Community & Economic Development

SAN DIEGO – In response to the public health crisis created by the spread of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and HIV/AIDS, the City of San Diego launched its first-ever Clean Syringe Exchange Pilot Program.

In San Diego, the number of reported HCV cases increased by 50 percent between 1998 and 1999, and the rate of AIDS cases is the third highest in the state, a condition exacerbated by the shared use of needles and syringes by injection drug users.

These circumstances caused the San Diego City Council to declare and maintain a state of local health emergency since October 2000.  Under the direction of the City Council, a Clean Syringe Exchange Task Force was formed whose recommendations led to the Clean Syringe Exchange Pilot Program.  Central to the Exchange Program is a drug abuse treatment referral component to combat the issue of drug addiction.

On July 18, the Pilot Program quietly began offering its services at a site in the East Village, using a non-descript, mobile facility to prevent the possibility of loitering.  Two more sites, one in City Heights and the other in North Park, shall soon be operational.

The City is introducing the Program to the public through a new page on the City’s web site, which can be accessed at www.sandiego.gov.  The web site provides an overview of the Program, from the conditions that spurred its development to how it will be implemented.  In addition, “Facts,” “Frequently Asked Questions,” and “Testimonials” sections serve to educate and dispel myths and misperceptions associated with such a program.  Also included are links to relevant political documents and resources, as well as partner organizations.

The Clean Syringe Exchange Pilot Program is being implemented by the City’s Community and Economic Development Department.  The total cost of the Program is privately funded by Alliance Healthcare Foundation, with responsibility for its operation awarded to Family Health Centers of San Diego.

“It is a sensitive project, but one right in line with our mission to provide care to medically under-served individuals,” said Fran Butler-Cohen, chief executive officer of Family Health Centers.  The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health have been contracted to monitor and evaluate program effectiveness.

As one of the last major cities to facilitate clean needle exchange, San Diego is following the nation’s lead – taking the steps necessary to reduce and reverse the effects of intravenous drug use.  For more information about the Clean Syringe Exchange Pilot Program, contact the City of San Diego Community and Economic Development Department at sheshimu@sandiego.gov or Family Health Centers of San Diego at (619) 515-2586 or robertl@lhfhc.com.