MOCK OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES
PROJECT
2021 – 2022
Center for Complexity,
Rhode Island School of Design
︎︎︎RICARES
︎︎︎COBRE on Opioids & Overdose
Center for Complexity,
Rhode Island School of Design
︎︎︎RICARES
︎︎︎COBRE on Opioids & Overdose
Overdose prevention sites (often referred to as safe injection facilities) have historically been illegal to open and operate in the United States—until recently. In 2021, Rhode Island became the first state to legalize this vital harm reduction strategy, which is proven to save lives.
However, the journey to changing legislation was long and complex. One key strategy that supported these policy changes was the creation of a mock overdose prevention site. Over the course of two years, in collaboration between the COBRE on Opioids and Overdose, RISD’s Center for Complexity, and RICARES, we produced exhibitions that traveled throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, raising awareness and sparking crucial conversations. These immersive spaces served as powerful vehicles for learning and engagement, inviting policymakers, healthcare professionals, businesses, and local residents to experience firsthand the impact of these sites—transforming abstract ideas into tangible realities.
The exhibitions were presented at RICARES in downtown Providence, various pop-up locations across Rhode Island, and at the American Public Health Association Conference in Boston, MA.
However, the journey to changing legislation was long and complex. One key strategy that supported these policy changes was the creation of a mock overdose prevention site. Over the course of two years, in collaboration between the COBRE on Opioids and Overdose, RISD’s Center for Complexity, and RICARES, we produced exhibitions that traveled throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, raising awareness and sparking crucial conversations. These immersive spaces served as powerful vehicles for learning and engagement, inviting policymakers, healthcare professionals, businesses, and local residents to experience firsthand the impact of these sites—transforming abstract ideas into tangible realities.
The exhibitions were presented at RICARES in downtown Providence, various pop-up locations across Rhode Island, and at the American Public Health Association Conference in Boston, MA.
Related Press / Publications
Anna Betts. “Providence Officials Approve Overdose Prevention Center”, The New York Times, February 4, 2024.
Berg, Nate. “Why RISD students are designing spaces for people to safely do drugs”, Fast Company, June 1, 2022.
Mulvaney, Katie. “Innovative RISD projects tackle opioid crisis and stigma through design”, Providence Journal, May 28, 2022.
Gagosz, Alexa. “How artists could play a role in harm reduction centers”, Boston Globe, May 16, 2022.
Mulvaney, Katie. “Replace stigma with compassion: RISD students reimagine better approaches to drug addiction”, Providence Journal, May 15, 2022.
Index