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Prevention Point Pittsburgh, the
only needle-exchange program in western Pennsylvania, recently argued against
an Allegheny County rule prohibiting NEPs within 1,500 feet of schools,
day-care centers, and drug treatment centers. PPP’s sites in Oakland and the
Hill District were established before the 2008 rule took effect, but it is a
barrier to a proposed new site in Homewood, NEP representatives told a July 11
county Board of Health (BOH) meeting.
Almost no new NEPs could be
established under the restriction, according to maps drawn by PPP, which asked
for the rule’s elimination. The BOH agreed, and it plans to vote Sept. 5 on an
amendment that would then be sent to the County Council. PPP has to receive
approval from the BOH and the city of Pittsburgh before opening a site - part
of a location-vetting process that was integral to support from the board, said
Lee Harrison, its chair.
Bus service has been cut, and many
clients are old, sick or do not have cars - meaning the current PPP sites reach
only those who can afford to drive, said Renee Cox, PPP’s director. A location
in Homewood would extend needed NEP access to African Americans who cannot
travel to current sites, she said. In a study in New York City, 81 percent of
drug users living within a 10-minute walk of an NEP used its services, compared
with 59 percent of those living farther away.
“It maybe could be less than 1,500
feet, but I think there should be some type of buffer there,” said Council
member Michael Finnerty (D-Scott). “They said they’re just tired of seeing
needles around schools,” said Council member Vince Gastgeb (R-South Hills),
recalling residents’ complaints when the rule was being considered.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
