Lisa Rozner reports, technically, they are illegal by federal and state law.
Inside OnPoint's locations in East Harlem and Washington Heights, people can use illicit drugs under the supervision of medical professionals.
The nonprofit says it has averted more than 1,000 overdoses since opening in November 2021, but Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is calling the operation "unacceptable," adding, "My office is prepared to exercise all options - including enforcement - if this situation does not change in short order."
"People literally die waiting to go to treatment," said Alexis Pleus, executive director of the nonprofit Truth Pharm.
Pleus lost her son Jeff at the age of 28 to an overdose.
"There were multiple times that he was detoxing at home. We couldn't get him into a detox. He was arrested twice, went to jail," she said. "We had excellent insurance ... You would think I'd be able to access resources and I couldn't."
Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio authorized the centers through executive action as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an increase in overdose deaths.
Williams says, "Until New York policymakers take action to authorize the supervised consumption sites, they are operating in violation of federal, state and local law."
"We need Governor Hochul to use her power to authorize and support them," said Seth Pollack, with Housing Works. "She has had months in office, and she has done nothing but issue empty promises."
A rep for Hochul told CBS New York in part she is "committed to aggressively tackling the opioid crisis and has invested a historic $2.8 billion in addiction services."
That funding does not go to OnPoint but to other services like a podcast, syringe exchange programs and a recently launched mobile medication unit.
- Related story: OnPoint NYC expands health hub to treat addiction
A mayor's spokesperson says both sites are closely monitored by the New York City health department, but he too is waiting for the state or federal policy.
The state did get around $2 billion from settlements with drug manufacturers.
Late last year, a state board advised the governor to use part of that money to support overdose prevention centers, but she declined, saying it would violate the law.