The program shall:
(1) Operate for the purposes of:
- a. Preventing the transmission of HIV, the Hepatitis B virus, and other blood borne diseases; and
- b. Providing injection drug users with referrals to appropriate treatment and other health and social services programs.
- (2) Provide needles and syringes on an as-needed basis, whereby a participant receives sterile needles and syringes based on need and usage.
- (3) Be designed to prevent noninjection drug users from participating in the program.
- (4) Be designed and maintained to provide maximum security of program sites and equipment, including security measures that shall be required to allow for: identification of program needles; a full accounting of the number of needles distributed; the number in storage; safe disposal of returned needles, and any other measures that may be required to control the use and dispersal of sterile needles and syringes, provided however that a participant may return used needles and syringes at any program site if more than 1 site is available.
- (5) Include appropriate levels of staff expertise in working with injecting drug users and adequate staff training in providing community referrals, counseling, and preventive education.
(6) Include services to:
- a. Educate the participants about the dangers of contracting HIV or hepatitis viruses through needle-sharing practices and unsafe sexual behaviors;
- b. Provide HIV testing and other communicable disease testing as appropriate when available;
- c. Provide a linkage for referrals to drug counseling and treatment services, and follow-up to those referrals to assure that participants are retained in care and receive available treatment.
- (7) Establish procedures for identifying participants consistent with the confidentiality provisions of this subchapter.
- (8) Establish a method of identification and authorization for program staff members who have access to hypodermic needles, syringes, or program records.
- (9) Program structure and delivery methods will be designed in response to the local community in which the program operates.
- (10) [Repealed.]
75 Del. Laws, c. 428, § 1; 78 Del. Laws, c. 86, § 1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 398, § 1; 84 Del. Laws, c. 160, § 4