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CDPH — HRI Recommendations <br />May 10, 2023 <br />Page 4 of 4 <br />Community Collaboration, Data collection and monitoring to identify positive and negative <br />impacts. <br />Data Monitoring <br />o HRI should work with City and County to perform Pre -Syringe Service Program/Syringe <br />Exchange Program (SSP/SEP) community assessment of syringe littering. <br />o Conduct syringe littering assessment at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months <br />after initiation of syringe service program and report findings to City and County. <br />o Monitor injection user -related infections, new cases of HIV & Hepatitis C. <br />o Tracking system to identify dispensed/returned syringes. This will enable HRI to <br />determine exact number of its own dispensed syringes that are appropriately disposed of <br />and collected. <br />■ Understanding where a needle was inappropriately discarded in the community will <br />be important in determining whether the needles were distributed by HRI, the impact <br />that HRI is having on the reduction of syringe litter, and where Environmental <br />Health/waste management resources can most effectively be deployed. <br />o Creation of an SSP/SEP OC Safe Syringe Program Steering Coalition/Group <br />■ Group that involves city, community businesses, HCA, law enforcement, medical <br />leaders with main mission of ensure safe operations and limited syringe littering in <br />the surrounding community. <br />■ Group should initially meet just prior to initiation of syringe service program and <br />should then meet quarterly to review and assess impacts of SSP/SEP program on OC <br />and to ensure syringe litter remains at a minimum. <br />■ Identified negative impacts to the community should immediately be addressed in <br />discussion with this group, the OC Recovery Collaborative, the City of Santa Ana, <br />and HCA. <br />o Provide Annual Report of Impacts to OC that is shared with HCA, OC Safe Syringe <br />Program Coalition/Groups, and the OC Recovery Collaborative <br />Our goal is to ensure that HRI is a success in reducing the spread of disease and infection. To overcome <br />well-founded community concerns, HRI will need to demonstrate safe and effective methods of appropriate <br />syringe disposal and collection, provide behavioral health support/referrals with close follow up and work <br />collaboratively with the community, collect data and monitor both negative and positive impacts to the <br />community. <br />If you have any questions regarding this matter, and if I can provide further assistance or clarification, please <br />do not hesitate to contact me. <br /> <br /> <br />Regina Chinsio-Kwong, DO <br />County Health Officer/Chief of Public Health Services <br />Orange County Health Care Agency <br />