The Human Services Division works as the lead drug and alcohol prevention voice and policy making body for the City of Providence.
- Hosting drug take back-days to assist Providence residents in safely disposing of unused and expired prescription medications
- Collaborating with the Senior Services Division and community partners about prescription prevention programs for seniors at Providence Senior Centers
- Educating parents, seniors and other community members about the City’s Tobacco Free Parks ordinance and tobacco products marketed to youth
- Publication of the Providence Mental Health Resource Guide
Sidelined is an educational resource for high school and college athletes, coaches, and parents that promotes healthy pain management and responsible prescription drug use following injury or illness. Each year, more than 3.5 million youth sports injuries occur, often resulting in missed playing time. Sidelined provides information on non-medication recovery options, guidance on monitoring prescription use, education on the risks of opioids, and practical strategies for creating a safe plan to manage, monitor, and store prescription medications in the home. Participating athletic programs will receive informational resources and athletes will receive a first aid kit and ice/heat pack.
A digital version of the Sidelined resource is available here.
A printable version of the English language Sidelined brochure is available here.
A printable version of the Spanish language Sidelined brochure is available here.
Order a free safe storage lock bag from the Rhode Island Regional Coalitions website riprevention.org/campaigns/.
Naloxone can reverse an overdose. You can get free naloxone at preventoverdoseri.org/get-naloxone/.
Dispose of unused or expired medications anonymously at 24/7 police drop boxes or local pharmacies.
Sidelined USA offers support and coping resources for athletes unable to continue playing due to injury or illness. Sidelined USA is the first and only 501(c)3 national nonprofit to make such specialized support resources accessible online, at no cost, for all permanently-sidelined student-athletes and their families nationwide.
For more information on Sidelined, email Julia Brida at jbrida@providenceri.gov.
Youth & Young Adult Educational Programs
The Human Services Division offers prevention and educational programs that help youth and young adults build healthy habits, make informed decisions, and reduce the risk of substance use.
Youth Programs
- Mayor’s Youth Prevention Teams (MYPT)- School-based teams in middle and high schools that promote student health, wellness, and safety through peer-led prevention, leadership development, and awareness campaigns. See the previous school year MYPT report here.
- Keepin it REAL- This evidence-based program for middle school students enhances social, emotional, and decision-making skills that serve to protect youth from substance use through a “from kids…through kids…to kids” approach.
- Interactive Prevention Activities and Resource Tabling- schools interested in having Human Services participate in an event, lunch period, or assembly may contact Julia Brida jbrida@providenceri.gov
Young Adult Programs
- Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS® University) – TIPS University is an evidence-based training program designed for colleges and universities that equips students with the knowledge and skills to recognize, prevent, and safely respond to high-risk alcohol situations before they escalate.
- Inshape – an interactive prevention education program that promotes healthy lifestyles and reduces the risk of substance use through education on physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress management, goal setting, and overall wellness.
- Opioid & Stimulant Education- free, evidence-informed, single-session wellness program that empowers college students to make healthier choices while reducing the risks associated with opioid and stimulant use.
Current HHS sponsored media campaigns
- The CDC’s Free Mind Campaign helps prevent and reduce drug use and overdose among youth. It connects substance use and mental health among youth ages 12-17. For more resources, interactive activities, and support for parents and teens, visit cdc.gov/free-mind/.
- The Addy Campaign raises awareness about the risks of stimulant use on college campuses. For more information and resources, visit riprevention.org/prescription-drugs/ .
Alcohol Retailer Education
The Human Services Division offers ServSafe Alcohol® training to support responsible alcohol sales and service throughout Providence. This nationally recognized certification program provides alcohol retailers, servers, bartenders, managers, and other staff with the knowledge and skills to help prevent underage sales, recognize signs of intoxication, comply with state laws, and promote safer alcohol service practices.
Alcohol and Tobacco Compliance Check Dashboards
The City of Providence conducts tobacco and/or alcohol compliance checks on a regular basis. Compliance checks are a tool the City and law enforcement use to reduce the sales of alcohol and tobacco products to underage youth. This includes checking for compliance at smoke shops, drug stores, vape shops, hookah bars, liquor stores, grocery stores, and convenience stores. The compliance check assesses whether or not the retailer asks the customer for a photo ID and their age, if the retailer sells the product, and if so, what product is sold.
The results of these compliance checks are entered into a database, and the data is used to better educate tobacco and alcohol retailers on how to prevent alcohol and tobacco sales to underage youth.
Prescription Medicine: Safe Storage and Disposal
Safe Storage and Disposal
As part of the City’s prescription drug safety initiative, we now have medicine lock bags and Deterra drug deactivation pouches available for Providence residents.
Medicine lock bags include a key lock to safely store medications and help prevent unauthorized use.
Deterra pouches permanently deactivate unwanted medications—including pills, patches, and liquids—making them safer to dispose of while helping reduce misuse and protect the environment.
For more information, contact jbrida@providenceri.gov or at (401) 680-8438.
Prescription Drug Take Back Day
To prevent misuse of prescription medications and ensure proper disposal, the Human Services coordinates two drug take-back days annually, aligning with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration scheduled dates. Additionally, Human Services partnered with both the Providence Police Department and Walgreens to provide year-round promotion of the MedReturn Bin at the Providence Public Safety Complex and Walgreens Pharmacy (533 Elmwood Avenue). Providence residents may anonymously drop off unused and expired medicines at the bin 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Unused or expired medications may also be returned to your pharmacy.
MedReturn Bin located at Providence Public Safety Complex (325 Washington Street, Providence, RI)
MedReturn Bin located at Walgreens Pharmacy (533 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI)
For More Information
Check out our most recent Providence Mental Health Resource Guide (English Version) (Spanish Version)
RI Prevention Resource Center (RIPRC) – The RIPRC is dedicated to providing training, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources to Rhode Island substance abuse prevention providers and their community partners.
Prevent Overdose RI – This project is an initiative of Governor Daniel J. McKee’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force.
Rhode Island Regional Prevention Coalitions – A group of dedicated members and partners working together to provide substance use prevention strategies, mental health resources, and advocate for policies that support healthy and safe communities.
Getting Involved
Want to find out more about how to stay alcohol, tobacco and other drug free?
Learn more about Mayor’s Coalition on Behavioral Health meetings.
