The MHA Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to advocate for the creation of supervised injection facilities (SIFs) in Massachusetts. A SIF is a facility where people can inject illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff. Currently, there are no legally authorized SIFs in the United States, but data from facilities located internationally illustrates strong success in mortality prevention and enhanced participation in substance use disorder treatment. The Massachusetts Medical Society voted in April to endorse pursuing the creation of SIFs in Massachusetts. MHA’s Board voted to support the MMS proposal that calls for the creation of a pilot SIF under the direction and oversight of a state-led taskforce convened by a state authority, such as DPH.
Also this week, the Massachusetts Senate adopted an amendment during its budget deliberations directing DPH to evaluate the feasibility of SIFs, as well as the public safety and health effects of such interventions. The amendment, which MHA supported, was offered by Sen. Joe Boncore (D-Winthrop).