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About The Graves County Needle Exchange
The Exchange is defined as a program intended to slow the spread of disease (i.e. HIV & Hepatitis C) and increase access to health care and substance abuse treatment among intravenous drug users, through two main components: (1) exchange of contaminated needles for sterile needles and (2) on-site counseling or referrals to counseling and treatment services.
Purpose
The purpose of The Exchange is to:
- Address the spread of blood-borne diseases among the intravenous drug user population through best practices in harm reduction.
- Promote preventive health and clinical services for blood-borne disease testing and substance abuse counseling/treatment.
- Foster a safer community by creating a safe space for disposal of contaminated syringes.
Partnership
- Graves County Board of Health
- Mayfield City Council
- Graves County Fiscal Court
- Graves County Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention
- Four Rivers Behavioral Health
- Recovery Works
- Turning Point Recovery Center
- Mercy Health
- Kentucky Cares
- Purchase Area Development Feeding America Food Pantry
Target Population
Intravenous drug users who reside in Graves County and surrounding counties regardless of economic status, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Location
Graves County Health Department, South 11th Street location onsite and/or off-site program and/or mobile unit under its public health clinics set by The Exchange Committee.
Day and Hours of Operation
- Mondays, 1PM – 3PM and Wednesdays, 8AM. – 3PM. Will be closed on normal state/health department holidays.
- An alternate day, agreed upon by The Exchange Committee, will be selected for the week that a holiday falls on Wednesday.
The Exchange will include:
- Accommodation for participant disabilities will be addressed on a case by case basis to meet specific client need.
- Collection of contaminated needles/syringes with biohazard disposal
- Counseling clients on treatment resources
- Dispersal of proper sharps containers for future use by participants
- Distribution of sterile needles and syringes
- Distribution of male condoms
- Hepatitis C screening
- HIV screening
- HEP A Vaccines
- Onsite peer counseling by community partners
- Prevention and education for: Overdose Prevention; disease prevention including sexually transmitted diseases; wound care; and injection site rotation (will be translated into participant specific language)
- Referrals for clinic and social services, substance abuse treatment.
- Safer injection supplies, such as fentanyl testing strips
- Narcan
- Access to food pantry and clothing bank as needed
- Other supplies as determined by The Exchange Committee