Testimony Submitted by OnPoint NYC to the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare and Committee on Public Safety Joint Oversight Hearing
Protecting Lives in the Cold: Oversight of NYC’s Code Blue Operations
February 10, 2026
OnPoint NYC submits this testimony to share a preliminary summary of our operations as part of the city’s Code Blue Operations:
My name is Sam Rivera, Executive Director of OnPoint NYC. Thank you to Chairpersons Feliz and Hudson for this opportunity to address the Council on this critical issue.
OnPoint NYC works with people who use drugs to support stabilization and wellness by providing an array of resources, tools, and support to enhance the quality of their lives. Grounded in love, our staff offer a continuum of care that respects dignity and promotes healing. Our Wellness Hubs in East Harlem and Washington Heights provide comprehensive wellness services and programs in addition to Overdose Prevention Centers.
As part of the city’s Code Blue severe weather emergency planning, and in response to three reported overdose deaths that occurred during January’s extreme cold weather, OnPoint NYC was asked by the Mayor’s office and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to expand to 24-hour operations at both of our sites between February 6th and 9th.
Throughout the weekend, OnPoint remained open as a warm, medically supported, and safe indoor option—serving 896 unique New Yorkers and providing overnight sleeping space for approximately 150 people per night across both sites. This response directly prevented exposure related harm, overdoses, hospitalizations, arrests, and emergency system strain during extreme conditions.
Demand was immediate and sustained. Both sites reached capacity each night, with 40–50 people at a time sleeping nightly in East Harlem and 50–60 in Washington Heights, including a notable increase in women participants, who represented roughly 20% of those served and stayed longer than usual. Extended hours of the Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs) were heavily utilized and strengthened engagement during regular daytime operations, underscoring the need for additional respite capacity, gravity chairs, and overnight accommodations during emergencies.
Over the weekend, OnPoint delivered essential services at scale: more than 1,000 meals, nearly 700 bathroom utilizations, overnight showers, laundry, warm clothing, and continuous food and beverage service. Outreach and public safety teams actively canvassed surrounding neighborhoods and the Bronx, subway stations, and known hotspots—bringing more than a dozen people indoors on Saturday night alone and coordinating directly with the local 25th precinct to ensure individuals were diverted from ticketing or arrest and brought to safety instead.
The public health impact was clear. One community-based overdose was reversed during hours OnPoint is normally closed—without EMS involvement—and no EMS calls occurred across either site during the extended operations. Across both locations, overdoses and over-amps were safely managed on-site by trained staff in the OPCs, Drop-In Centers, and HUB clinics. Participants repeatedly reported that they would have otherwise used alone or outdoors had OnPoint not been open.
Additionally, extended clinical staffing during nights and weekends filled a critical gap in care. Nurses provided wound care, stabilized over-amps, replaced lost medications, and offered low-threshold medical support at times when participants typically have no access to healthcare. The Code Blue response demonstrated that 24-hour, low-threshold services are not just helpful during emergencies—they are essential, and that OnPoint is a reliable City partner capable of delivering lifesaving, coordinated care when conditions are most dangerous.
Finally, I want to recognize and thank the incredible team at OnPoint who stepped forward with deep confidence, unwavering commitment, and love. As soon as the emergency was declared, staff across every level of the organization was ready without hesitation to do what they always do — stand beside and embrace the community we all love. Every day, they support people who are too often unseen and unheard by meeting them with dignity and respect. The reason OnPoint stands as a safe and trusted place for vulnerable New Yorkers is because of the heart and humanity our staff bring to this work. On behalf of the community that stands stronger because of their dedication, I offer my deep gratitude for their unwavering service and compassion.
Thank you to Speaker Menin, Chair Hudson, Chair Feliz, and the members of the Public Safety and General Welfare Committees for convening this important hearing to evaluate, assess, and strengthen our collective response to recent extreme weather emergencies. We also recognize and appreciate the Mamdani Administration and our City agency partners for their leadership, coordination, and commitment to keeping vulnerable New Yorkers safe during this recent Code Blue activation.
OnPoint NYC remains committed to working collaboratively with the City Council, City agencies, and our valued community partners to strengthen emergency response systems and expand lifesaving, low-threshold care that ensures every New Yorker has a safe place to turn during moments of crisis. Just as importantly, we must continue building systems of care that support vulnerable communities not only during emergencies, but before crisis strikes and long after immediate danger has passed—because lasting public safety and public health depend on sustained, compassionate engagement.
Featured photo by Ethan Geringer-Sameth.
