What do Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs) mean for New Jersey?

“In the cities that have adopted needle exchange programs, there is a dramatic reduction in needle sticks to firefighters who crawl on their hands and knees through smoke-filled rooms in search of victims.”

- Charles Aughenbaugh, Jr., President, New Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs Association and Retired Deputy Fire Chief, March 2011

Why New Jersey?New Jersey’s HIV/AIDS epidemic is heavily concentrated among injecting drug users, with almost half (48%) of all AIDS cases occurring in this group, compared to 25% nationally.1

Access to SEPs Disproportionately Affects Latinos & African AmericansAmong injecting drug users living with HIV/AIDS in New Jersey, 59% are African American, 22% are Latino, and 19% are White, while those same figures for the entire state population are 15.4% African American, 19.8% Latino, and 64.8% White.2

SEPs Work in New JerseyIn response to the “Blood-borne Disease Harm Reduction Act” of 2006, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services authorized five municipalities to establish SEPs, including: Atlantic City, Camden, Paterson, Newark, and Jersey City.3 From 2007-2009, SEPs served 5,806 individuals. In addition, 998 accessed drug treatment programs.4

Federal dollars that went to SEPs in New JerseyCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): $ 600,000(Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA):5 $ 20,500

Syringe Exchange Saves Money and LivesNew Jersey’s relatively small investment in syringe exchange funding can have huge returns. Studies have shown that every $1 invested in syringe exchange programs results in $3-7 in savings.6 Thus, we can estimate that the $620,500 in federal money invested will save up to $4.3 million dollars.

1 New Jersey: Estimated Numbers of AIDS Diagnoses Among Adults and Adolescents, by Transmission Category, Cumulative through 2010. Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=845&cat=11&rgn=322 HIV/AIDS Among African Americans in New Jersey. HIV/AIDS Among Latinos in New Jersey. New Jersey Dept. of Health and Senior Services; and U.S. Census Bureau State & County QuickFacts, New Jersey. Available at: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html.3 New Jersey Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need, 2009, Part II. Available at: http://www.state.nj.us/health/aids/documents/scsn_pt2_09.pdf4 New Jersey Syringe Access Program Demonstration Project, Interim Report. Implementation of P.L. 2006, c.99 “Blood-borne Disease Harm Reduction Act.” January 2010. Available at: http://nj.gov/health/aids/documents/nj_sep_evaluation.pdf5 SAMHSA dollars supported North Jersey Community Research Initiative in Newark.6 Nguyen TQ. Increasing investment in syringe exchange is cost-saving HIV prevention: modeling hypothetical syringe coverage levels in the United States. Nineteenth International AIDS Conference, Washington DC, abstract MOAE0204, 2012.