A Shaky Exchange
Hopefully harm reduction kits will become more accessible once the federal ban is lifted
Congressmembers head home this weekend, but AIDS advocates are determined to keep the pressure on next week to fully lift the ban on federal syringe exchange funding and allow syringe exchange funding in Washington, D.C.
Health GAP, Housing Works, CitiWide Harm Reduction, DC Fights Back and the Campaign to End AIDS are organizing a conference call Tuesday explaining the issue, which is open to anyone who is interested in seeing the U.S. provide unrestricted federal funding of syringe exchange (see details at end of story).
The House took a crucial step last week by lifting the ban, but its bill also includes a rule that would prohibit syringe exchange funding within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, swimming pools, daycare centers, and arcades. And the Senate didn’t lift the syringe exchange funding ban in their version of the Labor Health and Human Services bill.
These changes will all have to be worked out when the Senate and House bills are reconciled, and Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) told CQ Quarterly that lifting the syringe exchange ban is “a matter for conference.”
Health GAP grassroots organizer Kaytee Riek said, “That the Senate didn’t lift the ban is a really big deal but not the worst case scenario.” Riek and other activists are hopeful that the two houses will compromise on a bill allowing local jurisdictions to have control over where syringe exchanges can take place.
1,000 Feet of Trouble
The “1,000 foot amendment” is troubling. It would exclude most existing syringe exchanges from federal funding, particularly in cities. For example, all of Housing Works sites would be ineligible for federal funding.
In California, where AIDS prevention has been decimated by an additional $50 million budget cut to AIDS services, ten of the state’s 40 syringe exchange programs would be wiped out of existence without federal funding. Most of the other programs also receive some state funding and have been laying off most of their staff, closing down sites and reducing hours.
Local control is particularly important in Washington, D.C., where the 1,000 foot rule is also included in an amendment in a federal appropriation for 2010 that would prohibit the city from providing money to any needle exchange program.
There are currently 211 needle exchange programs in 34 states, all funded without federal government support (see a great map by AmFAR.)
The 1,000 foot rule would also make it incredibly challenging to set up new syringe exchange programs.
“Having any restrictions in place is like still having a federal ban,” said Jirair Ratevosian, an independent consultant working on this issue. “The point of lifting the federal ban is to have new funding, new programs, and begin to reach high risk populations.”
To learn more about what you can do to pressure your senators and representatives, you can participate in a grassroots conference call Tuesday, August 4 at 3pm ET or 8pm ET (there are two separate calls to accommodate your schedule). Call 800-505-4464, then type in the passcode 456048# when prompted. For more information contact Kaytee Riek at kaytee@healthgap.org
Posted on July 30, 2009 at 9:29 pm
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