1. IDU Living with HIV/AIDS
in New York by Ethnicity
White
African
American
Latino
New York Population by
Ethnicity
White
African
American
Latino
What do Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) mean
for New York?
“I understand that there will be questions, but this is common sense.”
- Sister Maureen Joyce, CEO of Catholic Charities
Why New York?
In New York state, almost half (43.3%) of all AIDS cases have occurred among injecting drug users, compared to
25.2% nationally.
1
Of note, New York City has the largest population of injecting drug users in the country.
2
Syringe Services Programs Work in New York
In 1987 the first syringe services programs were established in New York City by Mayor Koch.
3
There are currently 20 SSPs in New York state,
4
operating in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, Hempstead, Johnson
City, Mt. Vernon, New York City (all boroughs), Rochester, Syracuse, and Wyandanch.
5
From 1991 to 2008 in New York City, the rate of new infections among IDUs decreased 83%.
2
From 1990-2008, the estimated percent of IDUs living with HIV/AIDS in New York City declined from about
50% to 15-20%.
6
SSPs are reaching IDUs in New York City: in 2009, 68% of behavioral health survey respondents said that
they had only used sterile syringes that year.
2
Federal dollars went to SSPs in New York (2010 and 2011):
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010): $ 1,737,743
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011):* $ 1,722,743
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
7
$ 9,000
*In addition, the state had planned to use an additional $877,406 of 2012 CDC funds.
African Americans and Latinos are
disproportionately affected.
Among injecting drug users living with HIV
in New York state, an estimated 17%
identify as White, 48% identify as African
American, and 35% identify as Latino.
8
(This contrasts with the state population
breakdown, which reports 58% White,
16% African American, and 18% Latino).
9
Syringe Services Programs are Cost-Effective
New York’s relatively small investment in syringe services funding can have huge returns. Studies have shown that
every $1 invested in syringe services programs results in $3-7 in savings.
10
Thus, we can estimate that
federal funding had already set into motion up to $24M in savings, and that over time, a $877,406 FY12
CDC investment would have resulted in up to $6,141,842 in additional savings.
“Needle exchange offered us a way to say that drug addicts are people and they have an illness that merits
concern and love. Needle exchange was a reality. Until we get people in [drug] treatment then this is a way
to take care of them.”
– Father Errol Harvey, formerly of Manhattan’s St. Augustine Church
1
New York: Estimated Numbers of AIDS Diagnoses Among Adults and Adolescents by Transmission Category, Cumulative through 2010. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=34&cat=11&ind=845
2
HIV Risk and Prevalence among New York City Injection Drug Users, 2009 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Study. Available at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dires/nhbs_idu_mar2010.pdf
3
Lower East Side Needle Exchange. LESHRC and Syringe Exchange History. Available at: http://www.leshrc.org/page/history
4
New York: Sterile Syringe Exchange Programs, 2011. Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=566&cat=11&rgn=34
5
Syringe Exchange Program Coverage in the United States 2012. amfAR, NASEN, and Beth Israel Medical Center, 2012. (In publication.)
6
Des Jarlais DC, Semaan S. HIV Prevention for Injecting Drug Users: The First 25 Years and Counting. Psychosomatic Medicine 70: 606-611 (2008).
Available at: http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/70/5/606.full#R25-13
7
The two programs using SAMHSA dollars to support SEPs were Long Island Assoc. for AIDS Care (LIAAC) and New York Harm Reduction Educators
8
The New York State AIDS Advisory Council. Report on Syringe Access in New York State. January 2005. Available at:
http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/workgroups/aac/docs/syringeaccess.pdf
9
U.S. Census Bureau. State & County Quick Facts, New York. Available at: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36000.html
10
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.
![IDU Living with HIV/AIDS
in New York by Ethnicity
White
African
American
Latino
New York Population by
Ethnicity
White
African
American
Latino
What do Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) mean
for New York?
“I understand that there will be questions, but this is common sense.”
- Sister Maureen Joyce, CEO of Catholic Charities
Why New York?
In New York state, almost half (43.3%) of all AIDS cases have occurred among injecting drug users, compared to
25.2% nationally.
1
Of note, New York City has the largest population of injecting drug users in the country.
2
Syringe Services Programs Work in New York
In 1987 the first syringe services programs were established in New York City by Mayor Koch.
3
There are currently 20 SSPs in New York state,
4
operating in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, Hempstead, Johnson
City, Mt. Vernon, New York City (all boroughs), Rochester, Syracuse, and Wyandanch.
5
From 1991 to 2008 in New York City, the rate of new infections among IDUs decreased 83%.
2
From 1990-2008, the estimated percent of IDUs living with HIV/AIDS in New York City declined from about
50% to 15-20%.
6
SSPs are reaching IDUs in New York City: in 2009, 68% of behavioral health survey respondents said that
they had only used sterile syringes that year.
2
Federal dollars went to SSPs in New York (2010 and 2011):
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010): $ 1,737,743
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011):* $ 1,722,743
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
7
$ 9,000
*In addition, the state had planned to use an additional $877,406 of 2012 CDC funds.
African Americans and Latinos are
disproportionately affected.
Among injecting drug users living with HIV
in New York state, an estimated 17%
identify as White, 48% identify as African
American, and 35% identify as Latino.
8
(This contrasts with the state population
breakdown, which reports 58% White,
16% African American, and 18% Latino).
9
Syringe Services Programs are Cost-Effective
New York’s relatively small investment in syringe services funding can have huge returns. Studies have shown that
every $1 invested in syringe services programs results in $3-7 in savings.
10
Thus, we can estimate that
federal funding had already set into motion up to $24M in savings, and that over time, a $877,406 FY12
CDC investment would have resulted in up to $6,141,842 in additional savings.
“Needle exchange offered us a way to say that drug addicts are people and they have an illness that merits
concern and love. Needle exchange was a reality. Until we get people in [drug] treatment then this is a way
to take care of them.”
– Father Errol Harvey, formerly of Manhattan’s St. Augustine Church
1
New York: Estimated Numbers of AIDS Diagnoses Among Adults and Adolescents by Transmission Category, Cumulative through 2010. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=34&cat=11&ind=845
2
HIV Risk and Prevalence among New York City Injection Drug Users, 2009 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Study. Available at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dires/nhbs_idu_mar2010.pdf
3
Lower East Side Needle Exchange. LESHRC and Syringe Exchange History. Available at: http://www.leshrc.org/page/history
4
New York: Sterile Syringe Exchange Programs, 2011. Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=566&cat=11&rgn=34
5
Syringe Exchange Program Coverage in the United States 2012. amfAR, NASEN, and Beth Israel Medical Center, 2012. (In publication.)
6
Des Jarlais DC, Semaan S. HIV Prevention for Injecting Drug Users: The First 25 Years and Counting. Psychosomatic Medicine 70: 606-611 (2008).
Available at: http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/70/5/606.full#R25-13
7
The two programs using SAMHSA dollars to support SEPs were Long Island Assoc. for AIDS Care (LIAAC) and New York Harm Reduction Educators
8
The New York State AIDS Advisory Council. Report on Syringe Access in New York State. January 2005. Available at:
http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/workgroups/aac/docs/syringeaccess.pdf
9
U.S. Census Bureau. State & County Quick Facts, New York. Available at: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36000.html
10
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.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/b2089b85-abcf-4a47-90a4-d870371ed00f-150421202339-conversion-gate02/85/new-york-seps-state-fact-sheet41913-1-320.jpg)
