Needle van controversy still sore point for some

The needle exchange van continues to provide clean syringes at the intersection of South 14th and â??Gâ?? streets. Some residents of the area expected it would be gone by now, as a result of a series of meetings over the past year on the subject. A public health official counters that the purpose of those meetings was to reduce the impact the van has on the surrounding area.

The topic was on the agenda for the May meeting of New Tacoma Neighborhood Council. Denny Faker, a board member of the council, said he was disappointed Tacoma/Pierce County Board of Health did not take any action to relocate the van, or reduce its hours, during its monthly meeting in May.

â??The health department just patted themselves on the back,â?? Faker remarked.

He also said State Representatives Jeannie Darneille and Dennis Flannigan, both Democrats who represent Tacoma, support the vanâ??s location. â??I am disgusted,â?? Faker declared. â??We are promised things by our political representatives. We are just getting slapped in the face. What the hell are we doing here?â??

â??It is an issue of equity,â?? remarked Bill Garl, the councilâ??s vice chair. â??It has been there for 14 years. Why not someplace else for 14 weeks?â??

â??Its time has come to not be a van anymore,â?? said City Councilmember Jake Fey. â??We have other means to provide the service.â??

Fey noted the department serves the entire county. â??If this was run by a city health district, it would be gone by now.â??

Nigel Turner, public health manager for the department, said this week that staff has worked to reduce the vanâ??s impact on the neighborhood. â??We have listened to the concerns of residents, and neighbors in the vicinity,â?? he said. â??We put in place a number of measures to address them.â??

Turner said these include extending the hours that needles can be exchanged at the departmentâ??s headquarters and offering home delivery. In addition, an agreement was reached with Washington State Board of Health, which encourages sales of syringes at 20 participating pharmacies.

â??We have done the things to relieve the impact in the area,â?? Turner remarked.

The number of people served at the van has been reduced by 40 percent, Turner said. â??However, we believe about 40 percent of those served there are using social services in the area,â?? he said, such as meal programs.

Department staff is conducting a survey of clients who use the vanâ??s services. Initial results will be presented to the health board at its July meeting. Staff will come back to the board in October with a proposal for alternative service delivery options.

Turner said the van has used this intersection for 17 years. If it is no longer there, a certain number of people who use it will drop away and not get clean syringes from other sources.

He feels the van provides a service that saves lives and meets the departmentâ??s key goals of preventing the spread of diseases.

â??We are doing what we can, within the mandates we have, to promote and protect public health,â?? Turner remarked. â??I can only make suggestions that I believe will achieve those goals.â??

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