Correspondence - Item 27 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

CDPH — HRI Recommendations May 10, 2023 Page 3 of 4 Effective syringe disposal and collection o Client Education/Disposal/Collection ■ Monitoring of needle collection will need to be completed in an electronic efficient system. Paper log of weighed syringes was inadequate in the past to measure collection and disposal. ■ Tracking method should be instituted to easily identify the origin of each syringe dispensed and collected by HRI. ■ Each dispensed syringe should have markings as noted above to help HRI (as well as City and County) to identify and track HRI dispensed syringes and to enhance HRI's ability to account for properly and improperly disposed HRI syringe needles. ■ If feasible, enhanced RFID technology can be utilized to identify/quantify returned HRI dispensed syringes more easily. Example: RFID technology is now used for inventory management in many different businesses. Similar technology can easily be affixed to each syringe to assist with tracking, to identify syringes originating from HRI, Santa Ana. o Community Collection and Disposal of HRI-identified syringes ■ Expand Hotline hours of operation for the local community to report HRI-identified syringes discarded in public spaces for prompt collection. ■ Response time to collect/dispose HRI identified syringes in the community should take place ideally within 1-2 hours, but no later than within 24 hours of receipt of any report of discarded syringe needles. ■ If HRI fails to respond to a community complaint of syringe litter within 24 hours, HCA Environmental Health response teams should have the ability to recover the Agency's costs for responding to complaints and collecting and properly disposing of HRI-distributed syringe litter. ■ CDPH should consider requiring HRI to post a bond or obtain insurance to allow public agencies to recover their costs in the event of non-payment. 2. Provide counseling services, linkage to behavioral health and medical services and provide close follow up to referrals placed. • HRI personnel and volunteers should have strong knowledge of County behavioral health resources (i.e., referral resources, hotlines, substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment options) and should regularly provide information about these available resources to program participants. o Required regular participation with OC Recovery Collaborative. o Acceptance of drug rehabilitation/SUD treatment should be encouraged by HRI personnel and staff of all program participants. o Referral follow-up. HRI staff and volunteers should closely monitor participants and follow-up on any referrals that were placed or recommended. o HRI staff should log all referrals with outcomes of whether the participant was able to follow-through with referrals to treatment. o HRI should practice close collaboration with referral partners to improve linkage and access through warm handoffs.