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WHEREAS, rates of opioid use, fatal overdoses, and Hepatitis C diagnoses are higher than national averages in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County; and,
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WHEREAS, syringe access is an evidence-based structural intervention to reduce HIV transmission and a proven method of reaching individuals who are currently injecting drugs in order to engage them in other risk-reduction services; and,
WHEREAS, South Pittsburgh communities have been heavily impacted by opioid and injection drug use; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Allegheny County Ordinance 04-08-OR, the Council of the County of Allegheny adopted and approved Article II, Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations pertaining to Needle Exchange Programs for Communicable Disease Prevention and Providing Drug Treatment Opportunities (the "Rules and Regulations"); and,
WHEREAS, Section 205D of the Rules and Regulations states that "No Needle Exchange Program shall operate in any location until the address of the Program Location is specifically approved by the Allegheny County Board of Health and the hosting municipality through legislative action;" and,
WHEREAS, Prevention Point Pittsburgh is a non-profit seeking to run a Needle Exchange Program located at Fairhaven United Methodist Church located at 2415 Saw Mill Run Boulevard in the Overbrook neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh; and,
WHEREAS, the implementation of such programs is recommended by the CDC and other health authorities to reduce infectious disease transmission and address other health and social needs of people who use substances; and,
WHEREAS, Prevention Point Pittsburgh obtained approval from the Allegheny County Board of Health for the proposed location and other operational logistics of the program in January of 2019; and,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby approves the location for Prevention Point Pittsburgh to operate a Needle Exchange Program at 2415 Saw Mill R...
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