West Warwick, RI Detox and Rehab Centers

West Warwick is the 10th largest city in Rhode Island.¹ It’s also been the home of some significant drug busts, particularly when it comes to fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that is driving the opioid crisis across the country.

In May 2022, a West Warwick man was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin pills.² Just 3 years earlier, a West Warwick man was charged with supplying the fentanyl that contributed to the death of a Massachusetts man.³

In addition, fourteen people in West Warwick died of an accidental drug overdose in 2018, which is almost double the number of overdoses just 2 years earlier.⁴ Between 2016 and 2018, West Warwick made up 23% of the opioid overdose-related ED visits in Kent County and 4.3% in the state.⁴

A year later, West Warwick police reported 3 fatal opioid overdoses, which then doubled to 6 in 2020.⁵ Both years, law enforcement successfully used Narcan 14 times.⁵ Narcan can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Opioids aren’t the only concern in the area. Using data from 2019, Kent County, which includes West Warwick, has one of the highest percentages of adults in the state who report binge or excessive drinking.⁶ Additionally, 45% of the driving deaths in the county from 2016 to 2020 reportedly involved alcohol, which is the 3rd highest percentage in the state.⁶

Of the 59 detox and rehab facilities located in Rhode Island, 19 of them are within 10 miles of West Warwick.^7,8 Residents of the area have the following types of treatment available to them:⁸

• 8 facilities that offer medically-supervised detoxification from drugs or alcohol
• 15 outpatient centers that provide treatment services for people who are continuing to live independently
• 1 hospital inpatient facility that provides around-the-clock care
• 5 residential facilities that require people to live there full-time during their treatment stay
• 15 centers that offer specialized services targeted to people who have been diagnosed with both a mental health and substance use disorder
• 2 transitional housing facilities that offer a supportive and sober living environment for people transitioning out of rehab

Transitional housing or a sober living facility is often used by people who are coming out of inpatient rehab but lack a safe place to return to for daily life.

Support groups targeted to substance use disorders can help people in the midst of their recovery journey recognize they are not alone in their struggles. These groups provide a safe place for people to share experiences, feelings, and setbacks without judgment.

Many addiction support groups follow the 12-Step principles developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is also a well-known addiction support group.

There are no AA meetings located directly in West Warwick; however, there is a number of meetings available in nearby Warwick.⁹ St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 389 Greenwich Ave., offers meetings during the following days and times:⁹

• Sundays at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Mondays at 8 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m.
• Tuesdays at 8 a.m. and noon
• Wednesdays at 8 p.m., noon, 5 p.m., and 7 p.m.
• Thursdays at 8 a.m., noon, and 7:30 p.m.
• Fridays at 8 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., and 7 p.m.
• Saturdays at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon.

Warwick Central Baptist Church at 3270 Post Rd., holds AA meetings Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 7 p.m.⁹

NA meetings can be found at Christ the King Church in West Warwick, 130 Legris Ave. Saturdays at 10 a.m., and Saint Therese Old Catholic Church, 1500 Main St., Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.¹⁰

AA and NA meetings teach people how to manage their daily lives and confront potential triggers that can affect their sobriety. Members can ask for a sponsor to serve as a mentor. A sponsor has shown he or she can provide leadership and accountability training.

Sources:

1. Town of West Warwick. (n.d.). Present.
2. The United States Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island. (2022, May 25). West Warwick man sentenced for trafficking thousands of fentanyl pills.
3. The Providence Journal. (2019, August 27). West Warwick man charged in connection with fatal drug overdose.
4. Rhode Island Department of Health. (2020). Community-level overdose surveillance report – West Warwick.
5. West Warwick Police Department. (n.d.). Opioid response.
6. University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. (2022). Kent County summary information.
7. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). National survey of substance abuse treatment services.
8. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov. Results.
9. Rhode Island Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.) Nearby meetings for Warwick.
10. Narcotics Anonymous. (n.d.). NA meeting search.