Rebuilding a Safe Haven for Future Crises

At Intercambios Puerto Rico, we are happy to share with you our progress over the last three months as continue to provide support to the homelessindividuals and problematic substance users in the northeast of Puerto Rico. Our syringe exchange project has impacted the community by collecting and delivering clean syringes as well as other safe injection and personal hygiene items. We are currently providing these services in the 9 municipalities of the Northeast and we have recently added the town of Yabucoa. Between the months of August and October, 50,209 syringes were collected and 65,408 syringes were delivered to program participants. These data demonstrate the number of participants who have benefited from work focused on harm reduction and that has an impact on the well-being of the overall population. The syringe exchange project allows the reduction of transmission of HIV, hepatitis C and other bacteria that can be contracted due to not having safe injection equipment to use intravenous drugs. Also, we have managed to link participants to other social and medical programs such as medication-assisted treatment and primary health care.

In addition to the syringe exchange team is also accompanied by a nurse and a case manager provided individual case managing services to a total of 50 participants between the months of August to October 2019. This project has offered preventive services and liaison to other social organizations and primary medical care. A total of 50 rapid HIV tests have been performed on participants from the northeast area of Puerto Rico including the town of Yabucoa. It should be noted that our staff also participated in a health fair in the town of Loíza aimed at people with problematic substance use and the community in general. We specially want to highlight the addition to our organization of a crisis/emergency coordinator with a social work background who has undertaken the development of an emergency protocol in the face of atmospheric phenomena such as hurricanes and floods and coordination with municipal emergency offices to ensure addecuate attention to the population we serve.  This is project was made possible thanks to the contribution of Globalgiving.com and is allowed us to better prepare in the event of future natural disasters as an organization and to help our community navigate its aftermath.

Finally, our GBHI team funded by SAMHSA is working in the community and offering psychosocial services to homeless individuals with problematic substance use and mental health disorders. Several communities in the municipality of San Juan have been impacted and we have begun to provide services in the town of Humacao. The team consisting of a mental health counselor, a substance counselor, a community outreach worker and a case manager have directly supported a total of 30 participants from August to October 2019. These services are based on providing counseling once a week, support with peers and link to different services according to the needs identified until obtaining permanent housing for this population. It should be noted that participants have been linked to medication-assisted treatment, primary medical care and mental health treatment.

Our entire team appreciates the support you provided us to continue the projects in the communities affected by the lack of access to services related to human rights.  This work would not be possible without the support of people like you and we hope you continue to be our partners in bringing about social change and justice for our communities! Thank you!