RI State Senator Talks Health Equity and Harm Reduction Centers

This week’s guest is Rhode Island State Senator Joshua Miller, who represents State Senate District 28. He is Chair of the State Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and is actively involved in the Governor's Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force.  In this episode, Senator Miller talks about what local representatives are doing to address two major public health concerns: the COVID-19 pandemic and the drug overdose epidemic.  Co-hosts, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan, talk with Senator Miller about issues that made the impact of COVID-19 in some communities much worse—like lack of access to affordable healthcare, transportation, and housing. They also talk about how Rhode Island is among the first in the nation to pass legislation allowing a two-year pilot program for harm reduction centers, also called “overdose prevention sites” or “supervised consumption centers.” What does Senator Miller share about strategies to address health inequities in Rhode Island? How did Rhode Island pass a bill allowing a two-year pilot program for harm reduction centers? Download this week’s episode to find out.