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Northwest Ohio Syringe Services Celebrates its Second Year
of Service
Today marks the second year of service for Northwest Ohio
Syringe Services (NOSS). Syringe Service Programs (SSP)
provide anonymous syringe exchange to prevent the spread of
HIV and viral Hepatitis, primarily serving people who inject
drugs.
SSPs are required, by law, to provide HIV and Hepatitis C
testing, education, and referral. NOSS is also required to
offer referral to substance abuse treatment. NOSS provides
these services, along with unrestricted syringes and
injection supplies, Narcan training and kits, fentanyl test
strips, and biohazard containers. Screening, Brief
Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) are offered
through Motivational Interviewing performed by the NOSS
staff.
In total, 336 unduplicated participants have visited NOSS. Secondary
exchange has expanded over the last year, allowing one
person to pick up syringes and injection supplies for
several others in their using network. Providing
unrestricted syringe access is best practice, which has
increased syringe distribution from 19,578 in Year One, to
94,687 throughout Year Two. NOSS has also seen an
increase in syringe collection; 10,087 syringes returned in
year one, and 45,580 returned in year two.
NOSS continues to screen for human trafficking as a Partners
against the Trafficking of Humans (PATH) agency. Over the
last year, NOSS has experienced an increase in pregnancy
testing and prenatal care referrals. NOSS has expanded the
distribution of safer sex supplies to include female
condoms.
Fentanyl test strip distribution has almost tripled over the
last year. NOSS distributed 473 Narcan kits. This year,
participants have reported being the first responders to 156
opioid overdoses, tooled with Narcan provided by NOSS; which
more than doubled from year one. New partnerships with the
Lucas County Sheriff’s Office have led to expanded Narcan
distribution through the Lucas County Corrections Center and
the Drug Abuse Response Team (DART).
NOSS continues to provide Harm Reduction services from the
following fixed locations, 6 hours a week:
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Talbot
Clinical Services, Inc.
1201 Madison
Ave. 732 Main
St.
Toledo, OH
43604 Toledo,
OH 43604
Tuesdays, 1-4
p.m. Thursdays,
1-4 p.m.
NOSS is excited to announce a third fixed location for
Syringe Services. The new location, First Unitarian Church
of Toledo, in South Toledo, is tentatively scheduled to
start providing services on Wednesday, September 4, 2019.
For additional information, please call the NOSS line at
419.213.2655 or visitwww.lucascountyhealth.com/syringe-services. |
