LOOKING FOR A HOME

Needle Exchange Program On The Move For 10 Months

A needle-exchange program that helps prostitutes and drug-users lead safer
lives has been operating from the back of a van for 10 months, but it hopes
to find a permanent home before winter's chill takes hold.

In recent months Street Connections, which is run from Mount Carmel Clinic,
has done extensive community consultation on where to set up to deliver
everything from clean needles, condoms and drug and health counseling to its
clients.

Many community members don't want Street Connections near schools or homes.

Others don't want it in their neighbourhood at all.

NOT IN MY BACKYARD

"It is impossible to please everyone," said Mount Carmel executive director
Tom Kean, adding negotiations are under way for one of two inner-city sites.

The "not wanted in our community" attitude is nothing new for the program's
clients, said program manager Gloria Enns.

"A lot of times (drug abusers) feel they are disposable. Drug-users,
prostitutes and solvent abusers are pretty much marginalized and discounted
by a lot of people. (Street Connections) is one place where they are held in
high regard," she said.

Since February, the program has operated from the back of a van which does
nightly patrols, counselling clients, doing needle exchanges and making
referrals to nurses or drug treatment programs.

In April 1998, Street Connections exchanged nearly 40,000 needles but its
numbers have hovered around the 30,000 mark the past few months.

DISCOURAGED

The number of contacts is about half what it was a year ago.

"The back seat of the van is not a venue for private counselling. The
program has been dramatically affected by not having a place," Enns said.

"We have concerns some of our clients are getting discouraged and don't have
a place to go. I'm excited because our clients are asking almost every day
when we are going to open up. I'm glad they ask. It let's me know they
haven't given up."

Although many people believe injection drug-use is an inner-city problem,
Kean suspects the program will eventually be needed city-wide.

"There are such a variety of people coming through our doors," Enns said.

"Highly educated, middle-class and employed people who happen to have a drug
addiction to people who have grown up on the streets."