Transcript Outreach Strategies to Recruit Pregnant Substance Users

Organizing Drug
Users for
Community &
Social Change
HIV/AIDS in NYC
• New York City has 20% of the nation's
HIV cases and AIDS deaths, highest
rates in the US.
HIV Among IDU’s in NYC
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1990-92
1993-95
1996-98
1998-2002
Outcomes and Success
• There has been an 80% reduction in
HIV transmission.
• NYC 1992: 50% of IDUs were HIV
positive, 4% infected per year
• NYC 2002: as few as 18% of IDUs are
HIV positive, 1% infected per year
User Unions
• Dutch Model
• Australian Model
• Canadian Model
Mission and Purpose
• The purpose of Voices of Community Advocates and
Leaders (VOCAL), the New York User Union, is to
increase the scope of consumer input by involving IDU’s
from all New York syringe exchange programs in the
development of policies and services that directly affect
their lives.
• VOCAL addresses the current lack of meaningful input
that drug injectors mono and co-infected have in the
development and implementation of services.
• Although harm reduction has become widely accepted
as an effective public health intervention, drug users
continue to be excluded from policy debates and
program implementation, in contrast to consumers of
traditional AIDS prevention programs.
Advisory Committees
National
• HCAP
• National Viral Hepatitis
Round Table
• National HIV/HCV CoInfection Coalition
• Care Coalition
• Pharmaceutical
Community Meetings
State/City
• HIV Prevention Planning
Group – City and State
• New York City Ryan
White Planning Council
• New York Hepatitis
Network
• New York State Viral
Hepatitis Planning
Committee
• IDUHA
Advisory Committees
National
• HCAP
• National Viral Hepatitis
Round Table
• National HIV/HCV CoInfection Coalition
• Care Coalition
• Pharmaceutical
Community Meetings
State/City
• HIV Prevention Planning
Group – City and State
• New York City Ryan
White Planning Council
• New York Hepatitis
Network
• New York State Viral
Hepatitis Planning
Committee
• IDUHA
User Organizing
• Trusting relationship with consumers/drug
injectors
• Involvement with other advisory and planning
bodies
• Network with other agencies that serve drug
injectors
• Resources for transportation and food
• Facilitate IDU leadership
• Flexibility in meeting days and times
• Advocacy trainings
• Access to current HCV/HIV medical information
User Organizing
• Building leadership from all NYC syringe exchange
programs; considering forming chapters at each SEP or
borough
• Trainings to develop organizing and advocacy skills
among our members
• General membership meetings on the last Wednesday of
every month
• Steering committee meetings every 2nd and 4th Tuesday
of the month
• Committees: Housing, Health Care Access, Drug Policy
Reform, and Prison Health
• User-led HCV support group every Thursday
• Syringe distribution (ESAP) every Tuesday and
Thursday
Desired Outcomes
• HCV care network to ensure citywide
continuum of care
• Policy and service delivery changes to
accommodate IDU needs regarding treatment
care, adherence and support services
• Training for IDU's to become better advocates
• Participation and placement on committees
that allow IDU's to monitor and develop
prevention messages and service provision
Current Campaigns
• “Syringes in the Shelters”
• Right of Return to Public
Housing
For more information about
VOCAL/NY Users Union
please contact:
Louis Jones, VOCAL Coordinator
[email protected] | (718) 802-9540 x 18
Jeremy Saunders, VOCAL Organizer
[email protected] | (718) 802-9540 x16
Web: www.nycahn.org