Reducing Harms Associated with Substance Use Disorder through Syringe Service Programs and Syringe Access

Syringe Service A Syringe Service Program (SSP) provides services to reduce the harms associated with drug use, and prevent HIV and viral hepas infecons. Programs (SSP)

Minnesota Department of Health-funded SSPs provide:

Referrals to medical, mental &

sexual health services

HIV & Hepas C prevenon,

tesng & linkage to care

Naloxone kit distribuon,

training & educaon

Referrals to substance use

disorder treatment & recovery supports

Educaon about overdose prevenon,

including safer injecon pracces

Sharps containers & safe disposal

of used syringes

Sterile syringes at no cost

The Need in Minnesota

• In 2017, there were almost 12,000 Minnesotans admied to substance use disorder treatment for injecon drug use; this is a 300% increase from 2007.

• The main risk factor for hepas C transmission is injecon drug use.

• As of December 2017, there were 34,720 people reported to be living with chronic hepas C in Minnesota.

• Injecon drug use is also a risk factor in the transmission of HIV.

• In 2017, there were 284 new cases of HIV in Minnesota, 10% of which reported injecon drug use.

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Injecon Drug Use Is On the Rise In MN 1995-20171

Methamphetamine Heroin Other Opiates Injecon Drug Use

SSPs effecvely address many of Syringe Service Programs Benefts the concerns related to drug use.

One in three officers are stuck with a needle during their career.2 SSPs provide resources and educaon on proper disposal for people who use drugs. In 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)-funded SSPs took in 554,147 used syringes.3 SSPs reduce needle-sck injury to law enforcement by 66%.4

Sharing syringes and drug use equipment can spread HIV and hepas C. SSPs rounely provide HIV and hepas C tesng and linkage to care to reduce transmissions. In 2017, there were 284 new cases of HIV and 34,720 people living with hepas C in Minnesota. In 2018, 14% of hepas C tests conducted at MDH-funded SSPs were posive.3, 5

More than 400 Minnesotans died of an opioid-involved death in 2017.6 SSPs teach people who use drugs how to respond to an overdose emergency using naloxone, and how to prevent overdoses through safer injecon pracces. Research shows that SSPs do not cause any increase in drug use.7

In 2018, MDH-funded SSPs distributed 678,473 sterile syringes, reducing the risk of transmission of infecous diseases. For hepas C, the average 12-week treatment cost is $84,000.8 The esmated lifeme cost of treang one person living with HIV is $379,668 (in 2010 dollars).9

Reduce infecous disease treatment

costs

Reduce drug overdose deaths

Reduce incidence of HIV and hepas C

infecons

Reduce needle sck injuries

Increase likelihood to

enter treatment

Syringe Access: Syringe Access is legislaon that allows any pharmacy to sell up to 10 syringes without a prescripon11. Although every community could benefit from a Syringe Service Program (SSP), there are sll a small number of SSPs, mostly in the Twin Cies. Syringe Access allows statewide access to sterile syringes.

MDH-Funded Syringe Service Programs: • Indigenous People’s Task Force (IPTF) • JustUs Health • Nave American Community Clinic (NACC) • NorthPoint Health and Wellness • Ramsey County Clinic 555 • Rural AIDS Acon Network (RAAN) Duluth

References: 1. Minnesota Department of Human Services, BHD, Drug and

Alcohol Abuse Normave Evaluaon System (DAANES) Treatment Admission Data (9/11/2018)

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevenon www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/ssps.html

3. MDH-Funded Syringe Service Program 2017 Annual Report www.justushealth.mn/minnesota-syringe-exchange-calendar

4. Groseclose, S.L. et al., “Impact of increased legal access to needles and syringes on pracces of injecng-drug users and police officers—Conneccut, 1992-1993,” Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes & Human

5. MDH HIV/AIDS Surveillance www.health.state.mn.us/hiv

6. MDH Opioid Dashboard www.health.state.mn.us/opioiddashboard

7. Instute of Medicine. Prevenng HIV Infecon Among Injecng Drug Users in High-Risk Countries. An Assessment of the Evidence. Washington, D.C.: Naonal Academies Press; 2006.

8. Schumock Glen T. et al. , Naonal Trends in Prescripon Drug Expenditures and Projecons for 2015, 72 Am. J. of Health-System Pharmacy 717 (2015)

9. Schackman BR, Gebo KA, Walensky RP, Losina E, Muccio T, Sax PE, Weinstein MC, Seage GR 3rd, Moore RD, Freedberg KA. The lifeme cost of current human immunodeficiency virus care in the United States. Med Care 2006; 44(11):990-997.

10.Center for Innovave Public Policies. Needle Exchange Programs: Is Balmore a Bust? Tamarac, Fl.: CIPP; April 2001.January 2019

11.Minnesota Statute 151.40 subdivision 2

When people parcipate in an SSP, they are five-mes more likely to enter treatment for substance use disorder and more likely to reduce or stop injecng.10 SSPs meet people where they’re at, providing a safe place to connect with services. In 2018, the MDH-funded SSPs served 6,815 unique clients.2

Minnesota Department of Health 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414 health.mn.gov