Federal Government Still Bans Funding for Syringe Exchange

State syringe exchange programs that provide clean needles to drug users and others to stop the spread of HIV are not allowed to use federal funds. Since 1988, the federal government has prohibited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding to be used for syringe exchange programs.

And because of that, states that allow the syringe exchange programs—and states that even fund them—are struggling with funding in some cases with the absence of federal dollars and also federal policy support for the idea.

“It has a chilling effect, when you have the federal government saying that the science is not all there—it gives people an excuse not to do it or they actually believe what the government says,” Allan Clear, executive director of the California-based Harm Reduction Coalition, said of the federal ban on syringe exchange funding.

Clear’s organization is pushing to lift the federal ban on funding for syringe exchange—focusing more on the federal government’s policy than on what individual states are doing. That’s because he believes once the ban is lifted, doors will open for more states to either start syringe exchange programs or continue to fund the needle swaps.

“We’re pretty much taking this view from the top,” Clear said. “What we imagine is going to happen if the federal ban goes, it will allow states and local municipalities to decide if they want to use federal funds.”

The language that keeps federal funds from syringe exchange is actually in the labor bill—written as a rider, according to Clear.

Besides causing some state syringe exchange programs to be crunched for funds, the federal ban on CDC funding means “no politician wants to pick it up,” explained Robert Childs, public health operations manager for New York City’s Positive Health Project. That syringe exchange includes an impressive list of services in addition to the needle swap housed in the building near Times Square.

If the federal ban is lifted, it will bring AIDS and HIV issues to the forefront of public health, Childs said.

After President Bush signed a fiscal year 2008 omnibus spending bill—H.R. 2764, the Consolidated Appropriations Act—a ban was lifted on city funding for syringe exchange programs in Washington, D.C. Since 1999, Washington, D.C., was the only city in the nation forbidden by federal law to use local funds for syringe exchange.

And even though states are able to use local funds for syringe exchange, the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange is still in place despite efforts from the Harm Reduction Coalition and other lobbying groups.

For more information on state syringe exchange programs, check out the May issue of State News.

—Mikel Chavers

Comments

[Carlos]

On Federal Funding Syringe Programs

You can go to the harm reduction coaltion site http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/HRC/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25278

or this other site.

http://capwiz.com/aac/issues/alert/?alertid=11709611 this act will allow Federal Money to be use in Syringe programs

This website will sent a letter to your Federal Congress Representative, but also if you know others who may be interested helping you can send them the information so they can help too. Please help use win and stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.

Saving Lives and Money

Besides saving lives, these needle exchanges deliver a huge financial payoff. Consider the case of an HIV-positive addict who infects eight others in a one-year period (a very modest estimate). If each turns to Medicaid to pay his or her lifetime medical costs (at an average $119,000 plus), that's about a $1 million burden for taxpayers--money that could have been saved if the one addict had been in a needle-exchange program.

[Carlos Franco]

On Federal Funding Syringe Programs http://capwiz.com/aac/issues/alert/?alertid=11709611 this act will allow Federal Money to be use in Syringe programs

This website will sent a letter to your Federal Congress Representative, but also if you know others who may be interested helping you can send them the information so they can help too. Please help use win and stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.

[Carlos Franco]

On the 1st day of the conference @Miami Downtown Hilton, Thursday 13 of November at 7pm there will be a workshop on the need to start Syringe Exchange Programs in Miami, Florida or any place else in Florida and/or other locations in need. The workshop will be facilitated by leaders of organizations who have been doing Needles Exchange Program for over 20 years.
Leaders from the North America Syringe Exchange Network http://www.nasen.org/ , who can provide Starter Kits and Technical Support as well as cheaper cost of needed equipment will also be available for discussion. Any interested party is invited to participate. We actively seek the participation
of church members and pastors; the health related professionals; attorneys; government officials as well as employees and local authorities. Persons who wish to attend the Syringe Exchange Workshop do not need to be a participant to the conference. You may contact me about this meeting and/or Paula Santiago@harmreduction.org (202) 213-6276 x15 about participating in the conference as participant or vendor. We know that syringe exchange works; we know the political will is more open to today's reality. Blacks and Hispanics are amongst the largest percentage of new HIV and Hepatitis new cases due to IV Drug use. We are working against the silences, censorship, myth,
misinformation and lack of action. Please contribute to the solution.

On Federal Funding Syringe Programs http://capwiz.com/aac/issues/alert/?alertid=11709611 this act will allow Federal Money to be use in Syringe programs. This website will sent a letter to your Federal Congress Representative, but also if you know others who may be interested helping you can send them the information so they can help too. Please help use win and stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.