Hours of Service:
Another aspect to take into consideration is the hours of service of the mobile van. ACQC is currently running a mobile van for syringe exchange in Far Rockaway, however, the hours of service are very limited. According to their hours of service and location, the van only runs on Wednesdays from 11 am – 3 pm. This is in broad daylight and it highly doubtful that people would go out in daylight and exchange syringes. Drug users usually go at night and according to an article by Islam and Conigrave, “some IDUs are concerned to remain anonymous and fear that they may be identified if they try to access sterile injecting equipment from pharmacies… Many IDUs need access to services in the evening, at night or weekends. These users strongly feel the need for a non-contact and out of business hours of service” ( 22 ). Therefore, it is imperative that the needs of these IDUs are met. The plan is to have hours of service from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am at night 7 days a week. In this way, even with daylight savings time, it is already dark at 9:00 pm. Therefore, IDUs would not have the fear of being identified by someone they know. These hours of service would not only be applicable to East Elmhurst, but also to the other locations that the ACQC is already serving. In terms of ensuring the safety of the driver and the workers, in the same article by Islam and Conigrave, “One van…can also provide shelter and some security for staff, some privacy for clients, and a consistent service while covering a large geographic area” (22). Therefore, the van serves as a safe place for them to stay in while serving IDUs.
Incentive:
Participation in the syringe program is another issue. Not everyone would take the time to exchange their needles for clean ones. Therefore, an incentive is needed. Though money is always a powerful incentive to get people to do what you want, the budget is limited. Therefore, perhaps, in return for exchanging clean needles, the IDUs could get small snacks or drinks. Who does not like food?
Syringe Exchange:
The main part of the program that needs to be fully asserted is the act of exchanging syringes. In an article by Cleland, “return of syringes to SEP was by far the most common method of safe disposal, and this was much more likely when syringe was obtained from a SEP” ( 21). The only way to be certain that syringes are disposed safely is if exchanges of syringes take place in a clinic, hospital, or any such programs. Otherwise, there is no certainty that the needles were safely disposed. “Safe methods of disposal included clinic, doctor, hospital, SEP, pharmacy, disposal mailbox, and sharps box. Unsafe methods of disposal included bushes, toilet, sewer, stranger, and ground” (21). Therefore, the mobile van syringe exchange program’s primary goal is to ascertain that exchanges of syringes take place.