Community invited to learn about new needle exchange program in Seven Corners
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| The Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program would be operated by the NovaSalud clinic in this medical building in Seven Corners. |
The public is invited to a community meeting next
week to learn more about the Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program coming to Seven
Corners.
This program,
hosted by the Fairfax County Health Department, will provide needle exchange
and other services to people with substance abuse disorders who inject drugs. It will be operated by the NovaSalud clinic at 2946 Sleepy Hollow Road.
The meetings
will be held online Tuesday, June 22; Wednesday, June 23; and Thursday, June 24. All meetings will be 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Click on the date to register.
This program was originally scheduled to start in 2020
but was delayed for a year due to the COVID pandemic.
Comprehensive Harm Reduction provides for the safe disposal
of used needles and syringes for clean ones that do not spread infection.
Related story: Needle exchange program proposed for Seven Corners
The program also offers drug users referral
to drug treatment and medical, mental health, and social services; HIV and
hepatitis testing; training in the use of Naloxone to treat overdoses; and education about overdose, safe injection
practices, and treatment options.
To members of the community who are skeptical about needle exchanges,
the Health Department offers the following myths and facts:
Myth: Drug
use will increase in areas with needle and syringe exchanges. Fact: The U.S.
Surgeon General has determined that Comprehensive Harm Reduction programs do
not increase drug use. In fact, people in a program are five times more likely
to go into drug treatment than those who are not in a program.
Myth: Used
needles and syringes will end up as litter. Fact: Evidence from Baltimore and
San Francisco shows that Comprehensive Harm Reduction programs reduced needle
waste in the community. Over 95 percent of needles and syringes were returned
for safe disposal in the four Virginia communities with Comprehensive Harm
Reduction programs.
Myth: The program will attract drug users to the community.
Fact: Studies show that almost all people in a Comprehensive Harm Reduction
program live in the area close to the program and don’t come from other
communities. The program in Seven Corners will have strict rules
and agreements with participants about not loitering near the
facility.
Myth:
Needle exchange programs are unproven and risky; we just don’t
know what will happen. Fact: There are 30 years of experience and research that
show Comprehensive Harm Reduction programs are safe, do not increase drug use
or crime, and reduce the spread of HIV and other infections. The program is strongly supported by the police departments and health
departments at all four Virginia sites that have needle exchange programs.
Beautiful way to say to the public a big F*** you!
You didn't want drug addicts around you? In your neighborhoods?
So what!
We went ahead and did this anyway.
Our politicians does not give a flying F**k about us.
On the contrary. They clearly do care about the community. That's why they are doing this.
Yes there is a case study in Indiana where there was an increase in HIV and the scientists said to have a safe needle exchange or there will be an outbreak. The governor didn't believe in that, so they didn't implement it, and there was an HIV outbreak. It got so bad that the governor finally caved in, there was a safe needle exchange, and the HIV outbreak managed to get contained, but scientists were outraged because a lot of lives could have been saved, and it endangers everyone else when there are more folks with infectious diseases like HIV. Druggies are not going to stop using drugs b/c they don't have a clean needle, it's not permission that they can use drugs, but rather, protecting the public from outbreaks resulting from drug-users who share needles.
Says the dude who probably lives nowhere near the clinic.
LOL James, a good one.
I bet such excuses does ease the conscious of other more affluent neighborhoods in the area. i should know, i live in one.
You know the Mason district is moving in the right direction when we make it easier/safer for addicts to get high in our neighborhoods.
Can't wait until I share needles with your kids. Because that's how it works. I just show up and they want them and I give your kids heroin.
Seriously, you and other posters need some serious perspective and hopefully some empathy.
Why is there a need for this program at this particular location? I would be surprised by great local demand for the service.
Merrifield gets Mosaic, we get needles. What is wrong with this picture?
Mosaic isn't all that wonderful. I drove through there a few days ago. There are a lot of empty stores/restaurants.
Poor comparison. Georgetown also has many vacant stores because of the pandemic. If I put it to the vote: Mosaic vs Needles, I bet you 95% would vote Mosaic.
Bad idea.
Makes total sense to install a needle clinic at the top of Sleepy Hollow Road! There are so many needle drug addicts in Lake Barcroft and Sleepy Hollow! Now when they OD in the parking lot at the top of the hill the Fire Department across the street can handle it. This place belongs in Baileys Crossroads, plain and simple.
Love the elitism of those who reside in Lake Barcroft and Sleepy Hollow. These are the exact same people who put BLM and “Love Trumps Hate” outside their house simply to virtue signal.
But by their actions they are known.
The moderator on this site protects those she wants to protect.
Absolutely agree with the elitism sentiment. We can stand together in solidarity with this. They will put BLM signs in their lawn but god forbid those less fortunate than them should become an inconvenience or "threat" in their lives. That's when it becomes a problem. The hypocrisy is infuriating.
I don't live in either of these exclusive neighborhood that are surrounded by marginal suburban communities hanging on to their dear life. But these two hoods keep voting in the same horrible District Supervisor. So they sort of voted for needle park to be at your back door. As for the BLM signs and the support of the Hazard tells me that they cherry pick their issues to be liberal on. These needles will put a nail in the coffin for future and successful development of the Sears site and the rest of 7 corners. The supervisor will do to 7 Corners as she has done to Baileys with the high rise homeless shelter.
This horrible, misguided idea further cements the nickname for Annandale/Bailey's Crossroads/Seven Corners as THE DUMP!
Annandale is not a dump! You seem to be the only person who thinks that. In what way is it helpful to refer to our community in such a negative way? If you want to make comparisons, Springfield and the Route 1 corridor are way dumpier, and Burke is just boring.
There there……just drink your kool aid and drift off to sleepy land.
The top of Sleepy Hollow [Fort Buffalo] will hereby be called NEEDLE PARK from here on out. Way to go BOS. Having grown up in the inner city, a needle exchange program is typically the sign of a neighborhood in decline.
Anon 9:04AM, you are spot on. The BoS has no idea what they are doing with regards to the urbanization of our area. They have no reference and therefore their antics do nothing but to continue to erode the neighborhood fabric that they are suppose to support. And that is why the BoS is coined the Board of Stupids.
Many of us in this District are Democrats, however we are being poisoned by the powers of extreme liberalism. This District's supervisor has not only been losing her hair, she has lost her mind. It will be interesting to see if the blog prints this. I needed to say this because there is no other good explanation for this ill advised undertaking in one of our best neighborhoods.
Union Square was called Needle Park, NYC cleaned it up when it got so bad that you would not find a respectable sole in there. My only suggestion is that some of the wealthier folks in the LB and SH neighborhoods take litigious action against the County, the BoS and our District Supervisor.
Needle Park does not belong in Mason District. It below in the Mason Dump. And i suspect if this frivolous folly by our supervisor continues, our district will get the deserved signature naming of "the DUMP."
Why are you making fun of someone losing their hair? Do you also make fun of people with disabilities? Hair loss is not a joke.
"Having grown up in the inner city…"
The lack of a comprehensive harm reduction program in a place being harmed by substance use is the best indicator of a neighborhood abandoned by their elected officials. If there is a fire station, does that mean that buildings are burning down every night? If there is a health clinic, does it mean that there is an epidemic happening every day?
Jesus did warn us of people who have eyes and won't see, ears but won't listen. I'm not surprised by y'all's comments. I am, however, disappointed.