A new drug treatment center is coming to Worcester, Massachusetts, but community members are concerned about the proposed location, which is in close proximity to schools, bus stops and elderly housing.
“They made these decisions, they told no one,” said Worcester City Councilor Dr. Sarai Rivera.
Rivera said she’s frustrated by what she sees as a lack of transparency from the nonprofit behind the center, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. They plan on opening a drug treatment center in the Main South neighborhood, a community primarily of color and low income.
“It is time that we call it what it is, this is discriminatory and we’re not going to tolerate it.”
Resident Sharon Gordon said Spectrum does a lot of good, but this project doesn’t belong in the neighborhood. She pointed out that this puts the treatment center in an area with schools, churches, bus stops and elderly housing.
“They wouldn’t put it over on June Street or Salisbury Street. No. They figure nobody here is going to make a fuss,” Gordon said.
Currently, Spectrum Health has a mobile clinic at what will be the new location. There they offer methadone, suboxone and vivitrol treatments for those struggling with addiction.
The medical director at the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University says people should be more concerned with lack of access to treatment.
“That’s when you’re going to see drug problems on your streets, that’s when you’re going to see syringes and needle little, and you’re going to have high overdose deaths and injection-related infections in your community,” Dr. Andrew Koldny said.
In a statement, Spectrum Health Systems said in part, that they believe this clinic will address the growing need for accessible substance use care, especially since the region saw an 18% rise in overdose deaths in 2022. Statewide, the rate of opioid-related deaths has been increasing since 2019, according to data from the state Department of Public Health.
There is no set date on the opening of this clinic. The city council was set to discuss the concerns at a meeting Tuesday night.
