***EVENT*** Cleaning Up and Reaching Out on March 27

Join us as we collaborate with others on March 27th to clean-up trash, train and organize teams to clean up used syringes, and educate neighbors. We will also be handing out free canned goods courtesy of Professor Al Smith and his Modesto Junior College students. You can't go wrong with free BBQ, music, and cool people. Hope to see you there!

When:     March 27, 2010
               Noon to 5PM

Where:    Cesar E. Chavez Park
               4th Street, Modesto

***Bring gloves if you have them!***

The Ana Liffey Drug Project: "If You Bang It, Bin It"

The Ana Liffey Drug Project's Peer Support Group is a well established programme designed to enable active drug users to spread Harm Reduction messages throughout the drug using community. The programme is set out over an eight week period and involves two morning sessions a week - Tuesday and Friday. The sessions include group work, outside speakers and talks from staff members on key drug issues. The course recognises the reality of the lifestyles of people who actively use drugs. The structure has been designed to be very flexible - participants have input into the topics to be covered, and the group is open access. The Peer Support Group also plays a valuable role in informing Ana Liffey's service delivery, through their 'Duck, Dive & Survive' resources. In 2009, Peer Support Group resources won a health literacy award.

Towards the end of 2009 the Ana Liffey Drug Project raised the issue of unsafe disposal of drug paraphernalia at a number of forums including the Peer Support Group. The Peer Support Group was concerned that people who did not dispose of their works appropriately were putting other people at risk. With this in mind the group were invited to work on a poster as part of their 'Duck, Dive & Survive' campaign.

Read more on the Ana Liffey Drug Project website here. Good stuff!

*VIDEO* "The Risks of the Job: Protecting Law Enforcement from Needle Stick Injury"

It is an important message for Off the Streets to share that NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS HELP PROTECT LAW ENFORCEMENT! It is an indisputable fact that services provided at syringe exchange programs are directly in line with supporting the safety of our officers working the streets. We want all members of our community to be safe from dangerous and sometimes deadly health risks that can be prevented.

• Read this October 2009 fact sheet from the Foundation for AIDS Research. Something notable that was omitted from this fact sheet is that many SEPs also offer personal size sharps containers for users to store their used syringes. If syringes are properly contained, not only does California law then protect someone carrying them, law enforcement is further protected from needle stick injuries.

• Click here to be connected to the video "The Risks of the Job: Protecting Law Enforcement from Needle Stick Injury," produced by Gretchen Hildebrand. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT VIDEO! PLEASE WATCH!

• Off the Streets' DVD copy of "Risks of the Job" is available for lending to the community or it can be viewed with Off the Streets volunteers, accompanied with other supplemental resources, and/or can be part of a larger training series. For more information contact us at offthestreetsproject@yahoo.com.

In this short video, "The Risks of the Job" shows:

• How law enforcement officers can avoid needle sticks in the field
• How officers can protect themselves when needle sticks occur
• How Syringe Exchange Programs are helping communities and law enforcement officers stay safer

A Healthy Relationship with Law Enforcement: The Missing Link

The importance of furthering our discussion about the relationship with law enforcement is one that cannot be overstated. Up to this point in the syringe access struggle in Stanislaus County, communication between the opposing sides of the issue has been somewhat lacking. While it is still early in the process of unifying our many allies and resources at Off the Streets, it is a pressing short-term goal to begin genuine discussion between the community, experts, and law enforcement officials. We think it is one of the most critical components of work around syringe exchange advocacy - attempting to understand and reach across to everyone at the community's table. While syringe exchange activities have ceased and disease is still spreading, it is more important than ever to make progress toward authorization.

• For starters, read this article on the Huffington Post: "Syringe Exchange and Police: An Alliance in Waiting," by Allan Clear.
• More about the law enforcement component of the syringe exchange issue will come in future posts.

Safe Disposal - Why Am I So Confused?

First of all, what are the laws about disposal? In California it is ILLEGAL to throw used syringes in trash cans, recycling bins, in public parks, beaches, etc. (Senate Bill 1306) In Califiornia it is LEGAL to carry used syringes in "proper containers", like plastic Sharps containers or biohazard buckets, for the purpose of safe disposal (California Health & Safety Code 11364b ) But knowing these are the laws doesn't mean it is easy to follow them. Especially in the IDU community. I found this link valuable and interesting in my thought processes about this issue. "A Guide to Syringe Disposal" basically lays out exactly what proper disposal looks like while strongly emphasizing the importance of doing it right. I see this publication as somewhat of an "official" guideline for protecting public health and safety against the dangers of infected syringes. Sooo, that being said, I am more confused than ever. Considering the obvious problem, the blatant and massive issue of unsafe and illegal disposal of (already shared and overused) syringes in more than one, more than 2, more than 10 KNOWN locations throughout Modesto alone, why are we not addressing the problem to the level that it is recommended in the above link? Seems irresponsible to me really. Almost negligent. Actually, no, it's really negligent.