Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jul 2009
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Cheryl Chan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

NEEDLE-EXCHANGE VANS, YOUTH-OUTREACH AGENCY SHUT DOWN

Alternative Provider Sought, Says Coastal Health Spokeswoman

A Downtown Eastside youth-outreach agency plagued with leadership and 
financial problems is being shut down by local health authorities.

Funding for the Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society and its 
mobile needle-exchange vans have been terminated by Vancouver Coastal 
Health Agency.

Funding runs out Friday.

The sudden termination has left a crucial gap in health services in 
the Downtown Eastside, said DEYAS workers.

"There is no transition in place," said acting chairwoman Bonnie 
Fournier. "This is a vital service, not just for people who use 
injection drugs, but for the community as well."

Frontline worker Robyn Beveland said the closure means no outreach 
services will be offered to the neighbourhood's most vulnerable 
people during the late-night hours.

The mobile vans, which patrol the streets for about 19 hours a day, 
recover used syringes and provide drug addicts and prostitutes with 
clean needles, condoms, counselling and other harm-reduction paraphernalia.

The organization, now bankrupt, has been embroiled in leadership 
turmoil under a series of executive directors since founder and 
activist John Turvey died in 2003.

The last director, Anna Jones, resigned at the end of May.

Anna Marie D'Angelo of Vancouver Coastal Health said the health 
agency was advised by DEYAS leadership that it is no longer able to 
provide the services required.

"They told us they can't service the contract we had with them," she 
told The Province yesterday. "It's their decision. It's their leadership."

D'Angelo said other needle-exchange programs, including those 
operated by PHS Community Services and Vancouver Area Network of Drug 
Users, are already in place but said VCHA will continue to look for 
an alternative service provider to fill DEYAS's shoes.

Last year, it provided $600,000 in funding to DEYAS, primarily for 
the mobile needle-exchange program.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom