Published: 06/22/2026 | Author: Terri

A new approach to opioid addiction in southern Arizona is showing early results, and an honest look at the program’s first months offers a window into what low-barrier care can and can’t do. To be clear, The Grand Canyon State offers a wide range of treatment options from local Narcotics Anonymous groups to modern inpatient centers. 

Residents out in Pima County now have their first medically monitored recovery facility. The center, known as SAFR, for Sobering Alternative For Recovery, opened in January 2026 at 250 S. Toole Avenue in Tucson. The staff has already served more than 130 people in its first three months. A University of Arizona evaluation team found patients staying longer over time while flagging staffing shortages and data-quality problems that still need attention.

Opioids in Pima County

Opioids include a wide variety of drugs, including prescription pain medications. An opioid overdose can slow or stop breathing and each time is a medical emergency.

The scale of the problem is the reason the center exists. Pima County recorded about 2,000 overdose deaths since 2020, and 97% of those deaths were accidental. Even though opioid overdoses have declined nationwide, cases remain high in Arizona overall.

In response, the county’s Board of Supervisors approved $1.8 million in 2025 from the Regional Opioid Settlement Advisory Council to fund the center. The center’s operations are run by Community Bridges.

The Center’s Programs

SAFR operates as an inpatient low-barrier deflection program. It provides medical care to voluntary walk-ins and to people who would otherwise be encountered by law enforcement or emergency services. The center offers 15 beds, is open 24 hours a day and encourages folks to stay 96 hours. Patients don’t need insurance to receive care, and the staffers provide clinical assessments, medications for opioid use disorder (MAT), and referrals for longer-term treatment.

The majority of referrals came through the Tucson Police Department, with others coming from friends, family and other local services.

Fentanyl’s Role

The patients arriving at SAFR reflect how thoroughly fentanyl now dominates the illicit opioid supply. Of those, 91% tested positive for fentanyl and 33% for opiates. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more potent than other street drugs like heroin, which makes overdose far more likely and rapid.

Patients with opioid use disorders can begin or maintain buprenorphine prescriptions at the center. Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder that reduces cravings and withdrawal and is one of the MAT options.

The Evaluation’s Findings

The University of Arizona RISE team studied the pilot period from January to March 2026. Patients have stayed longer as the program matures. The average stay rose from 10.7 hours in the first month to 89.3 hours in March, moving closer to the 96-hour goal. About 96% of patients received referrals to continued care on discharge.

The evaluators expressed candid remarks about the gaps. As of late March, Community Bridges had filled 11 of 19 staffing positions, leaving a shortage of nurses and behavioral health workers as fentanyl cases increase across the state. The team also flagged data-quality problems, which county health director Theresa Cullen noted must be addressed promptly. 

County leaders will decide in the coming months whether to extend the pilot for a year.

Harm Reduction and Treatment Options

Low-barrier centers like SAFR reflect a broader shift toward meeting people where they are. 

• Naloxone, often sold as Narcan, can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is available without a prescription in most states. 

• In addition, fentanyl test strips help people check their supply.

• MAT with buprenorphine or methadone is supported by strong evidence for opioid use disorder. 

• Crucially, peer support like Narcotics Anonymous meetings often complement medical treatment for many people in recovery.

If you or someone you love is facing opioid addiction, take a step tonight. Find NA meetings across Arizona and the U.S.,, ask local programs about prescription options, and keep naloxone on hand if you or someone close to you uses opioids.

Simply browse our directory to get started, or call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak with an expert.