The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61061

Karen A. Stanczykiewicz, Chicago Recovery Alliance, PO BOX 368069, Chicago, IL 60636, 773-201-3222, kstancz@attglobal.net

The Chicago Recovery Alliance is a ten-year old organization committed to “any positive change” for drug users in Chicagoland. We provide harm reduction outreach with syringe exchange using both active and fixed-site outreach seven days a week. The Youth Outreach Educator (YOE) Program started with the growing awareness that not only was injection drug use among youth increasing, so were rates of disease. In response to our questions, youth demanded that we provide services relevant to their lives that would be driven and conducted by youth participants. YOE ages 15-24 conduct harm reduction outreach to their peers ages 24 and under. CRA has seen a 400% increase since 2000 in youth seeking to protect their health through harm reduction services.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will:
• 1.)Learn what kind of services youth who are active drug users can provide to their peers.
• 2.)Learn how we started the program and our struggles and successes.
• 3.)Learn how we maintain this program and how it has grown.
• 4.)Apply this knowledge to their own communities.
• 5.)Learn qualitative information regarding the efficacy of the program.
• 6.)Learn quantitative data regarding demographics and service provision.

Keywords: Youth, Needle Exchange Programs

Related Web page: www.anypositivechange.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Chicago Recovery Alliance
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.