Protecting Philly Pt. 2

     Prevention Point Philadelphia’s work has not come without controversy. Needle exchange programs like this have often been criticized for supporting the use of IV drugs. Critics say that if people have the ability to access the mean to use IV drugs than they are more likely to abuse them.
    The Philadelphia Prevention Point website preventionpointphilly.com attempts to bunk this claim saying, “Numerous medical and professional organizations have studied syringe exchange and concluded that it does not encourage drug use.”
    The claim can be supported by a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. It said that in a study conducted between 1986 and 1992 that 45% of people agreed to “usually” obtaining injection equipment through and SEP in San Francisco. With that number came a decrease of 1.9 injections per day to 0.7 on average and a decrease from 3% new initiates to 1% over the course of the study and continued use of the program.
    When asked what he would say to critics of the organization Jose Gonzalez said, “I would ask them ‘Is what you’re doing working?’” referring to the ongoing war on drugs which he finds to be a failure. “It’s not worth the money,” He said. Gonzalez went on to explain that it only cost the city about eight cents per needle. But, it would cost the city around a $1,000,000 in medical services for every recorded case of HIV or HEP C. “We’re a cheap date.” Gonzalez said laughing.
    He said that the work that they do relies heavily on word of mouth. Prevention Point Philadelphia does publish a weekly calendar of exchange sites around the city, but a large amount of their participants do not have access to a computer and hear about it at their headquarters or from other users.
    The exchanges are located at different blocks around the city and there are usually six exchanges a week including specific days at the headquarters. In the heart of one of Philadelphia’s housing projects at 10th and Fairmount the needle exchange consisted of a Van where participants could line up and swap their used syringes.
     Each new participant is given a registration number. The registrations are anonymous in order to protect the identities of each person, but they are necessary in order to track the HIV or HEP C status of each person.

Jose Benitez (Photo courtesy of citypaper.net)

    Mr. Benitez explained the process in which they help each new participant. He said that they let each person come and as they show up more and more often they build a relationship by making sure they are safe and well fed. He explained that by starting a relationship this way opposed to preaching to them to get help, each participant can move at their own pace increasing their chances for eventual recovery.
     Benitez assured that all staff works directly with the participants. He spoke of an experience that he had that really made him feel like he was making a difference. One day when he was working in the van and gentleman approached with a very low register number. The man told Benitez that he had been exchanging syringes for nearly 20 years and continued to be HIV negative.
    When asked where some of these users would be without PPP Benitez said, “Well clearly based on the numbers there would be a lot more HIV positive individuals.” He also said, “It gives people the opportunity to change their lives on their own terms.”
    Benitez said that oftentimes the job can be “exhausting” especially when they are dealing with repeat users, but he explained that he wouldn’t ever stop trying. He said, “It’s my mission in life.”