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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, July 8, 2005
Contact:
Dr.
Diana Yu,
Thurston
County
Health Officer, 360-786-5581
Thurston
County
Syringe Exchange Service Schedule Altered
OLYMPIA
– The Thurston County Syringe
Exchange Program will begin operating on a temporarily altered schedule during
the remainder of the summer. The
Syringe Exchange program has been operating on a 3 day a week schedule,
providing services on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons and evenings.
For the months of
July and August, Thursday services which previously occurred at a site in
downtown
Olympia
will not occur during this summer. Tuesday
services which also occur in downtown
Olympia
will continue from 3:00-6:45pm. Monday
services, which are conducted through the Department’s Healthmobile, will
continue to provide tailored services throughout the county between the hours
of 1:00-6:00pm.
The County Health
Officer, Dr. Diana Yu says “The Syringe Exchange is important and valued by
both the County and community. The
service is an essential public health strategy that reduces the risk of
disease transmission. It is one we
are committed to offering and providing.”
The use of needles in injection drug use plays a major role in the
transmission of HIV and other serious blood related diseases, such as
Hepatitis C. The Syringe Exchange
program was developed to provide, clean, sterile needles, in a one-for-one
exchange. This serves to decrease
the potential risk of transmitting serious diseases to others and connect
individuals who are using drugs to substance abuse treatment services.
Sherri McDonald,
the Public Health Department Director says “this temporary change in service
hours is more than an inconvenience for some members of our community.
We recognize that. However,
to operate this program we must have highly trained qualified staff who have
the medical knowledge and interpersonal skills to assist those who use the
service.” The Department
currently has a shortage of staff members with the skills needed to operate
the program 3 days each week. In
order to provide this service an appropriate staff to client ratio is
necessary. Volunteers are utilized
to support the program, however their role is now and has been, primarily to
support Department staff.
Dr. Yu says
“over the summer we will be developing a more robust staffing plan and fully
believe that the additional day of service will be restored”.
For information specific to the Syringe Exchange program call
360-709-3298.
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