PONI provides people with the training and tools needed to save a life.
What We Do
Preventing Overdose and Naloxone Intervention (PONI) is a program out of The Miriam Hospital focused on reducing opioid-related overdose deaths in Rhode Island.
At a training, participants learn how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an opioid overdose. PONI also distributes free kits containing naloxone, a lifesaving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
At a training, participants learn how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an opioid overdose using naloxone.
— Michelle McKenzie, c0-FOUNDER
Our Beginning
PONI trainings initially began as part of a research pilot effort in 2006, primarily emphasizing community awareness and information more than naloxone kit distribution.
In collaboration with other community organizations, PONI distributed over 6,800 naloxone kits throughout the state of Rhode Island in 2018.
>30,000 kits
of naloxone distributed since 2006
15 years
of saving lives in Rhode Island
100%
lives worth being saved
Get Involved
Turning the tide of the opioid epidemic will require the efforts of healthcare providers, legislators, rehabilitation centers, and many other entities. Preventing overdose deaths critically depends on individuals in the community who encounter the crisis at the ground level.