Philadelphia, PA – September 18, 2025 – Prevention Point Philadelphia (PPP), a leading force in public health and social services, releases its 2025 impact data, reflecting major achievements across drug treatment, housing, overdose prevention, medical care, and social services. Silvana Mazzella, Prevention Point Philadelphia Lead Executive Officer, revealed the numbers from the 2024–2025 fiscal year, which concluded on June 30, 2025. The data show marked increases in drug treatment and housing placements, a significant expansion of overdose prevention work, and a steep decline in syringe distribution — paired with a return rate that exceeded the number of syringes distributed. 

 

“Prevention Point Philadelphia is proud to continue saving lives and our impact numbers reflect our ability to meet people where they are and help them move forward,” said Mazzella. “We believe that every person has value, and our staff is deeply committed to helping people take the next step in their journey — whether that means a place to receive mail, medical care, or drug treatment. Over one-third of our staff live in Kensington, and every day they bring compassion, stability, and trust to the participants they serve.”

 

The data reflect that PPP’s staff continually offers pathways to housing, medical care, and drug treatment continually until someone is ready. PPP provides an efficient and caring suite of services in a community-based setting for people who might not seek care elsewhere. 

 

Highlights from the 2024–25 fiscal year (ending June 30, 2025):

  • 377 people sheltered – a 140% increase from last year, with 52 transitioning to permanent housing, and 580 additional placements to emergency shelter
  • 2,494 visits from 539 patients in ongoing drug treatment (up 24% from last year), with 946 long-acting injections for MOUD
  • 113,571 doses of Narcan distributed (13% increase), and 1,378 people trained to reverse overdoses
  • Syringe distribution down nearly 50%, with return rate that exceeded the number distributed
  • Prevention services also provided 46,465 test strips to look for contaminants like fentanyl, xylazine, benzodiazepines, and medetomidine
  • Medical services administered to 1,326 individuals, from wound care to Hepatitis C treatment to primary medical care for people living with HIV

 

PPP also hosted a series of special events throughout the year to spotlight awareness and draw community members to the availability of services available. 

  • In June 2025, PPP teamed up with Mural Arts Philadelphia and artist Paula Rivera Calderón to dedicate a new mural at the Love Lot depicting Prevention Point as the point of reciprocation in the community.
  • For National HIV Testing Day, also in June 2025, PPP provided HIV tests to 53 participants and community members in one afternoon.
  • The Women’s Health Month Event in May 2025 highlighted women’s health services at Prevention Point and partner organizations with resources for health, wellness, hygiene, and beauty.
  • In November 2024, PPP hosted a Friendsgiving Event full of gratitude, connection, and fun with delicious Dominican food, refreshing drinks, great music, and the chance to come together and enjoy community spirit. 
  • For September’s National Recovery Month in 2024, PPP hosted its first Recover & Thrive: Celebrate Recovery Month featuring inspiring stories from community members in recovery, essential resources for those seeking help, and informative treatment demonstrations.
  • In August 2024, PPP filled hundreds of backpacks with school supplies and distributed them to Kensington families during an event filled with food, art, music, water ice, misters, and giveaways including a bicycle raffle. 

 

Here is a closer look at the services at Prevention Point:

Drug Treatment & Recovery

 

PPP’s Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program continued to grow, with 2,494 visits and 539 patients in ongoing care—up 24% from last year. The program delivered 946 long-acting injections such as Sublocade and Brixadi, helping individuals stabilize on treatment with once-a-month care. This program’s impact continues to be a model for the once-a-month (or bi-weekly) injection as a more effective form of treatment, helping People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) manage their opioid use disorder while also accessing wraparound care at the same intervals. PPP also made 1,120 referrals for drug treatment, expanding pathways to recovery.

Homeless Services

 

PPP’s homeless services expanded dramatically in FY2025. Housing remains a cornerstone of PPP’s services, providing emergency shelter and homeless outreach services as well as referrals to permanent housing and other social services. Beacon House, the emergency shelter just a few blocks from Prevention Point’s main building in Kensington, provides specifically tailored shelter services to people who use drugs with personalized, on-site case management for each resident and is one of two locations serving participants. PPP operated 159 emergency shelter beds across our locations, a 130% increase, and provided shelter to 377 people, a 140% increase over last year. Of those, 52 individuals transitioned to permanent housing, a 27% increase over last year. In total, staff made 4,228 outreach interactions and 580 emergency placements (a 40% increase over last year), connecting more people than ever to stable futures.

Prevention Services

 

PPP distributed 113,571 free doses of Narcan, a 13% increase, and trained 1,378 people to reverse overdoses. Syringe services saw a sharp decline, with 3.6 million syringes distributed—nearly 50% less than last year—and an unprecedented 100.1% return rate, reflecting both strong safe-use practices and greater participation. The high return rate of used syringes shows that those who continue to rely on syringe services are doing so in a responsible and safe manner, helping to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and keeping the community safer overall. The number of individuals accessing syringe services totaled 7, 913. More than 46,000 test strips for fentanyl, xylazine, benzodiazepines, and medetomidine were provided, while 402 personalized health education sessions and 178 vaccine doses supported community wellness.

Medical Services

 

PPP’s medical team provided care to 1,326 patients, including 673 wound care visits. The PPP staff continued its intentional work to prevent HIV by encouraging participants to utilize pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which can be taken by injection only 6 times a year. The PPP medical team issued 828 PrEP prescriptions (nearly doubled from last year) to 175 enrolled PrEP patients, with zero new HIV cases among PrEP users. PPP conducted 1,559 HIV tests and provided individualized primary care treatment for 100 patients living with HIV who visited 876 times. Hepatitis C prevention, testing, and treatment expanded dramatically with 688 Hepatitis C tests (a 600% increase) and 98 Hepatitis C prescriptions (nearly doubled from last year). 

Social Services

 

PPP provided 15,798 case management/social services and 7,929 referrals to other organizations, as well as facilitating 954 state IDs (a 14% increase). The Drop-In Center remained a vital resource for participants with 99,455 visits, serving 59,756 meals, 57,080 cups of coffee, and providing 6,925 mailboxes for people experiencing housing insecurity.

Community Engagement

 

Volunteers contributed 4,833 hours to various programs at PPP this year. PPP supported its Kensington neighbors with 1,050 grocery deliveries provided for free to 87 families each month, distributed 320 backpacks full of school supplies at its annual back-to-school event for local students, and maintained daily clean-ups and biohazard disposal. 38% of staff live in Kensington, reflecting the organization’s deep roots in the community.

 

PREVENTION POINT PHILADELPHIA 2024-2025 IMPACT NUMBERS

 

DRUG TREATMENT & RECOVERY

  • 2,494 visits to receive Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
  • 1,120 referrals for drug treatment
  • 539 patients treated in the MOUD clinic (up 24% over  last year)
  • 946 long-acting injections provided

 

HOMELESS SERVICES

  • 159 emergency shelter beds (130% increase over last year)
  • Provided emergency shelter to 377 people (140% increase over last year)
  • 52 individuals transitioned to permanent housing (27% increase over last year)
  • 4,228 interactions with individuals experiencing homelessness to aid in their eligibility for housing and provide survival supplies
  • 580 placements to emergency shelter (40% increase over last year)

 

PREVENTION SERVICES 

  • 113,571 free doses of Narcan distributed (13% increase over last year)
  • 1,378 people trained to reverse overdoses
  • 3,629,097 syringes distributed (nearly 50% drop from last year) with a return rate across the city of 100.1% (more returned than distributed) 
  • 7,913 individuals accessed syringe services 
  • 46,465 test strips (fentanyl, medetomidine, xylazine, benzodiazepine)
  • 402 sessions of individually-tailored health education
  • 178 vaccine doses 

 

MEDICAL SERVICES

  • 1,326 patients received medical care
  • 673 wound care visits
  • 1,559 HIV tests
  • 175 patients received 828 PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) prescriptions to prevent HIV 
  • 0 participants who started PrEP became HIV+
  • 100 patients living with HIV in ongoing primary care visited 876 times
  • 688 Hepatitis C tests (600% increase over last year)
  • 98 Hepatitis C prescriptions (nearly doubled over last year)

 

SOCIAL SERVICES

  • 15,798 social services provided 
  • 6,925 mailboxes for individuals experiencing housing insecurity 
  • 7.929 referrals for social services to other organizations 
  • 59,756 free meals distributed 
  • 3,684 public restroom uses
  • 57,080 free cups of coffee consumed
  • 99,455 visits to the Drop-In Center
  • 954 state identifications issued (up14% over last year)

 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 

  • 4,833 hours donated by volunteers
  • 1,050 grocery deliveries to 87 Kensington neighbors
  • 320 backpacks with school supplies distributed to Kensington children
  • 38% of PPP staff live in Kensington 

 

About Prevention Point Philadelphia
Prevention Point Philadelphia is a public health and social services nonprofit that promotes health, empowerment, and safety for communities affected by drug use and poverty. PPP connects people to and directly provides medical care, housing, reentry and vocational support, social services, and drug treatment. Using harm reduction as its guiding principle, PPP meets people where they are and supports them as they move toward self-defined goals. Learn more at www.ppponline.org.

For more info on the 2025 data, or high resolution photos, visit the online press room at https://bit.ly/PreventionPointPressRoom.