Working w/in Health Departments to Promote Harm Reduction

1. Working w/in Health Departments to Promote Harm Reduction Larry Cuellar, Texas Department of State Health Services Rachel McLean, MPH, California Department of Public Health Emalie Huriaux, MPH, San Francisco Department of Public Health Laura Thomas, MPP, Drug Policy Alliance 8th National Harm Reduction Conference November 19, 2010 Austin, Texas

2. What state and local health departments CAN do • Fund programs • Validate best practices through guidelines, strategic plans, reports, conferences, research • Work with other government agencies • Provide health information materials, expertise • Mobilize communities to solve health problems

3. What state and local health departments CANNOT do • Take public positions supporting or opposing: • - legislation - budget cuts • candidates - court decisions • Talk to the media without getting talking points cleared first by office of public affairs

4. What community-based organizations & individuals CAN do • Ask for what you want • Hold government agencies accountable • Participate in community planning groups • Educate the press and policymakers • (Take public positions on legislation, etc.)

5. Ways health departments and CBOs can work TOGETHER

6. Examples: TEXAS

7. Why work with the health department? • Statewide impact • Access to additional resources • Information network • Disease surveillance (special studies) • Access to epidemiologic expertise

8. Harm Reduction and the Texas State Health Department • History of harm reduction initiatives in TX • - Condom access • - Syringe access • - Other programs • State Health Department policies & procedures • - Permissible activities • - Gray areas • - Non-permissible activities

9. Examples of Texas Health Department Activities • Texas Viral Hepatitis Summits • Hepatitis education and training activities • Hepatitis awareness activities

10. Examples: California

11. California Adult Viral Hepatitis (VH) Prevention Strategic Plan, 2010-2014

12. Plan: Harm Reduction-Specific Recommendations • Research projects: • Pilot syringe access, safer tattooing in prisons • Pilot safer injection facilities • Effective HCV prevention strategies for young IDUs • Programs: • Expanded HCV testing, hepatitis A/B vaccine access • Statewide viral hepatitis referral guide • Expanded syringe access programs • Policies: • Ensure implementation of health reform addresses health issues of uninsured individuals with chronic VH

13. Plan Implementation: Programs

14. Plan Implementation: Policies

15. Examples: San Francisco

16. What community-based organizations & individuals CAN do • Ask for what you want • Hold government agencies accountable • Participate in community planning groups • Educate the press and policymakers • (Take public positions on legislation, etc.)

17. Questions for Discussion • What has worked well in health department/community collaborations that you have been a part of? • What surprised you? • What challenged you? • What did you learn? • How will you work differently with your health department/community partners differently after this presentation?

18. Contact Information Larry Cuellar Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator Texas Department of State Health Services TB/HIV/STD Branch MC 1873 P.O. Box 149347 Austin, Texas 78714-9347 (512) 533-3124

19. Contact Information Rachel McLean, MPH Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator California Department of Public Health STD Control Branch (510) 620-6403 Rachel.McLean@cdph.ca.gov www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/pages/ovhp.aspx

20. Emalie Huriaux, MPH San Francisco Department of Public Health Community Behavioral Health Services & HIV Prevention Section 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94102 emalie.huriaux@sfdph.org 415-437-4694 ph; 415-431-7154 fax www.sfdph.org Contact information