LIFE IS PRECIOUS –

July 10, 2024 – “The needle is moving in the right direction, but we must continue to build upon our multi-faceted approach to save lives because we know that addiction is a disease and recovery is possible,” Richard Leclerc, director of the Rhode Island Department Of Behavioral Healthcare, 

The 32-person task force last year adopted an action plan that included cutting overdose deaths from the 2022 numbers by 30% by 2030, with an incremental milestone of 12% less by 2025. The 404 deaths in 2023 is “significantly below” the projected 417 fatalities for the year, suggesting that if the same downward trend continues, the state is on track to meet upcoming benchmarks, according to the health department.

But the milestone was hardly cause for celebration among members of the group charged with preventing overdoses and increasing education and treatment for substance abuse. Instead, they adopted a somber tone as they reviewed the latest statistics at a virtual meeting Wednesday. 

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