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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jacob Clary, Harm Reduction Counselor at Housing Works
1:23:27
ยท
158 sec
Jacob Clary, a harm reduction counselor at Housing Works, testified in opposition to Intro 868 and Intro 1169, arguing that these bills are unnecessary and detrimental to the effective operation of syringe service programs. He emphasized that the proposed initiatives are redundant to existing practices and may interfere with collaborations between schools, community groups, and harm reduction organizations.
- Clary stressed that decades of research support the role of harm reduction in addressing problematic drug use and syringe waste.
- He suggested expanding efforts to place secure kiosks and containers in high-need areas for syringe disposal, rather than imposing new restrictions.
- Clary advocated for building community partnerships and fully funding overdose prevention centers as more effective solutions to the issues the bills aim to address.
Jacob Clary
1:23:27
Thank you.
1:23:28
My name is Jacob Clary.
1:23:30
I'm a harm reduction counselor at Housing Works where we worked tirelessly to provide safe syringe access since 1993.
1:23:37
Housing Works opposes the passage of intro eight sixty eight and intro eleven sixty nine as unnecessary and detrimental to the effective operation of syringe service programs.
1:23:46
The proposed initiatives are redundant to existing practices, guidance, and trainings that are enforced and monitored by the New York State and City Departments of Health.
1:23:54
Moreover, they will interfere with existing collaborations between schools and community groups and harm reduction organizations.
1:24:00
While we recognize the council's concerns, we hold that they are based on unfounded claims that these programs promote drug use, crime, and syringe litter.
1:24:08
In fact, decades of research support the role of harm reduction in addressing problematic drug use and syringe waste.
1:24:14
Intro August will not prevent participants from taking clean syringes to any location in a neighborhood, but will instead limit the safe distribution and disposal efforts.
1:24:26
The focus of this bill is simply not aligned with the mission practices or experience of syringe services programs.
1:24:32
Like likewise, Intro eleven sixty nine is redundant to guidance from the DOH which provides education to participants for syringe, for safe disposal of syringes.
1:24:41
A list of syringe access programs on the New York City and State Department of Health websites can be accessed to support communities, parks, and schools in syringe disposal.
1:24:49
Instead of imposing new restrictions, we should be placing more secure kiosks and containers in areas where they are needed most.
1:24:56
Every syringe service program including ours has safe disposal containers on-site and ours and other programs work closely with the DOH to install and maintain syringe disposal kiosks in high need areas.
1:25:08
This effort can and should be expanded but it does not accomplish by passing new laws that only give the false impression of progress.
1:25:14
The solution is not mandated restrictions on syringe access but building community partnerships which can foster understanding and communication and crucially to allow and fully fund overdose prevention centers which allow substance use to happen in a controlled environment where used syringes and other drug use supplies can be disposed of properly.
1:25:35
I'm happy to answer any questions.
Linda Lee
1:25:38
Wow, you're under time.
1:25:40
Good for you.
1:25:41
Usually people go
Jacob Clary
1:25:42
Let me finish then.
Linda Lee
1:25:44
Yeah.
1:25:44
So you should use up your three minutes.
1:25:46
Go ahead.
1:25:46
Yeah.
Jacob Clary
1:25:47
Okay.
1:25:48
I I just wanna note that after grilling the representative from the Department of Health, the two representatives that were asking about community services left.
1:25:58
The community services are sitting here at this table, and I take personal and professional offense to that.