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The Baltimore City Needle Exchange

The Baltimore City Needle Exchange. Chris Serio-Chapman Bureau Chief for Community Risk Reduction Services chris.serio-chapman@baltimorecity.gov 443-984-4081. The beginning….

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The Baltimore City Needle Exchange

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  1. The Baltimore City Needle Exchange Chris Serio-Chapman Bureau Chief for Community Risk Reduction Services chris.serio-chapman@baltimorecity.gov 443-984-4081

  2. The beginning….. • Support and persistence of then Mayor Kurt Schmoke and Health Commissioner, Dr. Peter Beilenson helped with the legislative initiative. • COMAR regulation allowed for a pilot program to be conducted by the city health department. The NEP program would conduct 1:1 syringe exchange for injection drug users within city limits . In addition, the regulation provided that registrants would be offered treatment if they so desired.

  3. Provisions including COMAR • Regulation set the following provisions: • The pilot program would have a Director to be chosen by the Commissioner of Health. • The pilot program would have an oversight committee who was appointed by the Mayor. This committee would provide advice to the Program Director, develop and implement a community outreach plan and create a protocol for care linkage.

  4. COMAR, continued • Regulation also called for a pilot program evaluation. • Required participants to show proof of injection drug use. • Registrants would be provided and identified by program ID card.

  5. The legacy of COMAR • Regulation remains in effect today and has been unchanged since its inception in 1994. • Although the regulation has not been changed, some of its provisions are no longer executed (oversight committee).

  6. Early NEP issues • In the early days of the NEP, participants could not access program drug treatment slots multiple times. Often times participants were placed on waiting lists. Many folks were turned away because they had no state approved ID. Access to drug treatment only for persons registered in the program longer than 30 days. • 1:1 syringe exchange only provided for returned program syringes. • Services were originally provided at two locations for a total of 6 hours per week. No services were conducted in the evening or on weekends..

  7. Needle Exchange Today • 1:1 syringe exchange regardless of where a returned syringe came from originated. • No one is refused drug treatment based on enrollment history or number of times they have been issued a treatment slot. • 16 mobile sites in every corner of Baltimore City and 1 fixed clinic-based site, more than 68 hours per week of services provided. Weekend, evening and late night hours currently exist. • Conducting back-pack exchange on “The Block.” • Site targeting Trans population will begin 7.9.09.

  8. NEP stats in Baltimore • Estimated that more than 16,000 persons have registered for the program since 1994. • To date more than 8 million needles have been distributed. • Over 2700 persons have been referred to treatment since the program began in 1994.

  9. Fiscal Year 08 Stats • 214 Participants referred to drug treatment • 408,233 syringes distributed • 15,560 clients visits to the NEP mobile units • 5,288 client visits who identify as women received services via Needle Exchange • Mobile Vaccine Clinics now on the mobile vans (Hepatitis A and B, Influenza-in season and Pnuemovax starting 7.09)

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